It’s July, the temperature is pushing 90 degrees, and summer is in full swing; Gentle Giant is knee deep in the busy season. We have hired nearly 200 seasonal staff to account for the increase in demand. Our summer employees are largely comprised of student athletes looking to stay fit for the summer and European students looking to experience a unique aspect of American culture.
While working for a moving company may not come to mind as a typical college job, it is a position that offers the opportunity to develop an invaluable set of skills in a positive work environment. The stereotype for movers does not often include college educated, athletic, customer service focused individuals. Here at Gentle Giant, we constantly strive to break that mold.
Interested in the position, but curious about what a typical day might be like? Well, there is no typical day when you put on the maroon t-shirt with the Giant feet on the back!
Every day is a completely different adventure. One day, you may be on a fourth floor walk-up in Beacon Hill, and the next day you may be going up to the penthouse of a downtown high-rise. You may be starting a three-day job in the suburbs or moving three small apartments in one day. As a full service moving company, we cater to the diverse needs that arise during the moving process. Variety truly is the spice of every Giant’s life.
While no two jobs are the same, there are some commonalities in every day. First and foremost: the importance of a hard day of work. There is a special sense of accomplishment when you move the contents of an entire house onto a truck and then empty the truck back into a new house in one day. Working as a mover allows the opportunity to see just how hard you must push yourself to accomplish a clear set goal. It is an important daily reminder that goals are attainable if you set your mind to the task at hand.
Our movers also learn to appreciate the importance of teamwork in every task. There is simply no way to move a sleeper sofa up three flights of stairs without teamwork. Even Giants who already have an athletic background will practice these skills in a more stressful work environment unique for a summer job. The daily reliance on teamwork reinforces this important trait for both student athletes and future professionals alike.
Finally, our Giants acquire communications skills that allow them to help customers through stressful life events. The Gentle Giant hiring managers often joke that you are not just a mover for the day, you are also often the customer’s therapist. In most service industry jobs, customers do not care who is helping them, as long as the food is hot, the drinks are cold and the service is fast. However, as a mover, customers want to know: who is the person in their home handling their belongings? Working as a mover offers the opportunity to learn how to communicate with stressed individuals in a calm, helpful manner.
Hard work, teamwork and communication are the basis of a successful career in whatever path our budding college students choose. Many former Giants have taken these skills daily into a variety of careers. From lawyers to doctors to professional athletes, we are proud of every Giant who has passed through our ranks and gone on to make the world a better place.