My First Job: Gerard McGlynn, senior superintendent

December 18, 2005

My First Job: Gerard McGlynn, senior superintendent

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Gerard McGlynn

Current position: Senior superintendent at Skanska USA Building, one of the largest general contractors in the Pacific Northwest.

First job: Sweeping floors on construction job sites and picking up and organizing supplies and tools used by carpenters and other construction workers.

How I got the job: There was no such thing as lazy summers in my family. There also wasn't a shortage of job sites that needed to be cleaned up. I always had something I wanted to spend my money on, so the job was a good fit.

What I learned: A lot about people and the importance of everyone's role in a big construction project. I also discovered that everyone, especially those in leadership positions, has to take seriously even the smallest thing — like cleanup — or someone could get fatally injured. The high-stakes commercial-construction industry is about teamwork, smart thinking, staying calm under pressure and interacting with people who have a wide range of skill sets and backgrounds.

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