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Raising Hands: How Caroline Gullich Cruz Became Intelcom’s Moncton Station Manager
When Caroline Gullich Cruz found herself with career uncertainty amidst the pandemic, she did what most everyone did - she pivoted. And boy, are we glad that pivot led her to Intelcom.
Since joining the team in June of 2020, Caroline has progressed from Package Handler to Station Manager, and she attributes that growth to timing, advocacy, and a whole lot of hard work.
Caroline's First Pivot
"Oh, I think a lot of us started because of COVID. I'm in New Brunswick today, but I used to live in Niagara Falls. I started there as a Package Handler." Gullich Cruz shared.
"One year later, I got the Lead Hand job, and it was really good timing because I'm not Canadian - I'm an immigrant. I needed the title to apply for (my at the time husband's) work permission. So it was very timely."
Pivot, the Second
"After that, we decided to move to New Brunswick. So I transferred here as a Lead Hand. Again, it was good timing. They needed a Lead Hand here. It happened very fast - the process. And I was very welcomed here. So in a few weeks, I adapted, and everything was good."
Relocating can be challenging in industries with limited opportunities. At Intelcom, we pride ourselves on our Canada-wide operations and agility to support team members no matter where in the country they choose to call home.
"...And two months later, they promoted me to Sort Supervisor. It was all very exciting! It was a lot of change in a short period of time."
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It was all very exciting! It was a lot of change in a short period of time.
Caroline Gullich Cruz
Station Manager, Moncton
Caroline Gullich Cruz
Station Manager, Moncton
Why Advocacy Matters
In any workplace, having advocates who can attest to your work ethic, leadership, and skills is incredibly valuable. What is perhaps even more valuable is your ability to advocate for yourself. Caroline is a great example of what can happen when you express interest in certain roles.
"A year later, my boss went on vacation, and I offered to take on his role during his vacation. He was the Station Manager at the time. I did the work to cover his vacation, and luckily again, the timing was good; the opportunity was there. He ended up getting promoted, and someone needed to fill his spot. I was there, and I knew about the job already."
When reflecting on her promotion to Station Manager, Caroline was candid. "It was very, very good. It was scary but good." She said, between chuckles.
She went on to describe how impactful colleague endorsement was during the process, "Everyone got onboard for me. It was very nice and rewarding that everyone said, oh, Caroline is going to be a good person to do that role."
"Every time that I got promoted, I was very proud because someone put in a good word for me. And it's very good to see someone recognize your efforts."
Celebrating Women in Logistics
Logistics is traditionally a male-dominated industry, but here at Intelcom, we pride ourselves on finding diverse talent and nurturing it. Caroline is a perfect example of how a career in the logistics world can flourish as a woman.
"I think the most important thing is giving [women] opportunities. It's hard to stay in a field where you don't have opportunities, or you're not an option. Nobody knows if they can do something they haven't tried, so it is very important if you give opportunities to show they can do it. And [visibility], like this interview, is very important. I would like to see more of this: more women exceeding the expectations."
Caroline loves to celebrate and lift other women up.
"When I'm in meetings, and another woman is promoted, I'm like, yeah, one more! I work on the operation side of logistics, so it's even more rare to see a woman. It's a bit more physical. When I started as a Package Handler, in the first two weeks, my muscles were sore and I thought, oh my god, this is not for me, but you get used to it. If you persist, there is space for everyone. You just need to not give up at the first obstacle."
"[If you] do your best, someone will see you. Someone will put in a good word for you when the opportunity comes. I work with some very strong women here in Moncton. And I love to work with them."
To learn more about work at Intelcom or to explore opportunities in your area, visit https://intelcom.ca/en/careers/