Career Launch: How Caddying Helped Joshua Doely Land a Job with 3M
Joshua Doely
Global Strategic Sourcing Analyst at 3M, Joshua shares how caddying at Golden Valley Country Club helped him become an Evans Scholar and land a great job.
Why do you enjoy your job so much?
Simply put, every day is different. Within my job, I am challenging my skill set every day and learning a lot throughout the process. It is important for me to know that I am delivering meaningful outcomes and living up to my values. At 3M I am able to do so confidently. I am thankful to be able to start my career here and learn from all of the bright minds around me.
How did caddying help prepare you for this role?
There is one certain trait that caddying helped develop that sticks out, and that is being a self-starter. As higher education and careers have shifted toward online formats, being a self-starter, or active participant has been more important than ever. When I caddied nobody ever told me I had to show up. However, by showing up consistently, I was able to get my name out there quicker and be more likely to get a loop (or possibly two). Sometimes it takes an act of putting yourself out there to get yourself in the right direction too. By better understanding how golf courses operated, introducing myself, and helping co-workers and members, I started to get my name out there. This was a big lesson for me. It is not always the people you know, but who knows you. Actively seeking out how I can be a positive change and provide value has helped prepare me for my current role.
Did anyone that you met caddying help you land your job? If so, please explain.
Not directly, however, I would like to think that my years spent caddying influenced the opportunities I pursued. I always had an interest in pursuing a career related to business. During many of my rounds, I learned about different areas such as accounting, finance, and supply chain, and got an inside scoop of what some career paths were like 10 to 20 years down the road. I was able to make better, informed decisions with members at my side.
What's the best perk of your job?
One perk I love taking advantage of is setting up time for informational meetings. Each week I learn from others in different areas of the company, how people work together, and am able to be curious by asking questions. Through this I have been able to have a couple of mentors, which I am very grateful for, and build relationships with my team even better. As caddying has taught me, there is so much value in first building a connection with someone as it makes work easier.
