MAKE YOUR OWN POSITIVE MARK AT UNITED
A United employee not only belongs to an exclusive family of co-workers that excels in working together to accomplish great achievements, but also operates in a cooperative business environment that is unlike anything he or she would ever likely experience in the corporate world. Our business is still personal, internally and externally. People helping people. We have never met a challenge we couldn’t overcome as a company, and our employees have always fueled our drive to be the best at what we do.
We’re constantly on the lookout for talent, tenacity and those interested in the marathon rather than the sprint. And in that spirit, we’re committed to helping our employees find and reach their potential once they join our team. Here, in their own words, are just a few of our 150+ employees on why working for United is so special to them.
Joshua Koopmann
Journeyman Lineman in Meridian
2007
"My main objective was to find a place where I could grow. I was at a point in my life where I was either going to enroll in college or find a career path. My thinking was, 'Why spend money when I could make money?' With that in mind, I wanted to ensure that I found a career—not just another job—a career that would provide a path for retirement and the means to support a family. I applied at United because I knew it was a career-oriented organization. During the interview process, the one question I continued to ask was, 'Can I grow within the company and work up through the ranks?' The answer was always yes, so I knew I was in the right spot. United has continued meeting my expectations since, and it has provided me many opportunities to better myself and my career.
"United’s safety culture (realizing that everyone here is committed to ensuring we all go home to our families at the end of every day) has been a major influence in my decision to stay, although the benefit package is top-notch, too. Not many companies that I know of offer what United does for its employees. When it can, United promotes from within the organization, it has very competitive wages, an excellent retirement package and amazing insurance. United truly takes care of employees and their families.
"I feel that I have had every opportunity to advance within United. All the resources I may have needed have been offered to me for advancement within my department and other departments. That is another key reason why I have stayed. United provides advancement options based on performance, experience and training, which is opening career opportunities at a quicker pace for newer and younger employees. In my opinion, there is no reason any employee can’t be successful here. If they are not advancing, it’s because they are not doing what it takes to become better. Here, every employee has to prove they are capable and that they have prepared themselves to move up to the next level.
"It’s hard to put into a few words all the many things United has to offer, because the company is such a great place to be a part of on so many different levels. United is definitely a career-oriented organization. There is a generation of new talent that is entering the workforce today, and I think they realize, as I did, that there’s a lot of value in having paid insurance, a matched 401k plan and a pension. They can find all those things right here—and they can build a career with an accomplished company that is widely recognized for service excellence.”
Enriqueta Gonzalez
Member Service Representative III in Burleson
2017
"I was working at a bank, but that was not my dream job. Before that, I was a restaurant manager and a retail manager. I pretty much dealt with all kinds of people throughout the jobs that I had. But, I needed a job I could retire from that offered good pay and good benefits with some sort of opportunity for advancement. And I definitely have found it.
"More than anything, I think what I love the most about United is the people I work with. As soon as I started working at UCS, I felt welcomed. Work felt like I was at home. Everyone supports everyone else to do the best job possible—from other MSRs, to engineers to field co-workers. One thing I noticed was that people don’t quit here. There are MSRs that have been here for 40 years. Also, I think the transparency and monthly meetings are great. All of us, we are all aware of what's going on. Any big things in the company, we know.
"I was the second bilingual MSR hired at the co-op, and that's a huge plus to our Spanish-speaking members. That’s also a plus for me, because I love to help them. That’s what got me in the day I applied for this job. They had just received a call from a Spanish-speaking member, and no one could understand. So, I jumped right in and helped out before the interview. I like being able to use my experience with customer service.
"I've been with the co-op for a short time, and I've learned that, at United, you can move at your own pace. I started as an MSR I, and already I’m an MSR III. There's no pressure to advance, but it all depends on how fast you want to learn. We train as we go, and the training is good. If you have customer service experience, it's not that hard. But it all depends on you and how fast you want to learn as to how you can advance. I like that.
"While the bank was really close to my house, it just wasn't a career. That wasn’t the feeling. Not for me. It was a job. Here, mentally, this is where I want to be. This is where I want to stay until I retire. You learn to invest in many ways in your career here. I know I just need to keep learning if I want to keep advancing. That’s what I want to do."
Zane Hackler
Strategic Data Analyst in Cleburne
2012
"I was going to college and working at a feed store, but I was looking for a company that offered financial security and great benefits, but also a company where I could build a long-lasting career. It's kind of hard to find that. There aren't a lot of career opportunities out there that have both. You want to be at a place that takes care of you well, but you also want to enjoy the work. I knew a couple of my friends' parents who had worked here for United, and I knew United had always had a reputation for being a good place to work. So, I applied.
"One of the things I most enjoy is getting to work and collaborate with great people every day. Everyone is friendly, willing to help and looking for new ways to do things that make the service we provide even better for our members. United is community-minded, too. We're always seeking new opportunities to participate in community service efforts, sponsoring events in the communities we serve and volunteering where we can and helping out wherever we can.
"Every day when we go to work, we think about our members first. We always want to do what's best for them. There is a collaboration effort throughout our daily duties to make sure our members know we are there to serve them. On top of that, we work with the latest and greatest industry software and technologies. When you're working with outdated equipment it's very hard to keep up in this industry, which is always changing. You need to be on the cutting edge to do a good job in the power industry.
"When you work at United, you feel like the company and the people there are looking out for your best interests. And knowing that you work for a company that always looks to hire and promote from within is great. As for the great employee benefits, from the retirement plans to the medical plans,those offer security and peace of mind that is hard to find. It is a major reason for continuing my career.
"Getting to work at a company that treats its employees like family and that is not only proactive in the industry but also in the community makes me very thankful to be a part of United Cooperative Services. Everyone here is cares for each other and is genuinely interested in you and encourages your success. I’m also proud to work of a company that is a recognized leader in the industry, a company that’s accomplishing new things, trying new things and giving back to the communities we serve."