Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Chamber president speaks about volunteering, working
Mike Glover shared professional advice with students
UWCHLAN >> Downingtown Thorndale Chamber of Commerce President Mike Glover shared with students his career experience as a Business Developer Manager for Advantage Building & Facility Services.
In addition to volunteering with the Chamber, he is a member of the Exton and Chester County Chambers of Commerce and he volunteers with a youth baseball team.
“It’s a way to learn and give back to the community,” Glover said.
He added that he gained leadership skills and public speaking experience in his role with the Chamber. Additionally he has learned about decision making skills and how it affects other aspects in an organization or company.
He encouraged the students to do internships in high school and in college to find out what they like and dislike about a prospective vocation. He told them that if they decide to change majors or colleges, both of which he did, to consider their options, passions and skillsets to make the best decision for their future.
“Don’t be afraid to change your school or your major. Figure it out early. Don’t go 15 years into your career and say ‘I should have changed,’” Glover said. “Do what you want to do, not what other people tell you to do.”
He also encouraged them to research other options if they no longer want to purse a certain career after obtaining their degree. He explained that they can seek work related to their field of studies. He added that prospective employees need to realize what other areas are hiring in their broad skillsets, such as an accountant applying to a school district or someone who studied communications applying to a hospital to work in the public relations department.
Glover earned a degree in business management from West Chester University in 2002. He Downingtown Thorndale Chamber of Commerce President Mike Glover speaks to Downingtown East High School students about his work experience as a Business Developer Manager for Advantage Building & Facility Services.
took a year off and returned to school. His advice to students is to take a year off if they desire, but to return to school no later than that. He recommended finishing their degree before they start a family because it will be harder to juggle their responsibilities when raising children.
Glover worked at a bank in the afternoon while he attended his undergraduate classes in the morning. For his masters, he worked full-time at the bank during the day and went to school a night or two a week. His company had paid 80 percent of his graduate tuition.
“I almost got a free master’s degree, other than the time and effort that I put in,” Glover said.
He had worked as a bank teller and one day his boss asked him to change roles, and he advanced to become the facility manager with
on the job training. Despite some banks closing, he built five branches as the facility manager.
He currently works with Advantage Building and Facility Services, LLC and enjoys interacting with his clients and co-workers. He noted he has kept in contact with his classmates and his former colleagues and he encouraged the students to network with other professionals. He emphasized staying in contact with people you meet, including former colleagues, customers or clients and competitors. He added to go through your list of contacts and call people to ask how they are doing and if they need anything.
“Don’t let people forget about you,” Glover said.
He warned the students to be remembered in a positive way and ask former employers to be a work reference.
He also encouraged them to get involved by volunteering and by helping out more on the job. His work with the Chamber to host
community events also allows him to use his business background to connect business employees with each other and network with other professionals.
Glover spoke to Downingtown East students as part of a series called “The Career Café,” formerly known as “lunch and learn.” Troy Podell, Coordinator of Career Readiness for the Downingtown Area School District, began a series to allow students to gain insight from a guest speaker about their career path, a description of their daily work and answering questions from students. During this school year, nearly 20 professionals will speak to Downingtown West and East high school students about their careers.