Meet Josh: From Double Glazing Sales to a Career in Care

At Right at Home Cheshire East, we know that behind every great care team is a group of people working hard to keep everything running smoothly. From welcoming new Carers to supporting existing team members, there's always plenty happening behind the scenes.

This week, we're catching up with Josh, our Office Manager, whose journey into care wasn't exactly planned, but has turned into a career he wouldn't change.

We chatted about his career, what makes a great Carer, the rewards of watching people grow in their roles and why you'll regularly hear him saying, "Okey dokey!"

From Double Glazing to Domiciliary Care

Josh joined Right at Home Cheshire East in January 2024, initially as a Care Coordinator, before moving into his current role as Office Manager in December 2025.

But his career started somewhere completely different.

"Many years ago, I was actually a double-glazing salesman!" Josh laughs. "I lost the bug for sales, so I decided to go into domiciliary care."

At the time, Josh was living in Preston, where he discovered how much he enjoyed working in care. He progressed into a supervisory role, supporting and training Carers out in the community.

Wanting to broaden his experience, he then spent around three years working in a care home before moving to Manchester and joining Right at Home Cheshire East.

"When I started as a Care Coordinator, it was a lot more operationally intense than what I'd experienced before. It was very busy, but I really enjoyed it."

With a growing interest in the wider running of the business, Josh eventually moved into a role focused on recruitment, staff support and office management.

"I've always felt I'm quite a people person, and I think my sales background actually helps with recruitment. Having worked in different areas of care, I've got a good understanding of how everything works, which really helps when bringing new people into the team."

Not bad for someone who started out selling windows!

A Typical Day? There's No Such Thing!

Ask Josh what a typical working day looks like, and the answer is fairly straightforward.

"There isn't one!"

As Office Manager, Josh's responsibilities cover everything from recruitment and interviews to staff compliance, supervision, appraisals and supporting the office team.

"A lot of my role involves bringing new people into the business, arranging interviews, conducting them and hopefully offering people jobs. Then there's making sure everyone is onboarded correctly, all the compliance checks are completed and everything is safe."

But his role doesn't stop when someone joins the team.

"There's also a lot of staff management involved. Making sure everyone's happy, things are running effectively and finding solutions when they're not."

And, of course, there are the occasional difficult conversations.

"Sometimes things run smoothly, sometimes they don't. You just have to keep going!"

Fortunately, Josh has developed a fairly reliable response to whatever the day throws at him.

"Okey dokey!"

More on that later.

What Makes Someone a Great Carer?

Having interviewed plenty of potential Carers, Josh has a good idea of what makes someone stand out.

And surprisingly, previous care experience isn't at the top of his list.

"For me, one of the biggest things is communication. If someone can communicate well, explain themselves and engage with people, that's a really good starting point."

Of course, interviews can be nerve-wracking, and Josh recognises that people don't always show their true personalities straight away.

"I like to think I'm quite good at making people feel relaxed. Once someone feels comfortable, you start to see what they're really like."

But there's another quality he believes is just as important.

"Kindness. You can often get a really good sense of whether someone's genuinely kind. If they're a good communicator and a nice person, they've already got some of the most important qualities needed to become a great Carer."

Because while skills can be taught, genuine kindness and compassion are what really make the difference.

No Care Experience? Don't Let That Stop You!

One of Josh's favourite parts of recruitment is meeting people who have never worked in care before and watching them discover just how good they can be at it.

"It happens quite often. People come in who have never done care before. They love the idea of spending time with people and having conversations, but sometimes they're unsure about the personal care side of things."

And that's completely understandable.

Starting a new career can feel daunting, especially when it involves responsibilities you've never had before.

But at Right at Home Cheshire East, nobody is expected to know everything on their first day.

"We provide classroom-based training, shadowing out in the field and ongoing support. We give people the opportunity to build their confidence and develop their skills."

Josh explains that Carers are supported with areas such as moving and handling, medication and personal care, with observations taking place before they're signed off as competent.

"We don't just throw people in at the deep end. We want them to feel comfortable and confident in what they're doing."

And sometimes, the results are fantastic.

"Some people just take to it like a duck to water. They come in with no experience, thrive in the role and go on to do really well."

The Best Part? Watching People Grow

For Josh, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is seeing someone who was initially unsure of themselves develop into a confident, capable Carer.

"There's nothing better than seeing someone come into the business with very little or no care experience and then watching them excel."

Some of those people have even progressed into more senior positions.

"We've got people who started with us without much experience who have gone on to develop into senior roles. It's really nice knowing that the training and support we've put in place have helped them get there."

It's something Josh takes real pride in.

And while he enjoys recruitment, there's also satisfaction in making sure everything behind the scenes works as it should.

"When we put systems and processes in place and everything works efficiently, that's really rewarding too."

Although, as anyone working in a busy care office will appreciate, there's usually something else waiting around the corner!

Resilient, Diplomatic and Kind… According to Josh!

We asked Josh what three words his colleagues would use to describe him.

After a little thought, he settled on:

Resilient. Diplomatic. Kind.

"I'd say I'm quite resilient. This role can be tough at times, and you're constantly having to deal with different challenges."

Although he was quick to admit that even his resilience gets tested occasionally.

"Sometimes I question my own resilience! But you go home after a long day and you're back again the next morning, so I must have some!"

As for being diplomatic, Josh likes to understand everyone's point of view before making decisions.

"I like to look at all the different reasons and understand the situation properly before deciding what to do."

And kindness?

"I think I'm quite kind as well," he says, before adding with a smile, "Being modest and whatnot!"

We'll let the rest of the office decide whether they agree with all three!

"Okey Dokey!" – Josh's Most Used Phrase

Every office has those phrases you hear so often that they almost become part of the furniture.

For Josh, there's one clear winner.

"Okey dokey!"

"I say it all the time!"

But apparently, there's a method behind it.

"Someone might come to me with something or tell me something over the phone, and I'll say, 'Right, okey dokey.' That's my moment to pause, process the information and think about what we need to do."

So, while it might sound like a simple response, it's actually Josh's way of giving himself a moment to think things through before deciding on the best approach.

And while we're talking about Josh's talents, there's one very important skill we haven't mentioned yet.

Josh makes the best brews in the office!

Forget recruitment, compliance and keeping everything running smoothly — his tea-making abilities might just be his greatest contribution to office morale!

Although we're not sure he'd appreciate us adding Head of Hot Beverages to his already busy job description.

What Makes Right at Home Cheshire East Different?

Having worked in other care settings, Josh believes one of the biggest things that sets Right at Home Cheshire East apart is the level of training and support Carers receive from the very beginning.

"Our induction is really thorough. It covers so many different areas and gives people the tools they need to do the job properly."

Alongside classroom training, new Carers spend time shadowing experienced colleagues, allowing them to build confidence, understand the role and start developing relationships with Clients.

But Josh is keen to point out that support doesn't stop once induction is complete.

"We're constantly checking in with people. We want our Carers to enjoy what they're doing, and we want them to feel listened to."

For Josh, it's about creating an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions, raising concerns and continuing to develop.

"We'll always do what we reasonably can to support people. We want them to succeed."

Thinking About a Career in Care? Josh Has Some Advice

If you're considering a career in care but haven't quite taken the leap, Josh's advice is simple.

"Definitely go for it!"

Having worked in different industries, Josh knows firsthand just how different a career in care can feel.

"When I first started working in care, it was the only job where I didn't really feel like I was going to work."

And while there are certainly challenging days, the rewards make it worthwhile.

"No two days are ever the same. There'll be laughs, there'll sometimes be tears, but there's no other job quite like it."

One of the things Josh particularly loves about care is getting to know people and hearing about their lives.

"Everyone's got such fascinating stories. Sometimes it's just about sitting and having a chat with someone. You learn so much."

It's those everyday conversations and connections that can make such a difference to someone's life.

Why Join Our Team?

We finished by asking Josh to give us one final reason why someone should consider joining Right at Home Cheshire East.

And his answer summed up exactly what he wants people to know.

"We'll support you and develop you in your role the best we possibly can. You'll learn new things, and there are so many opportunities to develop."

For Josh, the most important thing is finding people who genuinely want to make a difference.

"If you can give it your all and give our Clients your all, we'll support you every step of the way. We'll help you develop into the best you can be, and I don't think you'll look back."

A Final Word

From double-glazing sales to supporting a team of Carers, Josh's career has certainly taken a few unexpected turns.

But it's clear that finding the right people, helping them grow and making sure they feel supported is something he genuinely enjoys.

Whether he's welcoming a nervous new applicant, helping an existing Carer develop their career or tackling the latest challenge in the office, Josh brings a calm, thoughtful approach to his role.

And if you ever hear an "Okey dokey!" coming from his desk, don't worry.

He's probably already working out a solution!

And quite possibly making another excellent brew while he's at it.

Could Your Next Career Move Be Into Care?

You don't need previous care experience to make a real difference.

At Right at Home Cheshire East, we're looking for kind, compassionate people who enjoy helping others and want to be part of a supportive team.

With comprehensive training, ongoing support and opportunities to develop your career, we'll help you build the confidence and skills you need.

Who knows? Your next career move might be the unexpected one that changes everything.

Get in touch with our friendly team to find out more about joining Right at Home Cheshire East on 0161 871 7381 or email us at recruitment-ce@rightathome.co.uk