My Quest Story - Allan Mendez

A chance encounter at a previous job put me on the right path.

My journey to Quest Diagnostics began in 2017. I was in-between jobs and didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I was working security for a local hospital, and I noticed a Quest Diagnostics car and courier coming in and out daily. One day I asked the courier, “What exactly do you do?” The courier told me about his job and day-to-day responsibilities, and I was immediately interested in working for Quest. I applied for a courier position and was hired in October of 2017.

I started out as a shuttle driver for our LAX logistics hub. As months went by, I was enjoying my time at Quest and knew I wanted to move up and see what other opportunities were available in the company. My goal was to become supervisor one day, and to do that I needed to keep an open mind and potentially go where I am needed. So, I expressed an interest in transferring to Portland, Oregon, for a change and new growth opportunities. And when the opportunity was available, I moved to Portland.

While working as a Route Service Representative (RSR) I always knew I wanted to learn more and take on expanded responsibilities. I spoke with my supervisor and expressed interest in taking on bigger roles and becoming an Advanced RSR. Within a few months, the advanced position became available. Taking that role was the best decision of my life. I had a great experience working with the team in Portland for 3 years. When a Group Lead position became available in 2022, I took another leap forward and decided to move again to fulfill my dream.

Being a Group Lead has been so fulfilling. I get to support my colleagues every day, take on new tasks when needed, and learn more about how Quest operates. My new supervisor has been a major impact in my life and at work. He is helping me build character and develop the knowledge and leadership skills to work on my next goal of becoming a supervisor.

I truly believe my purpose is to be with Quest the rest of my life. I love working with Quest because no matter what role I take on, I am supporting my community and growing my career. There are many opportunities within the company to keep learning and growing. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

I truly appreciate everyone I work with and want to thank my colleagues and especially my supervisors who have been on this journey so far. I look forward to many more years with Quest Diagnostics.