Women at JOST

Our British colleague Jannine Burt has been working in our industry for 30 years, over 23 years at JOST GB! Would you like to learn more about her exciting career? Here is the full interview!

JOST: Please briefly outline your professional career.

Burt: After leaving school I joined a company called “Serck Marston Services" as an apprentice. I was placed in the workshop working on brake relining and carrying out radiator repairs, which was a great experience. I undertook my NVQ levels 1, 2 and 3 in Business Management during this period and I progressed through the company carrying out several roles including van sales, delivering commercial vehicle parts to local transport companies, area sales representative and area sales manager looking after many national accounts for the company.
Serck Marston soon became part of a larger automotive organization called “Serck Intertruck”, which was seen as a national automotive parts distributor.
Being involved in this industry, enabled me to build on my qualification gain invaluable knowledge, I have always invested in myself, and I have learnt from every interaction that I had. This was the start of my love for the industry that I now work in.

An opportunity arose for me to join JOST GB as an Area Sales Manager in 1999. The company went through a period of growth and I grew with them. I was promoted to Sales Manager and thus responsible for the management of the OEMs for trucks. I became involved in the fleet specification and engineering side of the business which led to my current role as Fleet and Sales Manager. By taking on the different roles within the company, I furthered my understanding of the products and how they could benefit our customer base. This in turn allowed me to make the right decisions for the business and enable revenue growth.

JOST: How did you come to JOST and why did you stay at our company?

Burt: When I joined JOST 23 years ago, I saw the opportunity to further my sales career with fantastic products and I believed I would be able to excel in this role.
JOST is a company that gives you the platform to have the best products for the market and as a business continues to invest in these products. I ensure that I am the expert in the innovate products that we offer to the market, and JOST enables me to have as much knowledge as possible to deliver on my promises. I believe innovation is important, not only within a business but also for my own personal progression to provide challenges within my role.

The people that JOST employs in the UK are passionate about the industry, have a can-do attitude, work hard and are team players. As JOST has grown, so has the team and I feel privileged to work for a company that has a great ethos, structure and invests in the whole business. I don’t feel like it’s just a job to me, it’s a vocation.

Since becoming Fleet and Sales Manager, as a business we have been able to acquire many blue-chip and national fleet businesses who now specify JOST products when choosing their next vehicle. This has been a great achievement for me and the company.

The transport industry in the UK is unique and like no other industry. People know each other, so you must convince with reliable deliveries, which in return is rewarded with customer loyalty and respect. In this industry I am a woman in a Man’s world, having the right skills and attitude. I absolutely love my job and wouldn’t change it for a thing.

JOST: What has been your biggest professional challenge so far and how did you manage it?

Burt: After 30 years in this industry, I have had many challenges to overcome. The developments in both products and organisational growth have changed the way I work with the addition of JOST axles, ROCKINGER, TRIDEC and Quicke to the JOST Family. With every challenge though comes an opportunity and the faster I have overcome objection or learn about a new product, the more successful I have become.

With our head office based in Germany I want to break through the language barrier by learning German, which is quite challenging.

JOST: What do you do to relax after a day at work?

Burt: Before the pandemic and hopefully soon again I enjoyed industry events such as trade shows, dinners and sometimes even truck shows. I like to network with my colleagues, staying active and fit as well as socializing with my family and friends. However, sometimes all I need is a good movie and one glass of wine.

JOST: What advice would you give young women on how to assert themselves in a management position in the automotive industry?

Burt: The logistics and transport sector offers great opportunities for women with the right attitude and skill set to thrive, climb the career ladder and realise their ambitions. More and more women are being recognised for their roles within the transport industry and it’s great to see that we have women in positions at the top level. Automotive has previously been a heavily male dominated industry but that is slowly changing.

If you work hard, prove yourself, have integrity and deliver on your promises then you will be treated with respect regardless of gender, background, or beliefs. Women continue to be empowered and breakdown stereotypes.

Every day is an opportunity for growth, learning from every interaction, taking time to get to know the industry you work in, taking constructive feedback, being professional, confident, strong and patient as well as keeping your emotions under control.

I have learnt to pick the right battles and address issues clearly and directly, but this is always coupled with the right enthusiasm and knowledge. I have been lucky to have spent most of my working life within the same industry and my hard work has been rewarded with progression.