Owners, Superintendents. Please Take Time To Read.

[YoungOne]

I admire your enthusiasm, desire, ambition...one thing people do not like is beiing questioned on how they are doing something. I have been around construction my whole life. When I am away from it I go looking for it, sometimes just sit and watch. I feel like I know a bit now. I have found that the best thing to do is just prove your self with your mouth shut, I know that it can be hard when you are so into it, but as a young buck you will get a "know it all" rep in a hurry. GOOD LUCK!!!

Yeah i dont mind asking questions etc. But if i ask that's exactly what it is a question. I'm not going to criticize anyone willing to give me a chance. Like i said i am willing to put in 100 hours a week 400 hours a month in a ditch with a shovel/connecting pipe. Whatever it takes. Chinese backhoe is a good friend of mine. I'm just ready for that chance. Whether it be in the seat, pouring concrete all day, laying pipe. Using a tamper all day. I dont care. I'm ready for a chance somewhere. I'm ready to learn.

-Michael-

 

[YoungOne]

Thanks to SunServicesLC I have been contacted with a job offer in Virginia! About 200 Miles away. Running equipment. I plan on going up in about a week to check it out. And then if i like what i see ( i'm sure i will ) Then it's time to put that two week's notice in at wal-mart!

-Michael-

Thanks SunServicesLC!!!:usa :notworthy :notworthy

 

[SunServicesLLC]

No problem, hope it works out They are a good friend of mine so if it does ill probably c you around. Good Luck!
Brian

 

[YoungOne]

No problem, hope it works out They are a good friend of mine so if it does ill probably c you around. Good Luck!
Brian

I hope it will. I have already started looking over the internet for apartments to rent etc. Because right now I am ready to go visit, but i am looking for reasonable apartment prices etc. I only need something big enough for one person you know.

-Michael-

 

[CM1995]

Good deal!:thumbsup Once again HEF saves the day!:drinkup :usa

 

[YoungOne]

Good deal!:thumbsup Once again HEF saves the day!:drinkup :usa

Hope so. Time to hit the real world for me hopefully. If i have to sleep in the dozer who cares Living comfortable is not anything on my mind right now, getting by in a room 10x10 with a heater and bed I will be happy.

Around washington though it may cost me 600$ a month for that room

-Michael-

 

[YoungOne]

Yes!

Remember how you i told you guys that i used to work for a small contractor?

Well this morning he calls me and says " Michael i got an offer for you, I need an operator for our 270 Johndeere and 315 Cat Excavators and to labor all at the same time." I said I'd LOVE to but i need to put in my two weeks at wal-mart but i would be willing to work half-days for two weeks if you could do that" He said that was fine and told me to call him wednesday of this week.

I then told him " you know that i don't expect to touch a machine right? Don't put those joysticks into my hands until you feel as though i've earned it, i want to learn remember that. " And he said that he thought that i would be ready to operate during the first week and would let me know.

He also offered me $4.00 over what i am making right now at wal-mart which was a grand deal for me

-Michael-

I'll try to take pictures and keep you guys updated.

 

[marc21]

It sounds pretty ruff down there for work. up here on the other side of the boarder all the operators i know make mid 20's to mid 30's an hour and to run a shovel u get 15. Up here if you have legs, arms, heartbeat and half a brain you can get a job running shovel or labouring.

 

[YoungOne]

It sounds pretty ruff down there for work. up here on the other side of the boarder all the operators i know make mid 20's to mid 30's an hour and to run a shovel u get 15. Up here if you have legs, arms, heartbeat and half a brain you can get a job running shovel or labouring.

Yeah we just got a job digging a 60 acre pond. ( more like lake huh ) Hopefully i'll get alot of pictures. Surprisingly this is on private property and it's not state owned or anything. For a company that is only going to have 8 workers including two owners ( son and father ) That work everyday. We have three jobs going. Staying busy and working long hours. Just what i want.

Still going to work part time at wal-mart monday through saturday excavating.

Saturday and sunday night at wal-mart.

Mom said i'm nuts. I told her "Well mom in order to win in life, you have to get beat first."

-Michael-

 

[CascadeScaper]

Right on dude, just keep truckin. I worked my entire summer break away from college this working in a restaurant 5 days a week and working for a buddy of mine running equipment the other 2 days. I was doing 75+ hour weeks for 3 months solid, couldn't remember when I had a day off. Now that I busted it all summer I had enough to throw down some cash on a 3.5 acre lot back in my home town that will do nothing but make me money. Planning on selling that parcel for 2 or 3 times what I paid for it down the road to buy my own truck and machine. In the meantime, I'm headed the union route. If accepted as an apprentice, I start next spring. Looking forward to being done with college and operating full-time again. Just keep at it, the road less travelled is that way for a reason. It's tough to get into the game, but you can't outsource equipment operators.

 

[YoungOne]

Right on dude, just keep truckin. I worked my entire summer break away from college this working in a restaurant 5 days a week and working for a buddy of mine running equipment the other 2 days. I was doing 75+ hour weeks for 3 months solid, couldn't remember when I had a day off. Now that I busted it all summer I had enough to throw down some cash on a 3.5 acre lot back in my home town that will do nothing but make me money. Planning on selling that parcel for 2 or 3 times what I paid for it down the road to buy my own truck and machine. In the meantime, I'm headed the union route. If accepted as an apprentice, I start next spring. Looking forward to being done with college and operating full-time again. Just keep at it, the road less travelled is that way for a reason. It's tough to get into the game, but you can't outsource equipment operators.

Good job man,

I would be going union as an apprentice if I didnt have to have a Class A CDL And they won't train you for it

I plan on buying a lot of 2-3 acres and putting mobile homes on it for rent. Buy one pay it off get another etc etc.

-Michael-

We'll both get in the game. And stay in it

 

[CascadeScaper]

Property is where it's at. After I get a good year under my belt in the union with some money in the bank I'll go after another piece that I may keep for myself, more than likely a house. I'm just looking at the end of the rainbow after the sale of the 3.5 acres I have now. A Nice Pete 379 and a Cat 315 that I can pay CASH for, or have very, very little financed. I really hate being in debt, even if I know it's for the better. I'd like to get myself back into business with as little debt as possible, I've been a part of or started 3 or 4 pretty sucessful businesses over the years. Keeping the ownership costs down are the best, no work for a couple weeks, no problem, just wrench on the iron for that time.

 

[YoungOne]

Property is where it's at. After I get a good year under my belt in the union with some money in the bank I'll go after another piece that I may keep for myself, more than likely a house. I'm just looking at the end of the rainbow after the sale of the 3.5 acres I have now. A Nice Pete 379 and a Cat 315 that I can pay CASH for, or have very, very little financed. I really hate being in debt, even if I know it's for the better. I'd like to get myself back into business with as little debt as possible, I've been a part of or started 3 or 4 pretty sucessful businesses over the years. Keeping the ownership costs down are the best, no work for a couple weeks, no problem, just wrench on the iron for that time.

Your exactly right. Always look for the future, Dont dwell on yesterday's mistakes.

Right now my mom is criticizing me and what i want to do with life. Because it is something the family hasn't really had anything to do with. I wasn't the lucky ones that grew up with a dozer in their front yard you know?

But i tell her everytime she starts in on me. " In order to beat life, You have to let life beat you."

Which i truly believe in. And i'm looking for gold in my life. Silver will be merely acceptable.

Yeah I would like to create a housing development/ Build my own house. And own a excavating/lowboy service one day.

Big hopes for such a young man.. But i'll get there. Just like you will. Who knows we might even meet up one day. Even though we are on opposit coasts!

-Michael-

 

[CascadeScaper]

I agree to an extent to what you're saying. You gotta know when you're down so that when you finally reach the top you'll feel like you really conquered something. I can respect that, overcoming a lot of obstacles to finally make it where you want to go. You gotta push for the top, you'll get slapped back down, and you just keep on truckin'. I stuck it out big time last year with an excavation business with my dad, went against all odds and made it happen. The only reason I'm not doing it anymore is the fact that I decided to go back to school and finish my degree, my dad simply couldn't run the show without me.

Nothing wrong with getting your @$$ totally handed to you at times, when you rise above it's the best feeling ever. Get defeated because you're trying something you're not quite capable of and learn from it. Shoot high, miss a couple times, then you'll finally stick it. That's my plan. I've been through a lot so far, not many people I know my age or even twice my age have experienced some of the things that I've done thus far in life, nor will they ever. I work with plenty of them everyday in my restaurant job, they're 30+ years old, no college, no credit for a car, don't own a house, etc.. I guess you could say that it's just their way, but they let life beat them. Nobody is ever going to give you credit for being an under achiever, you gotta stick it out to make it anywhere.

 

[marc21]

i know what your saying young one as i am also a young man, 20 to be exact, and i'm trying to do the pretty much the same as you. Nobody expects very much out of young people anymore i find, and when you suggest something like start your own bussiness and own your own eqiupment people think your crazy. You gotta stick with it even when it sucks, I owned my own house 6 months ago but money got tight and i lost my job so i had to sell it, Didn't want to but it was best thing i ever did, it opened lots of doors for me. If you show your mom that this is important to you and that your devoted to it then she will get behind you, My mom said the exact same thing but now she is 100% behind me. THE BEST THING you can do, is do this kind of stuff when your young instead of waiting till your older, you will know more about life when your 30 then most people know when there 50 because you set your own path in life you didn't follow the safe route everyone else takes. you have 100% of my respect.

 

[YoungOne]

Thanks guys,

Seriously proving to your parents may be the hardest thing ever to do. Because they never want you to leave home, or atleast far away. Which I told my mom i am looking into going ACTIVE army and getting in the the army corps of engineers for great experience. Does anyone know more about that? I know they do big jobs. And it would be excellent experience.

I guess the three of us are the underdogs, in a bigdog fight. And we have to start at the bottom to work our way up.

-Michael-

HOAAHHH to the youngone's!:usa

 

[YoungOne]

So i had a bit of pressure on me today.

Today we poured concrete. Being a laborer/operator. And we couldn't pour from the shoot. Because of the area we are in. We poured 51 yards today. And my boss/owner tells me when i went and grabbed the shovel so i could " Chuck" concrete til the finishers caught up. "Michael get in the hoe, i want you swinging the concrete bucket over the hole, I trust you don't mess it up." I said " Yes sir " And went on with it. He told me to leave the machine at half idol ( 325 B Cat ) And take my time. So i proceeded to do so. And did very well with it.

It makes me feel good to be able to do that. We have two owners father and son with probably 60 years operating equipment combined. And a foreman with over 25. So that's 85 years of operating, down in the trench where i should be.

Later on in the day he tells me

" You did good today. But how far do you plan on going with this company?" and i told him that my only goal was to learn something new everyday, Not to make money. And he looks at me and says " Well i'm willing to show you everything i know. I give you hell all day, laugh and joke at you. And all you tell me is " Yes Sir." And go on with your job. He went on to tell me that he plans to help me get my CDL's and hopes that i stick around long enough to become a foreman.

I think i need to learn everything i can from this man. He said he's willing to teach me everything he knows if i can give him an honest day's work. His last words to me were " You come from a lazy generation, It's easy for me to figure out why no other contractor would hire you. But any man that's nuts enough to move 20 foot long rebar 8 at a time over one should 100 feet instead of using my hoe i respect. He went on and asked me why i dont use the hoe and i told him " Call me nuts but i have a tendency to think too much, And i dont want to get stuck in a situation i can't get out of. " And he said " Get used to it. This is a hard life. " I said " Well thanks for the start. " And went home.

-Michael-

Feels good to be back!

 

[Molcott]

Seriously proving to your parents may be the hardest thing ever to do. Because they never want you to leave home, or atleast far away. Which I told my mom i am looking into going ACTIVE army and getting in the the army corps of engineers for great experience. Does anyone know more about that? I know they do big jobs. And it would be excellent experience.

hey youngone, and everybody, I'm new to hef but its a great forum. i love this place. anyhow i've been operating for about 7 years now got my start in the army corp of engineer. i have to say i got alot of stick time in the army. I had to work extra hard to get in the seat but it was worth it. I also was in the first engineer unit in iraq. so we had alot of work but we also did alot of boarder patrol roads to spec here in the united states all on large machines you are already NG so you know how to deal with the politics but all in all it was worth it and a great learning experiance. looks good on a resume if thats the road you take i only have one word of advice while your in and on a machine look at every job in dollars and cents even though it doesn't matter in the army. it will help you out a great deal when you get back out lol. thank you for serving our country and keep us posted