Finding qualified help

[DMiller]

I never said anything about paying someone top dollar to learn. I'm saying if they have the skills, don't rope them into the same boat as the ones without, and learn how to spot the difference between the two.

Need to understand, when start with a new employer will be low on the pole as well until prove your value will be on the low end of pay spectrum, all us old farts in here were in those shoes and more than once. They have no clue what skills you do or do not have until you work awhile in sight of the boss. We learned to Not extend our credit so moves could be achieved if need be, in the 70s/80's/90s the odds of a company closing or being bought up and consolidated or just deciding to not have mechanics at high pay happened a lot, have to gear your mind to that way of thinking or you are sunk before ever float that boat. Had more than one employer, contract shop manager walk up and let me know the money was being cut, had not the funds to pay us the given rate so could stay or the door opened both ways, I walked quite a few occasions. I lived like a squatter more than once, rental trailers, RV trailers, even in old garages turned apartment until I knew what or where I was headed.

 

[check]

Need to understand, when start with a new employer will be low on the pole as well until prove your value will be on the low end of pay spectrum, all us old farts in here were in those shoes and more than once.

Prospective employees need to understand things from the viewpoints of employers and other employees and the interrelationships between.
Some companies I have worked for in the distant past were quite up-front in their ideology that seniority meant little to them and that the best should be promoted, letting the least performers live with it. I doubt it's even possible to operate that way any more because of the complexity of EOE and related potential lawsuits.
So if you're the new guy with a lot of high expectations you have to consider that if those who were hired before you are slow to advance, there is no "passing lane" for faster employees to get what they think they deserve.
The only way around this is in high turnover situations.
Back in the day, getting on with smaller companies you could at least hire on at low pay and prove yourself, then demand what you're worth and move on if they don't agree. An employer in this scenario has to consider that a female/minority employee may sue him if he lets a more recent hire advance quickly.
So legislation has mandated value and we cannot expect the law of supply and demand to completely dictate the value of labor anymore.

 

[old-iron-habit]

IUOE Local 12 has seniority = A list, they have 1st shot @ jobs. 60 months to be instated(receive any benefits paid; quit @ 59 months, kiss that $$ good-bye) and get on the A list.

I was referring to keeping or laying off employees once on the job. Hiring hall rules are a different animal in some areas entirely. 60 months is a long time to get on the A list. You probably do not need to worry about boomers taking your work unless it is crazy busy for 5+ years.

 

[Old Doug]

We had 2 guys give 2 weeks notice this week one is the guy that just got out of school. I was going to go part time when he got out of school hes been out 2 weeks and i was trying to finish up some stuff this week.I dont like it their because of so many hours. Last year they hired a guy and about the time i had things wraped up so i could go part time he quiet.I could take off but it makes it tuff on the one guy left in the shop i know this becuse i was that one guy before.

 

[Theweldor]

The whole problem is it will only get worse. I keep helping a company only because they have no one who can figure out how to fabricate a thing.

 

[thepumpguysc]

All I'm gonna say about the last 2 post is>> as long as u put up w/ it.. the longer it will go on..
Been there done that.. & as soon as something happens to u, where u NEED TO take off/leave.. u get treated like a dog..

 

[Old Doug]

The whole problem is it will only get worse.

Its hard to imagin but thats what happens. I dont plan on staying there alot longer but i thought if i worked less hours i would stick it out longer.

 

[Old Doug]

All I'm gonna say about the last 2 post is>> as long as u put up w/ it.. the longer it will go on..
Been there done that.. & as soon as something happens to u, where u NEED TO take off/leave.. u get treated like a dog..

Very true.

 

[Theweldor]

All I'm gonna say about the last 2 post is>> as long as u put up w/ it.. the longer it will go on..
Been there done that.. & as soon as something happens to u, where u NEED TO take off/leave.. u get treated like a dog..

Most of the time this is probably true. But there are a few people out there yet in management that see where things are headed. I am fortunate to be in that position. I work for myself and only give them a hand when they need someone to think outside the box. The other side to that is I absolutely enjoy my work. I have been very fortunate to find something that I enjoy doing, I have found something that I am good at, and most important I have found a few people who are willing to pay for it.
Doesn't happen very often from what I seem to hear.

 

[Jeckyl1920]

The other side to that is I absolutely enjoy my work. I have been very fortunate to find something that I enjoy doing, I have found something that I am good at, and most important I have found a few people who are willing to pay for it.
Doesn't happen very often from what I seem to hear.

This. I actually enjoy running a hoe. It's a thing that takes talent to be good at it and accurate.

I had a job for a year in environmental remediation. That was pretty fun. Every day was a different job. My biggest issue currently is no one wants to labor. Me and my boss do 90% of the labor and operating ourselves, partially due to people not being able to get the "next step" or the (glance over to the left)"crap! He's doing something else! I gotta go help over there!"

If you switch gears, people often can't keep up, and more often have tunnel vision, and get upset when their tunnel crumbles. We cant afford to stop machinery, yell across the jobsite, and have a meeting to explain every detail of every task throughout the day.

That being said, I would gladly explain the process, why, how, when. The lack of desire to do the job properly and amount of frustration that comes up when things change or shift as they progress is the reason we do most of it.

The comedy of it all is, most of the time 2 people are almost always, at any given time, doing utterly unproductive work and making themselves tired and frustrated for no reason or gain. Purely to look busy.

 

[Old Doug]

There are several things i dont like about my job the boss is no mechanic and dosent understand why anyone would need that tool he went to a shop that was selling out and they tryed to sell him a press we dont have one so i drive 8 miles to use mine or go to another shop to use theirs. There are several things that could be changed that the customers complain about to us but then wount go to him and say any thing. I started offering $20.00 if the customer would complain to the boss about no one will take my money.I use alot of my tools at work because we dont have or it saves alot of walking but that makes me work alot of hours loading and unloading tools that i dont get payed for.I am burnt out on mechanic work anyway to many things to worry about the shop is a 3 hour trip from any parts and its geting harder to find a good parts guy and theres geting to be more things that i cant do because of so many things are computer controled. If i had to do over agin i wouldnt have worked in any small shops were i had to be every thing from the janitor to the partsman its to many headaches.

 

[DMiller]

Some of the many reasons I got out of independent work Old Doug.

 

[John C.]

I'm thinking you probably don't know the power that you have over your "Boss". You should probably do your own sit down with the "Boss" instead of asking someone else to do the fighting for you. I know you like most of what you are doing and still get the satisfaction of seeing a dead machine start up and go earn money but it sounds like you are being taken advantage of. If you need the press just tell them you can't do a job and a machine will sit. If the shop is cluttered, then only clean up what it takes to do what you need to do and leave the rest. Tired of using and wearing out all your own tools then replace what you break and leave it at home.

When I quit being an employee I found that I run the jobs now and if my client doesn't like it they can find someone else to provide the same service. The phone rings pretty steady when someone finds out I'm available.

 

[DMiller]

I have been out of the circuit too long, did not keep up with the later electronic engines and try to remain in that corner for now.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Your using YOUR CAR to run for parts & going to diff. shops.?? Oh h*ll no.!!! I started doing that 5-10-15 times & then it became the norm UNTIL "I" put a stop to it..
I simply said, "throw me your keys".. U shoulda seen the LOOK.. & I calmly said, "what?? I'm SUPPOSED TO use my truck cuz "U" don't have this part/tool.??
I was never asked to use MY truck again..

 

[Truck Shop]

Rule #1 with the employer never let him know your helpless and hungry. Employers really like employees that are up to their a$$ in debt, their afraid of losing their job and
will take all the sh!t the boss can pitch at him. If the employer has a notion the employee is solvent the employee has more bread and less sh!t in his daily sandwich.

 

[Jeckyl1920]

Rule #1 with the employer never let him know your helpless and hungry. Employers really like employees that are up to their a$$ in debt, their afraid of losing their job and
will take all the sh!t the boss can pitch at him. If the employer has a notion the employee is solvent the employee has more bread and less sh!t in his daily sandwich.

Very true, but also very dangerous. Especially in construction. I got fired for being the one who won't shut up and bend over, even though I was the one who did almost all the proper finish work, and most of the labor.

Anyways. Owners right now are usually raised in the 70s construction era. Old school, "shut up and look busy guys." If you don't look busy while waiting on that dime, the dollar is "wasted." If they aren't there to micro manage, same scenario.

Honestly, it doesn't matter how skilled you are. They are happy with one skilled guy working himself to death, and a bunch of brown nosing do nothings that cost 1/3 of that guy each. They think the bodies make the operation look professional.

Bleh, I need to build my own operation.

 

[td25c]

We always said rule # 1 was show up & take care of the customers needs first .


That's what I like about this ….

If a feller gets to thinking he knows better than the employer nobody is stopping them starting there own business & taking care of the customer .

 

[AzIron]

There is no boss as demanding as yourself starting your own operation is great until you have to do all the office side to run a business I also have realised when times are good the brown noses find there way into business but that they make it through the lean times cause they can't perform

Its all what makes the world go round

 

[thepumpguysc]

Truckshop.. VERY TRUE.. I had an owner actually say that to my face.!! "Keepm hungry & they'll show up to work every day".!!!! Luckily he wasn't talking about me OR owned the company I worked for..
BUT.. about 35 years ago when I was applying to the company for the 1st time, the owner asked me if I was married.?? I said, no..free as a bird.. He said, Hmmm, we like our employees to have a stable family life to keep them "grounded"..
My response was, U mean like calling out of work because your kids are sick..or the wife needs to go to the Dr.???
Needless to say I didn't get the job.. Fast forward..10 years when I applied again, I was practically running the place..