Settling in to a new job

Birken Vogt said:

When I jump into a new product line and they dump 1000 PDF files on me. They contain all the parts and service bulletins for the last 20 years. If I had been working on these things for the last 20 years reading one bulletin a day on my coffee break as they were issued I might be as smart as some of the old timers. But having to somehow absorb and process all this "stuff" in this day of electronic everything is overwhelming.

You just know one of these bulletins contains the magic answer to whatever your strange problem is, but no way to access it.

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I get a monthly email from our technical department listing the released bulletins and service letters. It’s usually two pages long. I don’t have time to memorize even the titles. Fortunately it’s also accessible by machine serial for us and I always check before beginning troubleshooting for any applicable information

1978 was hungry for extra cash, had a word of mouth local quarry needed a contract mechanic not full time just now to then and somewhat on call as did not want full timer's on benefits any more. Was working as working foreman Heavy trucks, trailers, cars and small trucks, some smaller scale paving company equipment for a lease company. Walked in the shop to speak to the foreman had my pickup and tools outside, looked at me asked if ANY Detroit experience when said yes pointed to a Euc dump with a 110 and said get that running you're employed. Hour and Twenty minutes later was a Contractor. As well SCARED To Death of what I was entering into. Ended up more full time than not, lots of weekends lost to working, some days would leave the quarry to go straight to the other shop and start at quarry again before daylight next day. Did that off and on between moves out of state or when came back as the work load was always there and they were only too glad to see me return. Spent a lot of summers buried under some piece of crap they had to keep and keep running. Tried my own fixed location shop, business license, permits for oil waste, tax number and all, never made enough to warrant keeping so sold that off to another looking that same consideration over where he lasted just a short time and just sold it off.

Was really trying during the 'Bad' years when mechanics were 'A Dime a Dozen' but good ones limited and few, shops would hire/fire/roll out or turn over employees regularly, was my job at the lease yard to manage the night shifts work, interview prospects give recommendations or denials, determine those that needed to go and fire as necessary while delegate work as the mechanics could handle. Was a greater level of wrench turners and bolt busters than decent mechanics back then. Always a self starter, always working to better myself and my wallet.

Well I'm officially 3 months in now. I'm definitely getting the hang of it. Still have the odd, super stressful day where absolutely nothing goes to plan but I think that's pretty normal in the equipment repair biz. Definitely not regretting this career move.

Good for you. Life is about change.

Too true. I was definitely getting stale at the last place. Driving 6 hours a day and spinning filters the other 6 was getting old.

92U 3406 said:

Well I'm officially 3 months in now. I'm definitely getting the hang of it. Still have the odd, super stressful day where absolutely nothing goes to plan but I think that's pretty normal in the equipment repair biz. Definitely not regretting this career move.

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Damn good to hear.

In the same boat, definitely a "Why didn't I do this sooner?" feeling. Making $1 less an hour than I was living in a service truck, doing 50hr weeks, and home every night. Definitely the odd days/weeks stressing out and being humbled trying to learn the different equipment, but like you said, that's normal.

92U 3406 said:

Too true. I was definitely getting stale at the last place. Driving 6 hours a day and spinning filters the other 6 was getting old.

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Sounds too familiar; Drive and change oil 90% of the time, then the other 10% is trying to turn the brain back on when you roll up and actually have to troubleshoot something.

Is a flip side to these coins, going out on your own not setting a reasonable pace, burnt out by 45 and beat up as if 65. I tried burning that candle at both ends and center is fun at first then overwhelming to that point of oh hell WTF next and you walk away. Some guys don't quit, some never make it that far.

I'd love to go out on my own but at 28 and 10 years experience I don't feel my skill level is quite there yet to go fly solo. I plan on re-evaluating going out on my own in 5-6 more years.

I had only been in the marketplace for four years when I took on first side work, was doing more side than shop work by 10 years out. No guts no gain(is no glory) and no better way to learn than being cast to the fires.

Did not used to require a license here(or did not enforce the having of one), I actually obtained my first business license at 26, had my own tax number, had a tax accountant to keep it all straight and above board. Can remember a Saturday welding on a Pipe Tongue pup for three hours then getting a call to do service on a set of 110s on Alton Pool that night, back home Sunday midday to finish a neighbors clutch replacement in a F350 ford 2wd(he finally came up with parts) to go back to welding and then back to the garage Monday as night shift working foreman. Two days later get call at home blower out on EMD different boat, turned out to be variable speed drive but still worked on that one ALL following weekend underway on two of three. Will get old, vacations will mean more, you will learn to shut a cell phone OFF(I was using hard wire back then). Will be all you can do to find ways to pigeon hole funds then not enough time to enjoy them. I got to the burnt out stage, started spending what I had left to enjoy myself. Now I have the time, money is in investments paying a little at a time and I am still all busted up able to get what I can as I can, some days not so fun.

A Caution of you decide to go Side jobs. IF you go this route DO NOT let the customer push you into buying their parts. Find them or Locate them, get them YOUR pricing but do NOT Lay Out YOUR money for them if there is ANY consideration they may try to skip out or to cheat you of the funds by asking to pay in installments. Been burned three times, Once shame on them the other two; How Stupid Could I have Been!! Even today, a neighbor asks for help, I go diagnose, I give list of pieces for THEY to Buy, they do not get them or do not believe my estimate and decide to go elsewhere, all good and ALL Theirs. I will NOT patch or scab or try to make do for a short time unless I am fully aware the customer WILL stop use and get the machine fixed SOON, any other chance and I will wave off working on the machine.

One thing I don't miss is being in a service truck. No CVSE to worry about, no logbooks, no being expected to be the "hero" and go out on a 3 hour call 20 minutes before quitting time, no freezing my digits off in -35C, no customers to deal with, job site orientations/site accesses etc.

For the extra $1.50/hour being in the truck paid vs being in the shop where I am now I could really care less if I ever got behind the wheel of a service truck again. It was a great experience the total 5 years I did it but it ain't for me. I love having a tool crib full of specialty tools for every job I have to do. My hands love not being frozen 6 months a year. The work is so much more interesting in the shop. Actually rebuilding components for once. Being on the smaller stuff like mini exes, skid steers, teles etc means I get to do a lot of diagnosing since its cheaper for a customer to haul that gear in with their pickup than it is to have a field tech go look at it.

When I quit the side work
Stopped staying up for all nighters stopped trying to burn every candle from every direction and figured out I was not gonna be rich or smarter or better off
I got a full nights sleep three days in a row thought I had died and gone to heaven

92U 3406 said:

I'd love to go out on my own but at 28 and 10 years experience I don't feel my skill level is quite there yet to go fly solo. I plan on re-evaluating going out on my own in 5-6 more years.

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I was 27 with 9 years when I started.

I wanted to say also that you don't want to sell yourself short. If you wait until you believe you have enough experience you will never have enough. The hardest part is making the jump...………...I was thinking about it for 3 years before I finally did and have been self employed ever since...….that was 29 years ago. You don't have to know everything. If you run into something you don't know, be honest with the customer and seek advise on how to correct the problem. You would be surprised at how much honesty will get you. You will learn new things as long as you are in this business...……...I am 56 and learn something new weekly, especially on this forum. This industry is so ripe for heavy equipment techs now days and the law of "supply and demand" is in full force for those that are willing to work. The demand is extremely high and there is little to no supply. I look back to when I first started and realize I didn't know near what I know now at 56...……...but I knew enough to survive in this business while learning on the job to thrive today. Well worth it and I would never go back to working for the MAN.

92U 3406 said:

Well I'm officially 3 months in now. I'm definitely getting the hang of it. Still have the odd, super stressful day where absolutely nothing goes to plan but I think that's pretty normal in the equipment repair biz. Definitely not regretting this career move.

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Good for you. As a old friend always said. The biggest difference between fixing big machines and small machines is that the wrenches are bigger and you have to pull harder to get the bolts tight.

6 month update:

Wow I'm glad I stuck around. I definitely feel my skillset has expanded greatly. Even some of the old skills I haven't used in a few years are coming back. I have a lot of smaller stuff like skid steers and mini excavators thrown at me. Once in a while I'll get tossed a grader or mid-sized excavator to fix. I'd like more variety but hey its all nuts and bolts, right?

Company treats me good and the crew are a bunch of good guys (and gals). I can definitely see myself hanging out here for a while. Possibly retire from if things stay good.

I've worked two jobs in my life. Switched because I moved locations. 10 years at the current. If things stay good i expect another 10+. First employer found me the job at the second. Finding a good shop might take awhile but having good guys in the back and a decent management turns work into fun.

pushbroom said:

I've worked two jobs in my life. Switched because I moved locations. 10 years at the current. If things stay good i expect another 10+. First employer found me the job at the second. Finding a good shop might take awhile but having good guys in the back and a decent management turns work into fun.

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Very true on the need for decent management! In my case it went the wrong way.

At the start I had a great boss who understood the need for education, he actually preferred to hire guys with little experience but a desire to learn. I like to think that was part of the reason he hired me! He also had good support from upper management.

Then one wrong person managed to get into the upper management and things went down hill from there.

pushbroom said:

I've worked two jobs in my life. Switched because I moved locations. 10 years at the current. If things stay good i expect another 10+. First employer found me the job at the second. Finding a good shop might take awhile but having good guys in the back and a decent management turns work into fun.

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I definitely enjoy it here. My last job was with my current company but in a different division. I applied to transfer over to the dealership shop.

Given the choice I'd take being at the dealer over being in a fleet shop. It really bothered me when machines would get sent to the dealer because of warranty repairs or lack of tooling on our end. So I decided I'd probably be happier at the dealer, doing these jobs I never got a chance to look at.