Moved to MI from VA this summer. Fortunately, did not have to find work immediately, but gonna have to now. Finally have things unpacked where I can find most of my tools. Not licensed as contractor in MI, do not have plumbing, elect, etc. papers either. In VA, i remodeled & handyman services for myself. Not comfortable hanging out my shingle up here…labor/union laws & not familiar w/ cold building techniques yet.
So, guess I best work for someone else, but not willing to work for Charlie contractor, maybe Piffin Puffinstuffin, but not ur average run of the mill contractor. Called local building inspector, and private lumber yards/ millwork houses asking for names of the best triming people they know. “I do not care if they are not hiring, getting the job is my job, urs is just to tell me who the best guys you know are.”
All together I got maybe 12 names w/in a 40 mile radius. Spent 2 days making calls, keeping DETAILED records of all conversations, esp. comments made about prospective employers. When I got ahold of the proper contact person, I was blatent about telling them I was more interested in the proper company than a paycheck (theory being that proper company, the right check will follow.); told them I wanted to work for a company which standards were at least equal to preferably higher than mine. That I wanted to know more about them than they about me, told them what references said about them.
W/in 3 days of calling, had a nose to nose interview, sign papers 12-31 & start Jan. 5. Only down side: have to join a union, but can live w/ that. Unions do have their place, but also tend to keep the really good ones down & hard to get rid of the dead wood.
Was told by they guys on the job site I visited, that there are almost no layoffs, very little turnover, they have NEVER missed an employees paycheck, and they care more about their employees than the jobs. At the same tome, they are not afraid to fire someone. Workmanship is exceptional, almost a Piffin. Mostly commercial, but union wages.
DW is happy.
Replies
cool.
I did similar when I decided to transttion from "self" to "employee" ....
then .... after figuring out I got a snow job with the first chioce .... did the same to find the second company .... and that job worked as well as I'd planned ...
Years ago ... can't remember who .... told me to take the "job interview" .... as my chance to "interview the job".
Make a list and ask a ton of questions ..... ask for referals ... see the work up close .... I even said up front that I was making the switch to learn more about the biz side ... so it wouldn;t work unless they were willing to give me some office time too ....
a coupla guys were obviously pissed at the direction the interviews had taken ...
one told me to just get the hell out .... one guy said he didn't think it'd work .. then called to offer something ....
When I first started looking ... the wife would get a little annoyed when I said "Yeah, I got offered the job ... but said no thanks ....."
Hope yours works well .... if not .... look again. No sense going thru life unhappy ....
I made a deal with myself yrs ago .... every move would be an advance....
no lateral moves here ... if your gonna change .... may as well move up.
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Thanks, Jeff
Jim,
Congatulations on your new job! Your information was very helpful and inspiring. Smart, that you made a concious decision to set your sights high. I will be looking for a new job soon, so thanks for helping me consider the fact that may be options out there.
thanks,
darcy
Thanks, Darcey,
I didnt mention that my faith played a major part too....wasnt mentioned, but a LOT of prayer went into the whole thing too.
Prayer of a righteous man availth much...
Darkworksite4:
Estamos ganando detrás el estado de Calif. Derrotando a un #### a la vez. DESEA VIVO LA REVOLUCIÓN
Glad to hear you got a job. I joined a union about 4 years ago. Was working for the contractor when he went union. Have had no problems since developing a great relationship with the local BA so I don't get teh deadwood. Remember what makes our unions work is being involved, you can not complainabout anything in the union u r in unless u attend monthly meetings and become ivolved. Drinking free beer there is not being involved.
BSTCRPNTR local #634 Salem, Illinois
dont mean to hijack the thread but couldn't help but comment on what bstcrpntr said about getting involved with the union, and having a good relationship with the BA so didn't get deadwood. i fell into the union not really knowing any better as a very young man, rode many ups and downs with it, the last straw for me was when they reorganized several years ago, about 4 i think, and my local got absorbed in with a bunch of others. we no longer had autonomy, fought the takeover/reorganization in court and lost. as a very involved member i found it extremely disheartening to take a loss like that. was very proud of what i had helped be a part of and build. the respect of my co-workers meant a lot, it was really a good group.
what i am trying to say is don't get to involved, don't let it keep you up at night. the international holds all the cards, they wrote the charters, and constitutions and have the money for the lawyers to win and enforce their will. as long as what you want is in their interest you will be alright, but when it changes or conflicts you can go along, or leave. the carpenters union is not about whats good for the people, its about whats good for the union. i've had to learn this lesson the hard way, and hope it helps those in the future.