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Job Hunt Frustration

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sdloy

08-05-2005 17:17:56

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Hi folks. I don't often post here but I lurk a lot. I hear a lot about the economy and layoffs and unemployment, but the opposite problems have me frustrated as heck. I've been trying to hire a mechanic for over a year and can't get any bites. I have a heavy duty truck shop and have a need for four full time technicians. I have a devil of a time getting two. We are a small shop in GOD'S country with hunting and fishing within ten miles, a pay rate from fifteen an hour on up with a health plan and retirement. I can't even get the flakes to call. What am I doing wrong, and how is it in your part of the world?

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bob/wis

08-07-2005 19:55:45

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Hey Loy,
Shot you a eamil.
Later
Bob

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doodelbug

08-07-2005 09:27:23

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

loy, ive been a mechanic for 35 years, i wouldnt pick up a tool for $15 /hr. " in this part of the country " dont know where your at but what is the cost of living there ? that makes a difference also.

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Dixieland

08-06-2005 13:37:55

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Hi Loy, Don't let those guys intimidate you! Everyone wants to get paid a lot for thier work and pay as little as possible for everything they buy. A wage of $600.00 for a 40 hour work week week plus health insurance plus retirement equals a value of $50,000.00 annually. If a person don't know how to compute that wage he ain't smart enough to do the job!

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Porter

08-06-2005 21:35:21

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to Dixieland, 08-06-2005 13:37:55

I have been a farm mechanic for 30 years. I have had my own shop the last 14 years. Yes, help is almost impossible to find here as well. But I can"t say as I blame the younger folks for finding an different trade. There are easier ways to make a living. The shops where I worked always treated me well but, I noticed a few things that made me think. First the pay scale was always close. A new guy was often brought in, and paid what a experienced man made. Second, a good parts man made the same money, and a salesman made even more. I am not knocking parts, or sales, they have families to support too, but the mechanic has to be equally capable as they are plus have a small fortune in tools, and adding/replacing them all the while. I also noticed that if you are a good mechanic there is usually no chance for promotion. The pad answer always was "We need you in the shop." Then they would bring in a shop foreman or whatever that didn"t know a hitch pin from an injector pump and many good men stayed the course, or moved on. Also $15.00 x 40hrs x 52 = 31,200 in cash before taxes. Two things here, most factories pay that here to start. Coal mines, and big factories will beat 20.00 + benefits. The only tool you need is a lunch bucket. Second 31,200 sounds like a lot of money. It wont go too far, and if your a single parent it goes even less. I loved this trade when I was younger, I would rush like a race horse, pull heads etc, without help or a lift. The older farmers were different as well. They were smaller operators, kept machinery longer, and seemed to appreciate and be more loyal. I still have fun, cancer and health problems have made it a little rocky. Insurance is nice, but other occupations have insurance/retirement too.

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havvey

08-06-2005 10:54:07

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

loy you may have to try a few people on a probation bases, some people don't interview well you might find a wild card. one of the best mechenics/welders i'v seen (now dead) got a winter job at a local truck garage because the owner stoped by his house where he was rebuilding ford selecto speeds (they worked when done ) that winter job lasted 35 years! you may look at a semi retired person (part time) it worked for me i don't thik it was the money it was just having something to do for him.

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James2

08-06-2005 10:51:21

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Regardless what others have stated, $15/hr is a pretty good wage in today's business atmosphere. We are paying as little as $10/hr to our new hires at a major corporation, and you need at least a 2 year tech degree to be eligible. What we have that you don't, is the possibility of getting out the trenches. It's a lot nicer setting at a desk wih A/C making $50K+ "playing" with a computer and answering the phone. What many do not realize that this is going to be increasingly hard to do, because significant numbers of these jobs are going overseas. So what you have to offer is, a decent paying job, which requires some skills and is coupled with a lot of hard, dirty work. Not too many kids today are interested in that kind of a job. The good ones intend to use wrenches as a stepping stone, not as career.

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old fashioned farmer

08-06-2005 20:06:30

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to James2, 08-06-2005 10:51:21

Howdy James,

Wow $10 per hour to start! I reckon I need to trade in my parts job for what you all are offering. I get paid a cool $8 per hour and most times do twice the work that the other parts guys do. I don"t intend this as a brag but I just finished our big fall combine parts order (25 palets worth) in 2 1/2 days. That includes checkin in a list of parts that looked like a telephone book, moving 700lb crates around, and stocking all those parts. Guys at the store are still shocked. I"m 23 and hard work doesn"t scare me, it makes me happy. There are a few of us out there yet but the numbers are dwindling. Especially if you"re like me and have folks who expect you to get a cushy job right off the bat just because you got a college degree. I am happy where I"m at but the folks aren"t so I get to trade in my parts job that I actually enjoy for some low paying degree-related job that will force me to move to some other state. Oh yeah, this whole cushy college degree job stuff is the life for me. If people would learn a little word called contentment they"d be a heck of a lot happier. Old Paul said in the Bible "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." That"s a tough row to hoe, especially when others don"t want you to be. God bless.

--old fashioned farmer

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James2

08-07-2005 08:56:22

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to old fashioned farmer, 08-06-2005 20:06:30

It's refreshing to hear from someone who is not chasing the almighty dollar. I am surrounded with the dollar chasers. I have only one concern, can you support a family on $8.00/hr? Or is the plan to use good effort and enthusiasm to advance to a better position? Do you farm on the side? If your current position is only an avenue to achieve another objective, then it has merit, hard work rarely hurt anyone. If you don't have a plan, I am concerned your current or future family could suffer. I can only wish that I had a business which could hire a few dozen workers like you and provide a decent wage. We both would profit. One can hope your efforts have already been noticed, and that good things will come to those with patience.

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Things must be good here

08-06-2005 08:56:13

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I think it is a little different here. I am at the beginning of the end of my second career (I am retired military and now work as a network manager). I would like to get some experience working a farm and asked a couple of local farmers here if they could use some help. Did say that I was not looking for a wage as I know that I know nothing about the business; was willing to work for the experinece and knowledge. Could not get any takers.

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TomR Ont.

08-06-2005 10:56:55

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to Things must be good here, 08-06-2005 08:56:13

How many people will work, really work for $0.0 to-day, I mean work and not waste the other guys time.(it's hard to get some service guys to show up even at $50.00, "I'll be there monday they just don't say which monday").
He might also be thinking you will make it up in tools or what ever is too heavy or isn't nailed down.
It might be better to just say pay me what you think I'm worth, that will be your incentive to work (smart) hard and prove to him you are worth it. He might even tell you things that you can't learn from books-just the school of hard knock$$.

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tlak

08-06-2005 07:54:19

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Relative was looking for an electrician. He has his own one man business. I told him I would help out. He said he needed a licensed electrician that could just jump in his truck and go. I asked what he was paying, he said $15hr but couldn't find anybody because the local contractors were paying $30. Sorta reads like yur situation, he can raise his bid prices and pay the going rate.

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Jeff Oliver

08-06-2005 07:07:37

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I must be in the wrong business. Been a tool and die maker for 22 yrs now and make 18 an hour and that is pretty decent here in Tn. Checked yahoo jobs and that seemed to be the rate for my job. Believe I will go back to school and be a mechanic:)

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Joel Harman

08-06-2005 06:56:23

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

try to feed a family on $15/hr

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Big Mac

08-06-2005 05:45:07

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I tend to agree with most of the post. $15 + benefits is not enough. I heard an old saying that "good mechanics aren't expensive, their priceless"

Just my thoughts.

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dave from MN

08-06-2005 05:18:51

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Where are ya located. I have a buddy that is looking. He was a GM mechanic for years and for the last 5 or so he is the fleet maint for a landscaping company. Does ALL the work on ALL the equip, (Semi's,Deisel tractors large and small, all the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks). Has more tools and books than i think most stores have. Saves his company 1's of thousands in repair/maint cost.

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sdloy

08-06-2005 06:05:25

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to dave from MN, 08-06-2005 05:18:51

I appreciate the feedback and wanted to pass on a few more comments. I am in NE South Dakota,where it is still a pretty cheap place to live, but it is often reflected in the wage scale. Around here 15.00 is good start money. I'm not afraid to pay more for the right person, just need to see a return on investment. Also of course the wage needs to fit the position as an oil and lube tech and an engine mechanic are definitely two different levels. I've recruited from high schools and trained, I've had a hard time getting my foot in the door at tech schools, and their class sizes are shrinking every year. It seems everyone wants to work in a big shop. Thanks for the advice and letting me vent a little. Loy

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Steve Crum

08-06-2005 05:17:07

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

It's even uglier trying to find somebody to weld. Tig is the primary process in the shop. I tried to find somebody weld for me a few hours a day. Hours were flexable and I was offering $25 an hour as a contract rate. Would have been great for somebody retired or semi retired. Got a few real young guys that inquired, one even claimed to be AWS certified but it was obvious none even had the first clue of how to tig weld, even worse, my equipment is state of the art Miller and Thermo Dynamics. (this equipment is Cadillac style from what I started out with 22 years ago). I gave each guy 6 pieces of stainless and 1 hour to produce 2 of their best welds. Needless to say I ended up with a lot of pieces in the scrap hopper and still do all the welding myself. America is sure lacking for the arts that used to be passed down thru the generations. If it can't be done on a computer most people can't do it anymore. Note that I am slowly computerizing many of my processes I'm not trying to save labor costs, I'm forced to engineer the people factor out of the work because I can't find the people that can do the work, or are really interested in learning the work.

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Coldiron

08-06-2005 05:12:18

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I also live in God`s country where it was pretty cheap to live a couple of years ago. Now the cost of living is going out the ceiling since everyone is coming here and paying very high prices for homes and land. The working people are getting hurt because the wages are staying low and everyday they stay in this area they are digging a deeper hole. Raise your wages accordingly and you will have workers. Why live in God`s Country when you can`t keep your head above water? They are going where the pay will give them a liveable wage. Just my 2 cents

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havvey

08-06-2005 05:10:15

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

s loy the others have pined in on your labor rate so i will TRY to answer your question. change, your recruiting tactic. See the states job service or unemployment agency for help, advise local technical schools/trade centers try to pick up a reloacator from a near by city that wants to move to your area. If your a small town you may have to go see an individual if you know of him and feel you want him. Be flexible in your pay/plan. Look for an untrained person (high school student) and train him use him for the light stuff to free your self up. try differnt newspapers/tv ads. use a subcontractor that may not have enough work on his own. hope i helped a little as i know what you mean on getting any help.

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john in la

08-06-2005 04:37:49

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

Back when I was younger I work at a paid by commission shop. We made 60% of the labor charge.

The shop where we get our truck worked on now starts his mechanics at $20. per hour and it goes up from there

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champspa

08-06-2005 04:11:16

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I'd like to hire one for 15 but 25 is the rate in Central Va.

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Midwest redneck

08-06-2005 01:39:23

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I honestly agree it is hard to find super skilled help. But you need to offer $18/hour minimum for guys that have 4+ years of experience. I am not a diesel mech. or plan to be one. You may need to go to a nearby dealer to see what he pays his mechanics.

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08-05-2005 23:37:46

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

No fully trained heavy duty mechanic with tools is going to work for 15 an hour "up".They're not flakes,mirror-man.

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sdloy

08-06-2005 07:48:19

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to 02, 08-05-2005 23:37:46

I agree that an experienced man is worth well over 15.00 per hour and am willing to pay significantly more than that for that type of applicant. I just need them to apply. And the guy that says "anybody can be a mechanic. You just plug it into the machine and do whatever it says" is definitely a flake. Loy

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RJ-AZ

08-05-2005 17:42:02

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

I am ASE Master certified on heavy truck and truck equipment. I turned down $24.00 an hour with a large Catterpiller dealer here in AZ. Making $22.16 with full ins. and benefits right now.

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RustyFarmall

08-05-2005 17:23:31

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to sdloy, 08-05-2005 17:17:56

$15.00 an hour is not enough for a qualified and experienced heavy truck technician. What is your hourly shop rate? The technician should be recieving about 1/2 of it.

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Midwest redneck

08-06-2005 02:40:51

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to RustyFarmall, 08-05-2005 17:23:31

You are correct.

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Buzzman72

08-05-2005 23:15:45

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to RustyFarmall, 08-05-2005 17:23:31

Not sure what truck shop rates run, but almost 20 years ago I was working for an auto dealer who
hired a consultant outfit...consultant advised 'em to raise the shop labor rate, and then leave room for the highest-paid tech to get 1/3 of the shop rate. So if the shop rate was $75 per flat-rate hour, the highest-paid tech would be paid up to $25 an hour. Not sure what the shop rate is now--I think it was around $60 then--but I know I probably wouldn't twist wrenches for under $20 per frh...too much investment in tools and equipment to settle for less.

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Illinois Boy

08-06-2005 05:18:44

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to Buzzman72, 08-05-2005 23:15:45

You have to ask yourself this - would I perform this job for this hourly wage? And, can I support my family is some reasonable fashion at this wage?
Benefits mean a lot, but unfortunately, they don't hit home with most younger workers. They just don't see the value, because they're still "bullet proof".

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HarryG

08-06-2005 08:49:51

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to Illinois Boy, 08-06-2005 05:18:44

I've been a wrench about 30 years now. It takes many years to reach a master level. Look at the tool investment. I have over 60K in my hand tools.

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steveormary

08-06-2005 10:24:06

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Re: Job Hunt Frustration in reply to HarryG, 08-06-2005 08:49:51

I dont know,things is different now I guess. I can see where it is hard to hire good help.

We were trying to hire jourheyman electricians or experienced apprentices. They would come in for an interview. Amd ya,ya,Ive done this and that and I know one of the guys in the shop.etc,etc. WEll,do you have an electricians license. No. Do you have a drivers license. No

And the state employment office didnt screen applicants either. Enuf of this. I always hated to break in new help. Some did turn out all right in spite of what I tried to teach them.

Steveormary

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