Re: Got a Job Interview - Anyone heard of 'em?

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Aug 18, 10:31=A0pm, JoeRaisin <joeraisin2...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Thanks for the advice Jim, but what it really comes down to, as much as
> I hate to admit it, is that I am just far too cowardly to continue
> trying to make a go of my own business. =A0Until I started this summer jo=
b
> I couldn't even get those five hours of sleep and felt like throwing up
> most of the time.

Yeh, I know what you mean. That's not a unique experience. It's scary
as hell, especially when you've got a wife, kids and a mortgage.

>
> I admire you guys that had the balls to do it - even if it went well, I
> don't think I could have taken the stress for long.

Well, that's another story, everyone has their own level. I guess with
me, it made me .... more determined than ever that I wasn't going to
fail. i don't know, but I seem to remember being agitated alot. (Just
reminded me that I have to thank my wife for hanging in there during
that time  ;-)


>
> Oh and BTW:
>
> I spoke today with a former employee of this company and got his opinion
> of what will suck and what won't. =A0We discussed what I was told at the
> interview and for the most part I was given straight scoop - with the
> politics left out - which is what finally had him seeking employment
> elsewhere. =A0He did say that, to be fair, he was a machinist before and
> after and likes it a whole lot more.


Yes, after all is said and done, everyone seeks to do what they like
to do.


>
> It will be long hours and lots of driving (though he did say that the
> guys using their own vehicles were kept closer to home) but that part
> doesn't bother me. =A0The income can be inconsistent but he said the good
> money is on the installs and that he averaged 2.5 to 3k a month - some
> didn't do so well, a few did better, on average. =A0By comparison 2.5K wa=
s
> a lot of overtime at my old job and about the most I ever made in a
> month (these are before tax figures).
>
> Even the low side (meaning drop in installs with mostly service calls)
> will be more than enough to make the mortgage which is my biggest
> concern right now. =A0The savings have dried up.

I don't know if you have any interest or knowledge in home audio video
flat screen TV hookup and small home theater but if you do, that's a
very popular niche around here now. That would be something that you
could try to do on the side so that on those "off" days, you would
have some fill-in income. It's the kind of work you can do after
hours, in the evening and on weekends. It doesn't take that long to
do ...... wire in a couple of rear speakers, mount and hook up a TV.
And people will pay up to $65.00 an hour around here (New York area)
For somebody doing it on the side..... $45 an hour. I would stay away
from offering a flat fee cause you never know what you're going to run
into.


>
> I have also managed to push back my start date a few weeks, so there's a
> good chance I'll know about my other opportunity before I start. =A0That
> was important too. =A0In case you've missed it, I'm a sober drunk (20 yrs=
)
> and part of that is I try not to do too much that makes me feel like I'm
> being dishonest (but don't get me wrong - to feed and shelter my family
> I'll do what it takes).

The key word is sober. Good work. And ya gotta do .... what ya gotta
do.
>
> I'm keeping mt fingers crossed that the place I'm doing the summer gig
> for works out. =A0Fun job, good people and it's close to home.-

Even though I own my own company, I can appriciate what you're saying.

I never had anyone in my family who owned their own business. So I was
brought up to think that I had to go to school and learn how to work
for someone else. So, that's what I did.

I worked for someone else, and would always wind up being at odds with
the way my employer wanted me to do things. I thought I had better
ideas and when "allowed", could make them work to my and my employers
advantage. Whenever a project needed it, I would volunteer and spend
extra hours of my own time, if necessary. I'd take work home with me.
Always striving to get to the next step. I could never relate to the
work ethic that most of the people that I worked with had, because
they didn't have the same dedication that I had to doing a good job. I
thought most/many of them were phony because they'd talk the talk when
the boss wasn't around but when it got right down to bumping heads
about an idea, they'd back down and wouldn't ever go out on a limb and
try to do something else.

I had no idea that the attributes I had were exactly what one needs to
run a business. I just thought all the other guys just didn't have the
balls to stand up for what they thought. In other words, it wasn't
until I finally found out that " I " was the guy who didn't belong
there, in other words .... " I " was the "phony and I finally
discovered that the things that caused me problems while working for
someone where just the attributes that one needed to run a business.

So that's why I understand what you're saying. AND... If it wasn't for
guys like you, who would we hire..... anyway??? I guess you could
say, .... If I could do what you can do, I'd be doing it. and vice
versa. Right?

Good luck. Hope it turns out. But whatever it turns out to be, do your
absolute best at the job and don't let the "system" at the job bring
you down to the level of the least common denominator. There's always
one or a few people who want you to do average or below average work
so that you don't show them up for what they really are. You've really
got to give it time but over the long run, doing your best puts you
first in line to be noticed, promoted and given more money...... and
if it doesn't .... it's a strong indicator that it's time to move on.

Give em hell  !!!!!!!!