[tubadude]

Hey guys, lately ive been thinking about some things about my job and what i should be doing.

little background. Im 19, live at home, have some overhead (rent, gas, insurance, G/F) and pretty soon i am going to try to move out with a buddy of mine into a house. Right now, i am building guitars (at fender, for those who care) making just shy of 300 dollars a week. which is fine and dandy, but i dont think will be enough to be able to invest in a retirement plan, rent, and a few more things that i will pick up while being on my own. I have been at Fender for 7 months now, still going through a temporary agency. No one knows when i will be hired on, as everyone blows me off on when that will happen. anyways, talking to some people in my department, most people dont make much over 20 dollars, unless you get into upper management. I dont know how true this is, but i plan to look into it as soon as i can find someone who will tell me the truth.

Anyways, a few days ago, i found an opening at Union Pacific, a train company being a train worker. (hooking and unhooking cars, and what not) UP: Train Crew (Train Service) (West Colton, CA) Job Posting
pay would be over 3 times what i make now, plus, i would be way more active (standing in front of a belt sander gets pretty boring) I would also have a 401K, and plenty of benefits, plus, its union. I would also have a way to move up, and talking to others, its pretty hard to do at my current job.

only downside, is i would work shitty hours, and the entrance exam requires a color vision exam. im colorblind, but thats via the tests with the dots. if its a pratical exam, then i will be fine.

my Question is, should i do it? i know some of you are older, have children and have been working a hell of a lot longer than I have. has anyone had a situation like this? if so, what did you do and what do you wish you did?

thoughts?

 

[l4zy415]

Shit, I'm just trying to finish school for auto mechanics cause working at a printing company is kinda boring. I'm more into working cars than printing stuff out. I'd go with the Union job cause ya, they pay more, but you'll get used to the shitty hours that they give you.

 

[Ophidian]

Can't you apply for the other job, take the tests they give you, see how you do...then if they offer you the job it's cool...just because they offer you the job doesn't mean you have to take it...always keep your options open... I think the majority of ppl hate their jobs. Always thinking there is something better, which is usually true..but remember it could always be worse. I know I hate my job, but I make decent money, good bennies, union blah blah...but am always looking for a better one, lol. G'luck to ya. Keep us updated.

 

[bandoni™]

when you apply to the railroad, you have to have a totally clean bill of health. a friend of mine applied for a railroad job in Wyoming, they made him take three health test and ultimately denied him because of some lame condition that he had when he was a kid. I was surprised the lengths that the rr company took just to deny him that job. they strung him along for a bout 2 months, I felt so bad for him.

 

[ymisoqt]

From my experience, here are my suggestions:

A) Temp agencies will screw you over. If they are beating around the bush on when you are going to get hired, and you haven't been hired after 7 months, start looking elsewhere. I have many stories about temp agencies, which I will share a few if you want.

B) The railroad can be a good career, if that is where you want to go. There are opportunities for additional schooling and the chance to move up. My ex-husband worked for BNSF for a long time. I would go ahead and do the tests, etc. and see what happens, but do not quit your current job until you know what is going to happen.

 

[bandoni™]

From my experience, here are my suggestions:

B) The railroad can be a good career, if that is where you want to go. There are opportunities for additional schooling and the chance to move up. My ex-husband worked for BNSF for a long time. I would go ahead and do the tests, etc. and see what happens, but do not quit your current job until you know what is going to happen.

this right here^ is great advise.

 

[sam o nela]

:rofl: @ referring to your gf as overhead

:rofl: x12,000

Anyhow...yeah Austin, I agree with what has already been stated, apply for the RR job but keep your current job so that you can still have some income while you jump through their hoops...and if they deny you the job, youve still got the temp job going on...then if you hear from the RR that they want you to come aboard (no pun intended) ask them if you can start in two weeks so that you can give proper notice to your current employer (makes you look good/responsible to your old AND new employer)...

Also, if its pay, benefits, and variety you seek, maybe you might look into your local Municipal or County Road Maintenance department...

My uncle started that here in Ventura County a maybe like ten years back and he loves it...you get to work with the same crew of guys all day, be out doors, get plenty of exercise, pretty good bennies after probation, fair pay scale, and theres actually room to move up...my uncle started out just holding the STOP/SLOW sign all day, and cleaning up county roads and abatement, but now he drives a flat bed for the county and moves heavy machinery to and from job sites....pretty good pay and you learn a lot...

Good luck to whatever you decide to do man! :thumbsup:

 

[tubadude]

^are you saying a g/f and/or wife arent overhead?

when you apply to the railroad, you have to have a totally clean bill of health. a friend of mine applied for a railroad job in Wyoming, they made him take three health test and ultimately denied him because of some lame condition that he had when he was a kid. I was surprised the lengths that the rr company took just to deny him that job. they strung him along for a bout 2 months, I felt so bad for him.

well, other than my appendix out back when i was 16, i dont have any other issues. i hope that wont come into consideration.

From my experience, here are my suggestions:

A) Temp agencies will screw you over. If they are beating around the bush on when you are going to get hired, and you haven't been hired after 7 months, start looking elsewhere. I have many stories about temp agencies, which I will share a few if you want.

B) The railroad can be a good career, if that is where you want to go. There are opportunities for additional schooling and the chance to move up. My ex-husband worked for BNSF for a long time. I would go ahead and do the tests, etc. and see what happens, but do not quit your current job until you know what is going to happen.

ive heard your story, and ive heard that temp agencies can be very helpful. i guess it depends on the person.

most people at my work were hired on in less than 3 months, i think 3 of them were hired on after 3. but i went to H.R. a few weeks ago, and they said that they are hiring on about 50 people, and it should take a month to get everyone hired. so on the 21st, i should be hired on. but im sure they were blowing me off.

hopefully tonight ill get started on the application, and try to submit it,

 

[ymisoqt]

Well, I had some trouble with temp agencies leading me on at jobs that weren't going to be permanent, even though I told them I did not want a temp job. I finally found a good agency that didn't want to send me on shit jobs and realized my potential, and the fact that spending money on an education shouldn't amount in shit work. The job that I have now, I've been here over a year, was hired on as soon as I was eligible and I've had two promotions since. And it was the first and only job I worked at through that agency. Some are good, some are bad, you never know.

 

[MountainLegend]

Its sounds like you are getting some good advice here...a couple of add on's...

a couple of hard fast rules...

1. Never leave a job with out another one...generally speaking...always there are one off's, but hang in if at all possible.,,,

2. Never leave a job/give notice UNTIL you have an offer IN WRITING and you HAVE PASSED ALL the background, security , health, drug tests....and they nothing left to confirm, and they ask when can you start...if you give notice and then something comes up and they can't extend you an offer, they just look elsewhere and you are TSOL...and the prospective employer won't care a bit...

3. ALWAYS give two weeks notice..., even if they don;t let you work it out, you will call on these people for a reference for the rest of your life...

4. 7 months via an employment agency is to much at this level, it is either i show up and you like my work or you don't, this is not a securties analyst position...it is $$$ for the employer and for expensive you, the employment compnay is getting your money for processing a paycheck for you...start asking about the perm salaries, you may be shocked to find out that your wages/ take home goes down, espeicailly with the cost of bene's like health ins and investments like 401K...all very good bene's, but you can have sticker shock...get educated in this regard....

5. In any job interview, INTERVIEW them x2 as hard as they are interviewing you...come prep'd with questions...make them tell you a story as opposed to vice versa...see if you can make the interviewer talk more than you, b/c at that point you are controling the conversation...and the question becomes what do YOU want to talk about...

6. Inquire at the offer stage about training, (and everything else...the front end is your ONLY time to negotiate...once you sign, its over.period.) how do you accure time off, what happens if you are out of leave time and can't be at work?...are they large enough to be covered under FMLA? do they pay for Jury duty for full time employees? how much of the health costs do they cover? is it a 40 hour week? ask "what are the unwritten Must Do's and Must Not Do's here?"...any possiblities of overtime (as this is a non-exempt position) does that have to be approved ahead of time..? by whom?

AND... i have backend access to Monster.com and just did a 10 mile radius search of Riverside Ca....open ended ,,,no subject... 946 jobs came back...Installation experts at Brinks jumped out off the first page...high school dip, Full time employ, full benes...dig for more of that...closer to home...if you don't like what you are doing, change it...because if you keep showing up for very little return, TRUST ME: they will let you...

7. a Suggestion for Professional Happiness: find something close to home, that way you can overcome the slings and arrows of weather, broken cars, family events that REQUIRE your attention, you will not sit in 3 hours of traffic to get home every frinkin' holiday, you can eat lunch at home wehen you are broke, $$$$ savings in GAS! etc...

8. THE super secret to being sucessful and influencing others - under promise and over deliver... ...i.e. say you get it them by thursday morning and have it in there hands by close of business tuesday...makes you look GREAT when you did nothing but manage expectations...this pays HUGE diveidends..over and over and over...i haev been at this for a decade and a half and i still use this all the time.

and lastly...life is too short, Do what you love and the money will follow...

GOOD LUCK!
El

 

[sam o nela]

8. THE super secret to being sucessful and influencing others - under promise and over deliver... ...i.e. say you get it them by thursday morning and have it in there hands by close of business tuesday...makes you look GREAT when you did nothing but manage expectations...this pays HUGE diveidends..over and over and over...

:werd: x Infinity x 12 squared....

 

[uncgboro]

All good advice. But if you like me (poor) and your parents aren't VERY VERY rich...then you can go get accepted at any college and fill out a FAFSA FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Basically i graduated in '03 and took 3 yrs. off and i decided to apply to a college. I Got in and filled out the FAFSA. Turns out the gov't pays me to go to school. Not really, but tuition is covered, books, and my rent. I just wait tables pt. time to pay the "overhead" I'm glad i did, b/c you should make more money at something you enjoy doing with a Bachelors degree. They base the money they give you on your level of need. PLUS, you dont pay it back..they are grants. But i think most people dont fill out the FAFSA because they think that they will not get anything! NOT TRUE.

Good luck, just thought i'd share my experience.

 

[pro_foundac91]

whatever happend to going to school??? college or other kinds of schooling??

 

[kevibobo]

Go to college. I made 250 dollars a week after I became brave and took 2 years off after high school working in sales. I went back to college in 2005 and hammered out my degree and graduated last year with a double major (financial aid paid for my tuition and books and I worked on campus to pay the extra living costs). Now I look at my paychecks and slap myself for wasting that two years withering my life and time away.

There is really no valid excuse to not go through some kind of post - high school education given such easy access to finaid and educational resources nowadays.

 

[i<3mylegend]

well i went to college and changed majors like 5 times. in the end i ended up getting a 2 yr. degree in auto mechanics and then went to UTI in chicago, and got a $20,000 certificate which was total wast of 18 months, and 20 grand which i am still paying for:nutkick: . now i work as a gm tech and sometimes i hate it and other times i love it. so no matter what your going to be unhappy from time to time, but i can never be for sure what my paycheck is gonn be seeing how i am a flat-rate tech. the money is good, but i am 25 and i can feel it in my back already.
so think about your body and think about if its a career or just a job. it seems that RR job would be a career, so do what your heart tells you.

p.s. college is totally worth while, but trade schools suck. they cost to much and they usually aren't well respected

 

[Ophidian]

Yep, there's tons of grants, scholarships available...just have to look for en...academic scholarship, or you can do what I did and get an athletic scholarship and get college all paid for, lol...g'luck.

 

[kotetu]

Join there ARMY! They are looking for a few good men.... XD

What skills do you have? without a college degree you better have something special, and I don't mean a G1 Legend.

 

[MountainLegend]

great advice on the grants, check that out, you do not have to be "poor" to get education grants, and alot of it is use or lose for them so, ya never know...research x3...loans are fine as long as it is for an accredidated school, AND as long as you see it through, and you are quasi-normal, that degree will more than pay back the loans...not dogging trade schools, but be sure beyond sure that is what you want to do and you have a passion for it...and the payback is usually longer as the salaries in trades tend to be more structured..., ok, now picture a god awful student loan and no degree to show for it...avoid this! and side note, don;t get into credit card debt up to your ass either, its a killer for your gen...get one card and manage the begeezuz out of it.

at your age, there is nothing wrong with working part time and hitting courses at the local community college...until you figure out what drives you...and personally, waiting tables and going school were some of THE best times...meeting lots of people, stuff going on everywhere, but you always have school and work to keep you from going off the edge, and if you parents are at all cool, and they must be if your still there, they really just want to see that you are trying to improve and do something and not settle, and in exchange, they will let you hang until you get it right and save some cash and get the right job, or marry paris hilton, one of the olsen twins(both?), etc...& going on to keep them in a lifestyle to which they have become acustom, or better...:lol:

research shows you are going to have 2 to 5 careers in your life, which really boils down alot of crazy shit can happen and usually does, so don't put to much stock in any one moment, its just a snap shot, hang in, and give your self a chance to see whats next, state your case clearly and evenly, have a goal(s), both short and long term, as it helps to have some idea of knowing in your mind, when you have 'made it', know what skills you have and what value they are...don't give your word easily or to often, and if/when you do, keep it, or die trying...

ok, i'm done, now go create your future...there it is...right there...and hells bells my man, you got a Legend to begin with...if i had a Legend back in the day...i'm sure my already impressive numbers would be nothing short of astounding...:rofl:
and they would say 'Gots to be the car...'

Good Luck,...and luck favors the persistant

 

[tubadude]

Its sounds like you are getting some good advice here...a couple of add on's...

a couple of hard fast rules...

1. Never leave a job with out another one...generally speaking...always there are one off's, but hang in if at all possible.,,,

2. Never leave a job/give notice UNTIL you have an offer IN WRITING and you HAVE PASSED ALL the background, security , health, drug tests....and they nothing left to confirm, and they ask when can you start...if you give notice and then something comes up and they can't extend you an offer, they just look elsewhere and you are TSOL...and the prospective employer won't care a bit...

3. ALWAYS give two weeks notice..., even if they don;t let you work it out, you will call on these people for a reference for the rest of your life...

I was planning on doing so if the time came. however, it would be akward if i get hired on, then a few days later, give my 2 weeks.

4. 7 months via an employment agency is to much at this level, it is either i show up and you like my work or you don't, this is not a securties analyst position...it is $$$ for the employer and for expensive you, the employment compnay is getting your money for processing a paycheck for you...start asking about the perm salaries, you may be shocked to find out that your wages/ take home goes down, espeicailly with the cost of bene's like health ins and investments like 401K...all very good bene's, but you can have sticker shock...get educated in this regard....

after talking to lots of people, and my leads, this i unusual for the company to have temps this long. an average of 2 months was the norm for the company. my lead wants me mainly because i can do the job well. but he has no power to get me on faster. and i understand, he and i both went to HR about a month ago to see whats going on. and today i applied for a higher position. hopefully that would get me on faster if i get the job. but it does suck not have paid holidays, benes, 401k and what not.

5. In any job interview, INTERVIEW them x2 as hard as they are interviewing you...come prep'd with questions...make them tell you a story as opposed to vice versa...see if you can make the interviewer talk more than you, b/c at that point you are controling the conversation...and the question becomes what do YOU want to talk about...

6. Inquire at the offer stage about training, (and everything else...the front end is your ONLY time to negotiate...once you sign, its over.period.) how do you accure time off, what happens if you are out of leave time and can't be at work?...are they large enough to be covered under FMLA? do they pay for Jury duty for full time employees? how much of the health costs do they cover? is it a 40 hour week? ask "what are the unwritten Must Do's and Must Not Do's here?"...any possiblities of overtime (as this is a non-exempt position) does that have to be approved ahead of time..? by whom?

the last interview i had, i maybe said about a minute worth of talking, the lady did about 7, but i didnt really control the convo, ill do more research in the land of train workers and come prepared. its union, i probably get a paper with it all on and not much flexing. but will ask.

AND... i have backend access to Monster.com and just did a 10 mile radius search of Riverside Ca....open ended ,,,no subject... 946 jobs came back...Installation experts at Brinks jumped out off the first page...high school dip, Full time employ, full benes...dig for more of that...closer to home...if you don't like what you are doing, change it...because if you keep showing up for very little return, TRUST ME: they will let you...

7. a Suggestion for Professional Happiness: find something close to home, that way you can overcome the slings and arrows of weather, broken cars, family events that REQUIRE your attention, you will not sit in 3 hours of traffic to get home every frinkin' holiday, you can eat lunch at home wehen you are broke, $$$$ savings in GAS! etc...

i havnt had much luck with monster.com. only got one hit off of it, and i didnt care much for the job. my resume is still up, and no hits at all.
right now i work 15 miles from home, and UP is a little more than that. so travel wouldnt be much of a hassle. my goal is to stay less than 30 minutes from my work.

8. THE super secret to being sucessful and influencing others - under promise and over deliver... ...i.e. say you get it them by thursday morning and have it in there hands by close of business tuesday...makes you look GREAT when you did nothing but manage expectations...this pays HUGE diveidends..over and over and over...i haev been at this for a decade and a half and i still use this all the time.

and lastly...life is too short, Do what you love and the money will follow...

GOOD LUCK!
El[/QUOTE]

^that i can do.

All good advice. But if you like me (poor) and your parents aren't VERY VERY rich...then you can go get accepted at any college and fill out a FAFSA FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Basically i graduated in '03 and took 3 yrs. off and i decided to apply to a college. I Got in and filled out the FAFSA. Turns out the gov't pays me to go to school. Not really, but tuition is covered, books, and my rent. I just wait tables pt. time to pay the "overhead" I'm glad i did, b/c you should make more money at something you enjoy doing with a Bachelors degree. They base the money they give you on your level of need. PLUS, you dont pay it back..they are grants. But i think most people dont fill out the FAFSA because they think that they will not get anything! NOT TRUE.

Good luck, just thought i'd share my experience.

my expericence with FAFSA, didnt get shit because of 2 things

1) in order to get my grants, i needed to be registered into a school, and in order to get into the school i wanted, i needed to pay 5k up front. lame.
2) father hasnt done taxes in ages, and they ask alot of info on that.

this will cover alot more posts, but right now, im doing what i was going to go to college for. talking to people who went to the same school i was going to, it wouldnt have done squat, just 12k less, and a paper.

Join there ARMY! They are looking for a few good men.... XD

What skills do you have? without a college degree you better have something special, and I don't mean a G1 Legend.

electrical diagnosis, i did work at a TV repair store, i also am certified to install satellite internet systems, i can solder, work on cars, i can also jump on one foot and pat my head.

 

[kotetu]

Why don't you try this - Survey your neighborhood (and I mean a 10-20 mile radius) and find out (a) how many older vehicles are out there, and (b) find out how in-demand work on their electrical systems is.

If you're good with electronics, good with cars, and good with people, you can probably get a little mobile business going. Entrepreneurial ability trumps college degrees for the most part.