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resume

Rookie_3
Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
Experience & more Experience. Take my word for it first hand, I haven't had anyone in my area willing to take a chance at even a 30 day trial period because I don't have enough experience.(documented)I have an Oil Burner License, EPA Universal, and a completed HVAC course along with a mechanical background. Can't blame them, who needs the liability. I'm out there on my own doing whatever I can and trying not to take on anything too deep. That's what makes this site a good place to know. There is a bunch of fellow tradesmen with a ton of knowledge that remember what it was like to be the ones looking for the answers. Good Luck with your cover letter but don't waste too much time sitting by the phone..............ROOKIE

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  • Alan_6
    Alan_6 Member Posts: 87
    resume

    What do employers look for, in a resume, for the HVAC industry? Is a cover letter needed?
  • David_5
    David_5 Member Posts: 250
    The truth would be nice

  • ernie_3
    ernie_3 Member Posts: 191
    yes

    I feel a cover letter is key. It should be short, one paragragh would suffice. A little flair shows personality,
    should you have a good one. Be attractive to them but let them know you have the final say. Desperate never works.
    "Should I be a good fit for your company, I would consider..." Something like that. As an employer, this is what I look for. I'm also impressed when people know what they want, ie $. "Just so I'm not wasting your time, I wouldn't consider less than....$" Good luck. Be direct and expect direct. You frequently get what you ask for so aim high! Book recommendation.... "Think and Grow Rich"
    by Napoleon Hill.......................................TTFN
  • RB_2
    RB_2 Member Posts: 272
    In my humble experiance

    I've hired a few folks in my days and what I looked for first was honesty, integrity, work ethic, fortitude, social aptitude....if a guy or girl had these I always figured they could learn the skills...the first five traits you can't teach - the rookie either had them or not.

    The last thing I looked at was experiance...I wanted to know what you did in public school and high school...did you deliver papers, shovel snow, cut lawns, volunteer in scouts or guides, were you responsible for closing the gas station down at night...taking measurments in the tank, counting cash etc...what did you do after public school...
    I want to know what you did with your spare time - kids that didn't have any spare time because of activities work or volunteer related always got first look!

    rb


  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    RB

    You sure are in a much different place or era. I've sat down with some straight talking gentlemen who didn't waste my time or leave me waiting by the phone. They gave me a straight out answer which was, no time to train anyone at this point, "I need a guy to put out on a truck NOW"
    You named 5 traits that you look for and then state the
    Rookie either had them or not. Here is a heads up.....as far as social aptitude if I was lacking that why would I want to spend my time in basements of peoples homes to help keep them warm. I would have been an auto mechanic instead. Next, without integrity I wouldn't be out here or in books searching for better ways I would be getting by on padded bills and shoddy work as many others have done. Bottom line is most, at least that I have met don't want to invest the time and $$$$ into training. The advertising around here states clearly EXPERIENCED. I haven't seen one yet that says
    honest person with integrity and no experience apply in person. Maybe you should be interviewing the curiuos guy and putting him on one of your trucks.
  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    Hey Rookie

    I just hired one like yourself. I agree with RB. Don't take his message the wrong way, it wasn't a reflection on you, but rather, an insight into Robert's way of driling down to a core personality.

    I'll never forget getting one resume that looked partucularly promising. Upon arrival, the lad had a neat appearance & I thought things were looking up - that was, until he opened his mouth. I kept hearing a distracting clacking noise. Turned out to be the barbell piercing through his tongue smacking up against his teeth.

    I redo the resume and include the things Robert is looking for. As a potential employeer, that would really grab my attention.

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  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    Dave

    I am truely glad to hear that you invested in a person just breaking water in the trade. I don't blame the the people not willing to take on inexperienced help if that is not how they run their business. I am getting quite a bit of hands on roughing it solo (maybe more than I was looking for) but that could be a good thing in the long run.
    Lets get a little more realistic though. Boy scouts and volunteers aren't usually the guys crawling around in basements are they? Here is a few answers to RB's questions.
    I went to a Trade school and worked full time on Co-op so
    there was no need to cut lawns after school. What we did in our spare time was pull engines from our cars, change clutches because we beat the **** out of them as much as we could. We drank beer and chased girls also. What we did not do was race our cars drunk, we didn't take anything that didn't belong to us, we never passed a car broken down on the side of the road without offering help or a ride, we never beat homeless people but instead handed them a smoke.
    We also didn't forget to grow up into responsible adults when the time came. One note for your judging a book by it's cover.....didn't Ted Bundy meet all 5 of those traits
    that RB and yourself follow? if he only had a tongue ring we may have seen it coming...................ROOKIE
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,231
    i havent got time to read a resume..

    if you need work at this timeof year you cant be any good.theres so much work out there were you any good youd be working. if you were working and said you might be able to take on some more work i'd be more inclined to hire you.were you to show up at the job site with your tools i'd probably hire you because it would at least show me you had an interest in Work ,not wasting my time.if you are into filling out applications and wasting Your time what makes you think anyone would want that happening on one of thier jobs?
  • Tom_35
    Tom_35 Member Posts: 265
    Not enough time to read a resume

    As important as it is to have a honest, quality technician, I don't think a propective employer can afford to not take the time to read a resume. After all, it probably will not take more than 3-4 minutes (you spend much longer than that going through the Heating Help posts).

    Obvioulsy, all of us would like a guy to walk through the door that was clean-cut, drug-free, honest, hardworking, driven, etc, etc, etc. Well guess what---it's not going to happen.

    Hire a young guy, train him, provide the ongoing education, support him, and thank the Lord that you got him. We've gone through many, many that don't cut it, but you have to keep recruiting and searching. Our experience is that when we have hired the well experienced tech, he has all kinds of baggage that is hard to change.

    Just my 2 cents worth.

    Tom Atchley

  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    Well....

    One of my guys is an Eagle Scout, more than a few of the others spent some time in Scouting.

    The Eagle Scout was given the nod over about six others & that proved to be a good decision.

    We keep no less than one to two novices on board at all times. Our shop has served as the training grounds for many who are listed in the Yellow Pages. Unlike many firms, we cross-train so that any one of the mechanics can hold their own on all PHVAC matters.

    I don't steal from other shops, unless those mechanics come looking - I believe in training instead. If every shop took on at least one apprentice, the labor shortage would be diminished greatly.

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  • RB_2
    RB_2 Member Posts: 272
    Rookie & rookie

    As far as our conversation goes - when the word “rookie” (small capitals) was used as in “the rookie either had them or not”... its interesting how it went from being a word describing (to “curious” ) anyone without experience - to your current quest ( as far as social aptitude if I – aka ROOKIE - was lacking…) and (without integrity I – aka ROOKIE - wouldn't be out here…) … as someone who has interviewed hundreds of people I would be paying close attention to our exchange. If you came to me looking for a job and our dialogue was sliding into an area where it needed some social lubricant I’d be wondering about first how my message was delivered, (meaning of ones communication is the response you get) and second if I had the time and was impressed with your passion I would possibly restate or rewrite it in another manner to test out another response – just to confirm whether it was me or you which was not getting it… Curious asked “What do employers look for, in a resume, for the HVAC industry?” I gave him/her an answer.

    What most seasoned business owners find out sooner or later and usually at the expense of losing a customer or profits or both…filling spots on the payroll with dishonest slackers who whine and complain about it being too cold, too hot, too hung over - whatever -regardless of their brilliance and capabilities were not worth the experience listed on their resume. It is the same with education…there are thousand of unemployed “rocket scientist” – one look at their resume and one would think they should be earning the big bucks…problem is many of the smartest people I know are socially inept...do not know how to get along with others. When you start growing your own business – as you have – you’ll find out the business is always in a state of flux growing or shrinking. In growth mode finding the right folks is imperative especially at the start up stage. A small operation with a big mistake because of an experianced hire with bad character can kill you. A big operation with a big mistake will slow you down…that is the difference. The other thing you learn is persistent hard working honest people who really want to join your company look at the words in employment advertisements as a starting point for further negotiations. They do not take no for an answer. These are the same people when faced with the prospect who says the price is too high or it is too expensive still find a way to close the deal. I am from a different era and a different area but people are people…and character to me has always influenced my hiring decisions. As someone who is getting longer in the tooth I have adopted Andrew Carnegies' saying of ... "As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do."

    If you decide to stay in business for yourself and want to toss around some ideas let me know...if we can't find the right linguistic grease to smooth out the communications maybe others will pipe in to help out...after all when you succeed we all succeed.
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    Dave Y., I'm sure your area in PA is very nice and with no disrespect  intended for you or the boy scouts your logic doesn't fly here. (MA, North of Boston) I feel safe to say that using boy scout status to compensate for lack of experience would surely help the other guy applying to the same job. You also state that unlike other companies you cross train so you do acknowledge your logic is different from others.

    RB, I don't think one of us is not getting Mr. Curiuos's Q.. I think it was wide open for response. A inexperienced tech can do the same as what you say the slacker will do
    and that is why a lot of companies require experience making my answer to Curiuos closer to reality. I've doubled checked with the ads calling for experience to confirm they mean it. How can you say not to take NO for an answer when someone points out the need for experienced help. When someone tells you right out "you don't have the skills I need "  are you saying keep taunting them and they will hire you?  View it like this-- (A) thats an attractive looking job even if I am not compatible. (B) thats an attractive looking lady even if I'm not compatible. Stalker laws help the thick-headed to understand the true meaning of NO and when to except it as that.  You make a lot of good points and seem like a intelligent person but I think you may be in the same part of Niceville as Dave. Both of you along with Curious need to take a close look at The Weezbo's comments above and know that is what is closer to real. I have not came across anyone as crude as him telling you if your not working your no good. Most are polite and tell you of their need for someone with more background to start.

    Hey Weezbo, check out the time of the post. Can't be any good if I had time for lunch.

    Tom, glad to see your 2 cents. ROOKIE
  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    niceville?

    More like dog eat dogsville! Round here, shops thrive on stealing other's trained employees. Some will even venture onto other's job sites to twist arms.

    If a well-trained employee seeks us out, they're fair game, but I will never "steal" employees.

    Keep calling the guys who are looking for someone with experience. My first boss in the trades was advertising for someone with six years minimum experience. I called him every day for two weeks before he finally agreed to interview me. I was working high steel at the time & a co-worker had fallen. I no longer wanted to waltz on 2" ribbons of steel every day!

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  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,882
    Rookie

    After reading these post I have to say you sound alittle bitter about job prospects.

    If a job requirment says "Experience Neccesary" and you have none, why apply ? Would'nt you be better served if you looked for a job that needed an apprentice where you could learn ?

    The original post asked what a employer looked for in a resume ? I would say the first thing I look for Is A Resume. Thats immedialty tells me this person has some formal schooling and understands that how they present themselves is important. First impressions are very important. It also tells me what skills this person has gained from previous positions. Also tells me if this person has held alot of jobs in a short time ( can't hold a job ? ). A resume helps me with my initial sorting of job applications.

    I also would like to say that I have meet RB and Dave and know that both of them are proffesional, honest, intelligent indivduals who have a lot of insite in human nature. I would take there advice above many others.

    Oh and by the way, I live north of Boston and a eagle scout applying to my company would have a step up on others appy for the same job.

    Just my two cents.

    Scott

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  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    Why I ask prospective employees about Scouting

    And - also why an Eagle Scout is considered ahead of others. (We're in the process of applying to colleges for our youngest. He's attained Eagle rank & most colleges offer money off of tuition for Eagle Scouts - up to 25%.)

    A Look At 100 Boys That Join Scouting:

    12 will receive their first time religious contact

    5 will earn their religious emblem

    2 will enter the clergy

    18 will develop hobbies which will last a lifetime

    8 will enter a career based on Merit Badge work

    17 will become Scout volunteers

    1 will use Scouting skills to save the life of another person

    1 will use Scouting skills to save this own life

    28 will continue lifelong hobbies started in Scouting

    2 will attain the rank of EAGLE

    Boy Scout Alumni include: 63% of Air Force Academy graduates 68% of West Point graduates 70% of Annapolis graduates 72% of Rhodes Scholars 85% of FBI agents 65% of college graduates 65% of US Congress 85% of airline pilots 85% of student council presidents 89% of senior class presidents 71% of football captains 65% of basketball captains 88% of school newspaper editors 77% of editors of school annuals 75% of business managers of school publications 80% of junior class presidents

    26 of the first 29 astronauts were Boy Scouts. 11 of the 12 who walked on the moon were Scouts. 108 of 172 astronauts were Boy Scouts. Over half of the 108 Scout Astronauts attained Star, Life or Eagle ranks.

    No, the BSA program is not perfect, but it builds character, leadership skills and teaches responsibility. I know going in that I can expect more from someone who remained in the Scouting program, even if they never attained the rank of Eagle. I've been involved as an adult leader for more than 18 years, so I've seen - first hand - what the BSA program can do for building young men into tomorrow's leaders. As Robert said, it's one of those character traits that speaks to a person's life outside of work.

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  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    Amazing! I start out telling a curiuos poster that no one in my area is taking on anyone without enough experience to send straight out. I tell him I gave up trying and went out on my own. Never even had a bitter word toward companies that require experience. That turns me into a boy scout hater bitter at the world. Where did that come from? I clearly said it was no offense to the boy scouts. My point was boy scouts do NOT BECOME oil burner techs. Dave just listed the percentages of careers boy scouts enter and I don't see them taking over the service and install market. Did anyone else see that? Please show me what I'm missing that would make me think boy scouts would get priority for a tech job. I don't remember any Keyspan ads saying eagle scouts not required but is a plus.
    Tell me Scott, I have a formal HVAC education, MA oil burner tech license, and EPA 608 universal. What jobs do you think I should have been applying for?
    Here is a proposal for you, we are both north of Boston so
    if you print up some advertisements for a HVAC tech that
    gives priority to boy scouts over experience I will personally hand them out. My choice of areas.


  • I know Scott pretty well

    I also know people that would LOVE to work for him. His area on the coast is wonderful, and there isn't any dirt in the boiler rooms that he works in.

    I think you just burned your bridges there.....

    Noel
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    What are you talking about? Didn't look like a job offer to me! The guy tells me I'm looking for work in the wrong places when there is no other place to look in this area. Starts defending RB and Dave because they are honest & inteligent. Read above, there is no argument that they aren't. Dave puts a list and a half up showing all the top line fields that scouts get into. Talks about the scholarships they can receive and that makes me wrong because I don't believe being a scout gives priority over experience. I don't have any ill feelings towards scouts, but I personally do not believe they are prone to end up in building or mechanical trades and neither does Dave if he believes his own list.
  • I heard once

    that if you find yourself in a hole that you can't get out of, you should stop diggin'.

    Noel
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    That is pretty damn witty there Noel, maybe you only heard it once because it wasn't worth repeating.
  • J.C.A._3
    J.C.A._3 Member Posts: 2,980
    Please don't be so bitter.

    I CAN, and DO agree with Noel. (only SLIGHTLY biased here folks!)

    If your looking,some of the points given are VERY important. For 1, HAVING a resume is a step above of most of the hires alot of companies make.

    I made a resume back in 1985. I had every intention of continuing in my chosen (at the time) field, which was continuing to be a marine mechanic.(For the record...I still have 24 of the original 25!) Having been in the Coast Guard for 4 years, and a mechanical backround got me a phone call from an old High School aquaintance who needed a hand with a boiler replacement. I did the job and the owner of the oil company was impressed with both, my work ethic, and my given ability to handle a wrench. He asked me to stay on. After a bit of haggling over pay, and the like...I'm still working in the field 20 years later.

    Much like the scouts, my having served in the military was a big factor to the position that I hold today. Dave, Scott and Robert weren't saying that Scouts is the ONLY reason they would hire or retain you, they were saying that a commitment to ANYTHING that could be included in your resume that indicates you had the ability to "stick with it" is important.I couldn't agree more. If you've got some time in college under your belt, that would make me look twice at your resume also.

    What these professionals are trying to tell you is the truth. A request for "experience" is just that,a REQUEST.(where do we get experience without working?) If you've got something to add to a business, the only way to make that known is to get in and talk with the person/people doing the hiring.If they won't even give you a shot, you probably don't want to be working there anyway.I was hired with ZERO heating experience yet have made it fully into the fold. One other thing to keep in mind when speaking to the people doing the hiring is to not let them know EVERYTHING that you know.

    If your living in eastern Ma. and no-one is giving you a chance, maybe it's time to look inward. I know that anyone with any experience would be given a shot in a heartbeat right now. There is so much work, that we can't keep up with it. Any company worth their weight is the same way as us right now and should at least give you an interview.

    Nobody here was trying to pick on you, or give you a "this IS the way it is" story, they were trying to help. Everyone here knows that we need some new blood in the field. We're in a dying trade. Kids don't want to get dirty or have to do "physically demanding work", like they used to.Computers and the jobs from friends of Daddy are going to kill us until they realize that there is a great living to be made HERE, but it takes a bit of commitment,a bit of listening in science class and a whole lot of learning math.

    Keep pluggin pal. There are jobs out there, trust me. Get into the hiring folks office,show some enthusiasm and if you have the drive, they'll know it. Best of luck! Chris
  • jackchips_2
    jackchips_2 Member Posts: 1,337
    Now men,

    let's kiss and make up. It's very easy to misinterpret the written word but we should also look at the writer. From my experience, all those who have responded so far have the best of intentions without agendas.

    Curious, back to your question. I work for a fairly large (over 50 employees in the field) plumbing company which probably has the same method of employment of companies you wish to reach.

    We hire off an application filled out in our office. These are usually from an advertisement although we will accept walk-ins who wish to fill one out.

    We very rarely receive resume's never mind cover letters. If you do send some out they should be honest and direct listing all your past work experiences. If a cover letter is included (not a bad idea), you should mention what position you seek, ask for an interview with the person responsible for hiring and let them know you will be following up with a phone call.

    This is very important: send the resume and cover letter to a Person. If you do not know who to send it to, call the company and ask and be sure to get the right spelling. You should also be sure the letter and resume are gramatically correct with correct spelling.

    Hope this helps and best of luck.

    Jack
  • I'm sorry if I offended you

    I was gentle.

    I don't think that you are a rookie, yet. That would imply that you had an employer.

    Best wishes finding a job, I have nothing more to offer to you.

    Noel
  • Brian (Tankless)
    Brian (Tankless) Member Posts: 340
    That says it all, Noel.

    It's an attitude thing.

    If a guy comes to me with the right (learning) attitude, and can use tools (or shows the initiative), I'll give him a chance.

    Dear Rookie, until Noel finally (and understandably) took a dig (pun) at you, the guys were bending over backwards to be nice to you. But you didn't get it.

    You know, you can go back and put out the fires on those bridges. It's humbling, the crow tastes like S%$t, but it can be done.

    That reminds me, my pot-roast & spuds are done, dinner time.

    Oh! BTW, I was a Sea Cadet in England, a similar deal to the U.S. Sea Scouts/Boy Scouts. Then I became a bitter, homeless, world-traveling drunk, alcoholic, dope-smoking hippy, and blamed all my missfortunes on the world and somebody else, but not on me. The buck stops here, with me.

    Attitude WILL get you a job, trust me.

    Thank you Lord for this food.

    Brian W.
  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    wrong impression

    Rookie - sorry if my passion was taken the wrong way - it wasn't intended or directed at you.

    Jack makes a great point & if someone sends in a resume with the info listed in his and other's posts, my second suggestion is that a repeat (with updated info) is warranted every three months, which is just about when old resumes get filed away to collect cobwebs.

    I get, on average, about 100 walk-in applicants a year. From tech school grads coached on resume writing, to those with no experience, to those who helped an uncle solder once and know it all, to those who are currently employed with other mechanical contractors. I listen to each & every one of them because I was once that guy.

    There was a kid here two weeks ago. His mother brought him in for an interview. He missed the opportunity by one week.

    Same thing happened to me when I was just getting my ears wet in "70". My family vacationed in the west & when we hit Jackson Hole, I fell in love with it on sight. Maybe it was the lovely young lass in the chicken restaurant whose billboard bragged about "the best breasts in the west", maybe it was the scenery. I got on the phone and called every stinking plumber in the yellow pages only to find they'd already hired their summer help for the year. I came back home :(

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  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    Chris

    This whole thing got pretty distorted. I am not bitter at co.'s requiring experience, never said I was. I hit a couple of tough jobs out there and got some good advise right here. The first post under Curious doesn't have the least bit of bitterness or attitude. I thought I felt a little jab from RB's and it all started rolling from there.
    The ads for experience are running for weeks upon weeks telling me they are not just requesting experience and settling for less. You tell me without going it alone where do you get experience. I spent over 3 weeks to get insurance because I didn't have 3 years behind me. Had one
    agent say something quick and hang up while I was still talking. I'll probably get up tomorrow to find my van covered with girl scout cookies after this one.....ROOKIE
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244


    No hard feelings here Dave. Hope you didn't see anything offensive towards scouts or your son because there was nothing intended.......................ROOKIE
  • Dave Yates (PAH)
    Dave Yates (PAH) Member Posts: 2,162
    None taken pal

    I've walked a mile or three in your shoes and it's a very frustrating path. And, it's been an uphill climb all the way. Every time I reach a plateau, I have the joy (or misfortune - depends on the glasses) of seeing hundreds of diverging uphill pathways leading to more plateaus. I hope to never reach the top, because that would mean there's no more challenges or things to learn & that would be a huge disappointment.

    The best part, for me, is that there's always someone like Bean or Milne or Holohan or Forbes or ME or HB or HR or Joel or RT or - the list never ends - to give me inspiration and a hand when it's needed.

    But - never go shopping with Boltz and Holohan in a strange land.

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  • J.C.A._3
    J.C.A._3 Member Posts: 2,980
    Dave,

    And why would you say something like that to end it all? You think that you're the only one to ever end up both Drunk AND Broke because of these clowns? Fun ain't it? (Oh what a tangled web we weave....)Move forward, and 2 steps to the side, then 1 back a few more forward...but always forward, eventually....(just funnin') Chris
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,882
    Hey Rookie

    If I took it wrong you can take my appologise also. After reading the post, which as an employer I found interesting, it sounded as if you were bitter about job prospects. Reading a post is not the same as speaking to some one in person, and the tone of inflection can be misread.

    I never took it that you were speaking badly of boy scouts either. The subject came up and it pertained to resume's. I was telling how it would effect my judgment of a potentional employee.

    Once again Jackchips and I are on the same page. His responce is how I feel, he just said it better :)

    I wish you luck in your field, don't give up, there are good companys out there. More importantly keep postig on the wall ... we all learn ... everyday... and from each other. You have lots to offer.

    Scott

    Scott

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  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    Scott

    I agree that a post can be easily misread when it comes to how it is taken. I also know that the majority of people out here trying to help others are employers. I never was the type of person that would go to a party or function that a person I did not care for was hosting. Always had a problem with fake smiles. Likewise I would not hang out or
    look for answers on a site with people that I had bitter feelings toward.(employers)if you misread the first post
    (first only) thats it, you misread it. No big deal, it happens to us all. One other thing, I'm glad you overlooked
    the advertisement proposal because I really would have felt
    foolish handing them out:)....................ROOKIE
  • eleft_4
    eleft_4 Member Posts: 509


    Rookie,

    You are welcome to be part of the person to person, face to face, mind to mind stuff at WetstockV. It is close enough to you and I recommend you come so you can get personally acquainted.

    You never know unless you try,

    al
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    AL,

    > Rookie,

    >

    > You are welcome to be part of the

    > person to person, face to face, mind to mind

    > stuff at WetstockV. It is close enough to you and

    > I recommend you come so you can get personally

    > acquainted.

    >

    > You never know unless you

    > try,

    >

    > al



  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    AL

    Thank You, What exactly is it? Any link that I can go to on this?
  • John Starcher_4
    John Starcher_4 Member Posts: 794
    Yo, Rook.....

    ...check out "Books and More" in the menu "pipe" on the left side of the screen. Then click on "Wetstock"

    I highly recommend attending. I went to the one in Chicago last year - it is an amazing experience. Basically a room full of tables, each with its own assigned discussion topic. A free-wheeling, mind blowing exchange of ideas for an entire day. You will meet many of the Wallies who hang out here. These folks are the best of the best. It's worth the price of admission, trust me!

    Starch
  • experience ?

    Rookie,

    Your experience sounds so much like the one I went through when I was trying to break into my field of employment after fnishing up school.

    Over an 18 month period, I had sent out well over 140 resumes, had dozens of interviews, and 6-8 second interviews. Potential employers always came back with "we are looking for someone with experience". Well, if I can't get a job, how am I going to get experience? I would often think about this.

    Well this is how I got my break: After having another interview, I finally said to the interviewer "What is it that I need to know, what can I read, what can I study, and what can I learn now, that I didn't learn in school, that would give me the edge over other candidates for this position." That was all I needed to say, and it got me the job. They guy who hired me said that on top of a top-notch resume (I hired a resume writer to help me with it), and a cover letter that was well-written and free from mistakes, it was my willingness to learn, that attracted his attention, and got me the job.

    The other bit of advise I will offer you: never let yourself get down. People can read this from a mile away, and it turns people off. Always believe that your skills, attitude, and work ethic, those things that you have to offer potential employers, is the best that they can get. Confidence in a person can be read from a mile away in less than 10 seconds. Believe in yourself, I mean, really believe in yourself, and others will believe in you.

    p.s. I was a scout too (never made it past cub scouts/weebelows), but that never made it to my resume.
  • Boston Boiler
    Boston Boiler Member Posts: 70


    I got a closer look at the Wetstock info, looks like a top notch event. Thanks for the thought, I appreciate it.

    DIY Homeowner, glad you took a minute or two to boost morale
    but trust me my friend, I am not feeling down. I like things that stimulate the mind..............................
    "an idle mind is the devils playground" and nobody wants that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,231
    Found a home yet?

    what are you doing today?did anything of what we said here help you at all?
  • m dewolfe
    m dewolfe Member Posts: 92
    Points to ponder

    I came out of tech school 20 plus years ago with little or no job skills and after applying for several jobs I was always told "get some time in the field and call us back". Finaly one small guy who had passed me over on the first interview called me back and hired me.$7.50 per hour. 10 years later I went on to bigger and better things. Just this morning my first employer called me and needed my consultion on a big job. funny how things go full circle.
  • Rookie_3
    Rookie_3 Member Posts: 244
    Weezbo

    How, or why would you dig this thread up. I'm still grabbing what I can on my own. Had one yesterday that had been calling around and a 6 week wait from their guy to get a service call. Do you add a tech on board or leave your cust. hanging? That depends Huh? My home is still in my Van for now, had a few potential employers a month or so ago but thats as far as it got. ROOKIE
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