Finding High Paying Job!

[SignWave]

Plummer and Wolf are very right. Perhaps I am just that type of personality.
I love the feedom and I deal with the headaches. They exists Oh do they exist. I can talk to people. Mind you there are people I dont want to talk to and I can find the work without sticking my neck out "too" much.

and yes you have to be able to keep your books and such in order. It is very easy to let something slide and before long you're knee deep (or deeper ) in a pile of sh*t that won't go away easy nor will the stink clear the air.

It does take a certain kind of personality to work for themselves but dont be discouraged because anyone can do it. We have all been given a mind and a heart and with the two, you balance emotion and logic. logic works well in business and your heart will guide you to the things you want out of life.

Dont ever be afraid to pick up a book on the subjects of business. "how to talk to people, how to keep your books in order, how to make a cold call, how to find money, how to get paid quickly...etc." the library is a low cost way to gather a wealth of knowledge and books do exist on EVERY subject about business. Im sure that if you looked hard enough you'd probably find one on how to squeeze out an sbd in front of a client you dislike.... hehehehe...

In the end, only you can to make the decision of Will I or Wont I? You can do anything you put your mind to and if your willing to work at it , I guarantee you will have success. People want to be helped, and no one is out to see you fail- except your competition.... and im sure they wont purposely do stuff to you unless they are evil. If you can build relationships with them, in most cases it is benificial to both of you... those reasons you'll dfind out in time if you decide to take the plunge. trust me on this stuff.

I suggest for your viewing pleasure, you rent or buy the following 3 DVD titles:
The secret
The Celestine Prophecy
What the Bleep do we know.

[liondrak]

thank you

Merci
Thanks
Danken
Ringraziare
Agradecer
شكرا

[Caronine14]

Does Tig Really Make The Most Money?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[HMW]

If I had to pick one of the weld process's I would say it would be TIG. takes the most time to learn and is used on special metals. For me, I use it mostly on aluminum, which alot of others don't want to repair, Just my 2 cents worth

[SignWave]

TIG has a certain reputation as being something really special that not too many can perform, hence if your smart, you can keep the magic alive and fetch a premium price for your labours.

when you watch monster garage, and OCC, what kinda welding are they showing the most of? we should thanks these shows for "keeping the magic alive".... if you know what I mean

TIG even sounds cool to say.. TIG.
how you gonna weld that? Im gonna TIG it. Its been TIG'ed...

[Caronine14]

LOL you are right, it is a nice word

[Jolly Roger]

I've been to Lubbock before, lol. I grew up in Lovington and worked out of Hobbs for years. You won't get $100 an hour there for a welder and rig. Going rate is 65. Keep in mind, the oilfield requires 2 million in blanket liability and workmens comp (even if you are a one man band) to contract. Most will not contract with a one truck operation even though they will never need the 5 they require at any given time. Most will not hire anyone straight out of school and just turn them loose. You have to prove yourself everywhere you go, especially when just starting out. I do know that they are currently in need of structural welders at the nuke plant they are building near Eunice, New Mexico. Their computer called my mothers house the other day looking for me, lol.

The best certification you will ever get is from a satisfied customer. It means more to other customers than any piece of paper. Word of mouth is your best advertising, but I also use the service directory in the paper with good results. That is until I have to stop advertising and quit answering the phone. It seems I go from being caught up to being a month behind in a matter of hours. I don't care what anyone tells you it takes time to build a business and the lucky ones succeed. Most don't make it. In this trade 5 years of college will not give you the knowledge that 2 years of doing it for a living will. There is a lot more to it than a nice bead. My advice: go to work in a shop somewhere for a couple of years while you are getting the tools and equipment you need. It gives you a chance to see what you are up against and it also helps you build a customer base. If a customer really likes your work they tend to stick with you and not the outfit you are working for when they come across you. Always, always, always give them excellent work, and never overcharge them. That is what I do , and my best customers will wait on me to get to them. Always write thank you on your tickets (you can have it printed but it doesn't mean much). I always did that on my field tickets. Imagine my surprise when I got called to the office by the bosses wife to tell me how many customers had mentioned me doing it and how much they appreciated it. Little things count for a lot. I am now on my fifth week without a day off but that changes this weekend. I make so much off some customers that the long hours are worth it when they need it.

The best thing about owning the company is I don't have to do it if I don't want to do it.

My advice on the oilfield: stay away if you can. It might be booming today, but if oil drops tomorrow, and it will because it always does, then you're hurting, or hunting another job. Not to mention that it is very dangerous. That's another thing working for someone else gives you is their experience in what to watch out for. There will always be idiots or a$$holes trying to get you blown or burned up.

The pay is pretty good in construction and the benefits are good too, but once the project is over it's on to another job. If you don't want to have to move around a lot look at manufacturing, and the degree will help with moving up. Oilfield welding outfits don't care if you have one, and it won't count for anything with them anyway (I have two of them that I don't even mention anymore). If you can be counted on to be sober and willing to work 24/7 they will be happy with you.

Try to pay cash for your equipment while you are starting out. That way you don't have to worry about feeding the bank every month. Equipment you own sitting idle doesn't hurt near as bad as equipment with payments that isn't paying for itself. I have probably $15,000 worth of welding machines, but only two were purchased new, and I have less than $5000 invested. Hunt for bargains in the beginning. Once you are established buy them new and take it off the taxes in expenses and depreciation.

Government contracts can be very lucrative, but you have to be able to come through. Don't get in over your head like I have seen others do. That goes back to someone else's shop. It gives you a chance to learn what you have to look out for when bidding jobs, without having to take the hits yourself.

[Jolly Roger]

I charge the same for TIG as stick or mig, but I make all the moola off sticks and mig. TIG is a very specialized process that isn't well suited for the majority of applications. Everywhere you go you will hear tig pipe, but they don't make any more than the structural guys do. Not on any project I have been on.

Take anything that college prof says with a grain of salt. It's their business to sell you on that degree. I can tell you from experience that in that area and most others the shops are gonna pay you like you are starting out, and treat you like you are starting out. Most places aren't going to accept that aws cert, they are going to make you test for them using their procedure and they vary. I won't accept them myself. You gotta show me what you can do.

Only Bill Gates started out getting rich, and it was still pure luck.

[Caronine14]

thank you so much for your very useful information. We are still in the process of applying for jobs right now. I think we have come to the decision that seth is going to get on with a big company and do side work on the weekend. He want the buy a used welder and get a new truck, he really needs one! we have applied at northrop grumman, boeing, lockheed martin and other big companies and we are just waiting to see what happens.

[SignWave]

Caronine,
Dont let anything or anyone get you down. If you fall of the bike, get right back on again before the pain sets in and keep moving..

big bucks come from specialty nooks. Find something that everyone needs and make a ton of them... kinda like PC's...

Good Luck.
Ive got an idea for something to help out all us old farts with bad backs... Lets hope that the idea flies, that way I can retire at the ripe old age of 42 and live on "Not so difficult" street.

[morphindustries]

The shipyards in Vancouver, BC are hiring quite alot right now $30+ benefits to start w/FCAW ticket.

I could get you some more info if your interested. [email protected]

I was tempted but am running my own business. Never forget to smile, put yourself below others in conversation and TRY to look through their eyes when its your turn to talk. But i'm just some 21 year old punk

What do i know?

Best thing i've heard recently " the chinese symbols for the word "danger" are opportunity and pain."

Good Luck

All the best in your journey!

-Morgan

[HMW]

Some pretty good advice jollyroger, In the technican field ASE is great but doesn't mean a mechanic can repair things. Pass the tests, Yet can't use common sense or don't have any diagnostic skills. Same with the AWS thing, Its great but doesn't mean your a good employee

Morgan welcome.

Good luck caronine14, You'll find something good

[WelderBoy]

and if you must be in your blueshirts

What is blueshirts?

[SignWave]

What is blueshirts?

we tradesmen and tradeswomen, should be well dressed. if we have to visit a client and are caught in our work clothes (the "blue shirt and pants") we should try to look clean so that the "white shirts" dont look down their noses at us and snicker with an aire of superiority