Advice please :-(
- Thread starter dwellselectric
- Start date
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Brady Electric
Senior Member
- Location
- Asheville, N. C.
George didn't you get what I was saying. I think I explained why having your license didn't necessarily mean more pay. I agree that most big companies push you to get your license but not use small companies. I know allot of electricians that I don't know how they got there license. Thanks for your thoughts. Semper Fi
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I am a small company and encourage those who work for me to get their license. It does mean a raise, but I also expect more from them, not the same.
I knew when I got my Masters 30 years ago that I would not make any more money with the company I was working for . I was doing Journeyman work and being paid for it. However, when I found out he was using my new license as a plus for his company, we parted ways.
I knew when I got my Masters 30 years ago that I would not make any more money with the company I was working for . I was doing Journeyman work and being paid for it. However, when I found out he was using my new license as a plus for his company, we parted ways.
lhansenjr
Member
- Location
- San Bernardino, CA
Advice
Advice
I agree with Larry Fines Idea. Get more involved to grow your small 2 man company. If your up to doing the business and getting paid more for it. Start selling more work and more technology and get two crews on the street.
Discuss a new business plan with your Boss even the possibility of a business partnership or other profit sharing plan. There are plenty of opportunities to grow and benefit. Look into becoming a member of an organization that offer members insurance and growth plans. www.nsca.org
Let him know that with you own j-man license your worth more and that you expect a written plan to get more or you will be forced to look at greener pastures.
Larry
Advice
I agree with Larry Fines Idea. Get more involved to grow your small 2 man company. If your up to doing the business and getting paid more for it. Start selling more work and more technology and get two crews on the street.
Discuss a new business plan with your Boss even the possibility of a business partnership or other profit sharing plan. There are plenty of opportunities to grow and benefit. Look into becoming a member of an organization that offer members insurance and growth plans. www.nsca.org
Let him know that with you own j-man license your worth more and that you expect a written plan to get more or you will be forced to look at greener pastures.
Larry
To the OP,
I'd make sure of my position in the job market. Am I worth more? What skill sets do I have? What do I accomplish in comparison to the rest of the workers in the area, per dollars, per hour? Have you always been supervised, or are you a lead person? Sounds like you have determined that you are worth more.
Are you in the catagory that a lot of recent turn outs go through? That is, from world's smartest apprentice, to world's dumbest journeyman? Nothing a year doesn't fix.
When you know where your at, get the resum`e in order and see what kind of offers you get. Bounce the [strike]highest[/strike] best offer you would like to take, off of your current employer. Be prepared to go to the other shop. Your boss knows that your serious, and the game is changing. He has a shop to run, so if you've been an asset over the years, he has a something to lose. Your current employer may not see the value in you, or worse, still have "your an apprentice" thing stuck in his head. His problem, not yours. Your in the drivers seat, choose wisely in your journey.
I'd make sure of my position in the job market. Am I worth more? What skill sets do I have? What do I accomplish in comparison to the rest of the workers in the area, per dollars, per hour? Have you always been supervised, or are you a lead person? Sounds like you have determined that you are worth more.
Are you in the catagory that a lot of recent turn outs go through? That is, from world's smartest apprentice, to world's dumbest journeyman? Nothing a year doesn't fix.
When you know where your at, get the resum`e in order and see what kind of offers you get. Bounce the [strike]highest[/strike] best offer you would like to take, off of your current employer. Be prepared to go to the other shop. Your boss knows that your serious, and the game is changing. He has a shop to run, so if you've been an asset over the years, he has a something to lose. Your current employer may not see the value in you, or worse, still have "your an apprentice" thing stuck in his head. His problem, not yours. Your in the drivers seat, choose wisely in your journey.
Never let loyalty stand between you and a better deal. Mind you, loyalty and a good relationship with your present employer should lead you to give him the option of matching whatever deal you may find elsewhere. But, in this case I would think moving on is your only real option.
The reality is, you aren't in a great position. Your wages are subpar to middling by your own admission and you have no benefits. Enjoying the relationship you have with your employer is a valued thing, but it doesn't pay the bills or keep you healthy in an emergency. Look for better wages. Look for benefits, and never undervalue them. You are, it would seem, young and healthy. You may not think insurance is that important, but in a split second it could become the most important thing in the world. You may not think a pension or retirement plan is a big deal, but it is and many years from now you will regret not starting one sooner.
(*Union comment deleted.) If you are willing to accept the first offer made, and never bother to look around and "feel out" the prevailing market, you set yourself up to be taken advantage of. Your employer may seem like a great guy, nice firendly and easy to get along with. But if he's paying you less than scale and offering no benefits at all, he's no friend at all, IMO. Just because a man can smile and speak friendly while he twists the knife in your back, that doesn't make the knife wound less of a problem.
You now have your Journeymans card. Assuming you have the skills to back that up and the ability to put that knowledge to use, you are in a good position to find a better deal. Shop the market, look at all the options and make the decision that offers you the best sitaution for you. That may be hooking up with a different contractor, perhaps a larger one (which usually provides better benefits), or it might mean working with your current employer to arrange a better deal (having a competing offer helps a lot with this)...(*Union comment deleted.)
(Moderators note: The pros and cons of joining a Union are not a permitted topic in this forum. Click here for more.)
The reality is, you aren't in a great position. Your wages are subpar to middling by your own admission and you have no benefits. Enjoying the relationship you have with your employer is a valued thing, but it doesn't pay the bills or keep you healthy in an emergency. Look for better wages. Look for benefits, and never undervalue them. You are, it would seem, young and healthy. You may not think insurance is that important, but in a split second it could become the most important thing in the world. You may not think a pension or retirement plan is a big deal, but it is and many years from now you will regret not starting one sooner.
(*Union comment deleted.) If you are willing to accept the first offer made, and never bother to look around and "feel out" the prevailing market, you set yourself up to be taken advantage of. Your employer may seem like a great guy, nice firendly and easy to get along with. But if he's paying you less than scale and offering no benefits at all, he's no friend at all, IMO. Just because a man can smile and speak friendly while he twists the knife in your back, that doesn't make the knife wound less of a problem.
You now have your Journeymans card. Assuming you have the skills to back that up and the ability to put that knowledge to use, you are in a good position to find a better deal. Shop the market, look at all the options and make the decision that offers you the best sitaution for you. That may be hooking up with a different contractor, perhaps a larger one (which usually provides better benefits), or it might mean working with your current employer to arrange a better deal (having a competing offer helps a lot with this)...(*Union comment deleted.)
(Moderators note: The pros and cons of joining a Union are not a permitted topic in this forum. Click here for more.)
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bjp_ne_elec
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern NH
Haven't gotten all the way through this post, but I was about 2.5 pages in to it and figured I'd get my opinion out.
First I would really understand what an entry level JW is making in your area (I have to assume you're not associated with the union, or you would automatically get what all other JW's are making - plus you mentioned you had no benefits). Then, based on that, I'd start coming up with a strategy. First, if you're not making what the average JW with your experience and in your particular area, then I would start getting my resume in order. Get applications out, as I think you need to be prepared to make a move, should you need to.
Always try to plan ahead - and getting another job potentially lined up in your situation is going to be key. Then I would move on to having a "fireside" chat with your boss. If you're good, and talk about what an average JW makes, then I think he has to adjust your compensation, or you're going to have to move on.
A decision to start a business is a tough one, and depends on your desire to do so. You'll have a lot more responsibility if you start your own, and it's best to have some clients - which only comes if you start doing some extra work on the side.
Good luck and let us know how you end up working this out.
First I would really understand what an entry level JW is making in your area (I have to assume you're not associated with the union, or you would automatically get what all other JW's are making - plus you mentioned you had no benefits). Then, based on that, I'd start coming up with a strategy. First, if you're not making what the average JW with your experience and in your particular area, then I would start getting my resume in order. Get applications out, as I think you need to be prepared to make a move, should you need to.
Always try to plan ahead - and getting another job potentially lined up in your situation is going to be key. Then I would move on to having a "fireside" chat with your boss. If you're good, and talk about what an average JW makes, then I think he has to adjust your compensation, or you're going to have to move on.
A decision to start a business is a tough one, and depends on your desire to do so. You'll have a lot more responsibility if you start your own, and it's best to have some clients - which only comes if you start doing some extra work on the side.
Good luck and let us know how you end up working this out.
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electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
DesertRat said:
I'll ignore the union comments here and made previously as I am not a follower. As far as I am concerned as a business owner I should have the right to hire or fire any person for any reason at any time and I should be able to pay that person what ever I want if they agree to it.
The boss may not be a friend but he might be a smart business man in that he is getting as much as he can out of his employee for as little as possible. Wether or not that is the best approach is a matter of opinion.
Anyway I don't see how $20.00 per hour with no bennies is even remotely close to a good wage for a journeyman in MA. I'd hit the road and never look back if it were me. You could make that kind of money working for yourself and spending part of the week at the beach.
Having said all that...since I don't know you it could be possible that you are not a very good electrician or employee and therefore you are being paid what you are worth. Not saying this is true but it is certainly possible.
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cloudymacleod
Senior Member
in mass, the pay rate for a 1st yr j-man is around $23, i'm sure u didnt spend $300 for the j-man test and a boat load of money for your schooling to get nothing for achiving your ticket. put it this way, he is charging his customers $135 an hr for the two of u. know that u r a j-man, he will up the ante. so basically he is making more money off u. some of that money should go towards your pay raise. i would look for a company that pays more and offers benifits exspecially health, if i was u. good luck
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