I am going to talk to an owner of a very small shop. One office girl and maybe 15-20 guys working in the field. Is there a way of seeing if they will be able to affors to pay me or might have trouble paying in the near future. I mean, if I ask how much he does a year in businees that really means nothing because whatever it is he may not make a profit. He has been around 15 years but again he could be on the way out.....just looking for advice. Thanks.
i'm assuming you wish to go to work for him in some capacity.
what do YOU bring to the party? what can YOU offer HIM?
you've been on here a couple years, asking a ton of questions.
in that length of time, did you notice that many of the people
on here are experiencing some pretty severe financial distress?
the fact that he's been in business for 15 years, in this economy,
is a pretty good indicator of his ability.
as you aren't in the field putting stuff in, ask yourself what you
are going to contribute that will both pay your keep, and give
someone a reason to want you there. do you have a reason for
your new potential employer?
this is from electrical contractor magazine:
"So, about 70 percent of the reporting firms operate with fewer
than 10 employees. About 22 percent operate with 10 to 49
employees, and a mere 6 percent reported having more than
50 employees. These figures aren?t necessarily surprising, as
70 percent of the firms might only produce 20 to 30 percent
of the revenues. Large electrical contracting companies, while
fewer in numbers, generate 70 to 80 percent of the industry
revenue.
In small firms, contractors wear several hats, often being the
estimator and accounting supervisor. Conversely, in the companies
with more than 50 employees, there seems to be dedicated positions
for specific tasks. Among small firms, there is no differentiation
between office staff and field staff because the employees perform
both tasks.
Aging industry population
It is no secret that the electrical contracting industry is on the brink
of a major manpower challenge, as leaders scramble to find the next
generation of workers and leaders alike. The average age of the
typical electrical contractor is 50 years old. Regardless of company
size, though, about 60 percent of respondents are between the ages
of 45 and 64, and 73 percent are older than 45. Conversely, a mere
5 percent of the industry?s leaders fall into the 25 to 34 age group,
which is alarming. Also, contractors older than 65 are much more
likely to operate smaller firms."
so..... you want guarantees? bring some of your own. this "really
small shop" is bigger than the ones most of the people who've
been your 1-800-helpline for the last two years are connected with.
just a general suggestion, but perhaps if you operated from a point
of view other than self entitlement, it might be better received.