DAMN! Unemployment ran out today!

[DCVING 6]

Jeremy, wish you were closer, I need someone to wire my air compressor in the garage.

 

[usetaboost]

Damn dude that sucks. Isn't anyone building new structures out in the quad cities?

 

[jdpolzin]

I can get ya a Job Jeremy, but you have to move to Kansas. Also, could probably help ya get a Job in Iowa, PM me for details.

Ty, I've tried to get in at Deere and the system keeps bucking me becuase I'm over qualified!?? Not really understanding how that works. My fiance is management at Deere, her dad, mom, stepmom, uncle, and two Aunts all work there as management and they cant seem to help me. they are looking for an electrician for machine maintanance and I would be perfect for that with my background.

 

[jdpolzin]

Thanks for your guys' support! You guys are basically family to me and have helped me out tremendously by the support that you guys have all gave me. I've basically been off for 2 years now.

I'd love to open my own "shop" and build some bad a$$ GN's but the only problem is that the hourly rate I'd have to charge to cover my worker's comp and insurance would be more than most people want to spend. I've been doing some odd jobs for people on their cars quite a bit but I usually charge next to nothing becuase I just dont like to take money from people. I know how hard it is to come by. I'd rather just do things for free or next to nothing in hopes that they will help me out someday when I'm in need.

It's a tough world right now. We are juggling two houses between Ashley and I and trying to sell hers. Well you guys know how the housing market is, not good! I'm tired and worn out. I'm trying to just sell all the spare parts I have right now to get something back in my pocket. I bought the last parts car for the drivetrain that I will hopefully be installing into a roler for Austin's buddy so that'll get me a little extra money for doing the work. Not charging sqwaut for the parts just so he can afford to get into the car. The seats went into Austins car so I didnt get much for those. Now I'm left with a bunch of little pieces nobody really wants.

Hopefully I can just clear out the garage and people keep bringing me cars to fix or build for them here and there. And then, hopefully, things will change in the job situation. I'm scared I'm going to loose my insurance for my son and I. She can put Noah on her insurance but the deductable is rediculous and pretty much makes it pointless to have insurance unless something really bad happens. This just blows!!!!!

 

[jdpolzin]

Jeremy, wish you were closer, I need someone to wire my air compressor in the garage.

Glen, I was just in Chicago today visiting Prasad! I'd love to come and help you out but the gas would cost more than the job!!! Thank you very much for the offer, i really do appreciate it!:biggrin:

 

[jdpolzin]

Jason - sorry to hear that news. Are you looking at other careers or at relocating? Quite a bit of building is going on down here in San Antonio - I can check with a local electrician I know and ask him what job prospects may be out there (he is a Mustang guy though...).

Are any mechanic jobs available where you are, as you seem to do pretty good work at the "Turbo Farm?

I remember what it was like when I was looking for work this time last year - not fun.

Rob

Hey Rob! I've tried to look into a Mechanics jobs in my area but nobody wants a "Hot Rod Mechanic". They all want ASE certified. It kind of chaps my butt though, everytime I go to my local Tire Shop, which is quite frequently, I have to help those guys figure out whats wrong with customers cars anyways so they dont have to send them down the road. My skill level blows away most of the "mechanics" in my area but my lack of official education doesnt help me much!!

 

[Just a Six??]

Well I'm officially a total piece of nothing now. I'm electrician by trade and have spent the ast couple years only working here and there. Shops are all closing down around here. The last shop I worked for can barely keep 6 guys working and i spent most of the time while there sitting at home with no work so I finally asked for a lay off so I could try to get work elsewhere.

All the time I was off here and there at the last shop burned up my unemployment and now I have nothing left.

Hopefully I can get some sort of extension. Damn economy really sucks.:frown:

Jeremy, move to Toronto & I will have you a job in 2 weeks if your worth your salt at your trade & willing to work!. There is work here for the guys that want it. Lots of guys are just too lazy to do a fair days work! The rest don't speak english!
I know it's not realistic to move here but there is work. I have been self employed & have run my painting & decorating company since about 90-91 time frame. I know lots of people in the trades! Problem is finding good workers so I only hire Canadian Born over 45 that are serious about work & keeping the family fed & speak Perfect English!
Call Me what you like but it works for my customers!

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

Ty, I've tried to get in at Deere and the system keeps bucking me becuase I'm over qualified!?? Not really understanding how that works. My fiance is management at Deere, her dad, mom, stepmom, uncle, and two Aunts all work there as management and they cant seem to help me. they are looking for an electrician for machine maintanance and I would be perfect for that with my background.

I am not talking about Deere..

 

[jdpolzin]

Jeremy, move to Toronto & I will have you a job in 2 weeks if your worth your salt at your trade & willing to work!. There is work here for the guys that want it. Lots of guys are just too lazy to do a fair days work! The rest don't speak english!
I know it's not realistic to move here but there is work. I have been self employed & have run my painting & decorating company since about 90-91 time frame. I know lots of people in the trades! Problem is finding good workers so I only hire Canadian Born over 45 that are serious about work & keeping the family fed & speak Perfect English!
Call Me what you like but it works for my customers!

I agree! The trades around here are hit really hard right now. So, when it comes to those who do have work, it's usually a political race and who can slander who. I work my butt off try to make shops money by running jobs how they need to be run. I love to work and usually dont sit from the time I wake up till the time I go to bed. It's just natural for me. It makes me sick to see guys that just dont want to work. Or to see the guys who could really care less about their work but they seem to stay employed becuase they are a buddy of a buddy, yadda yadda.

 

[usetaboost]

That whole ASE certification is BS as far as I'm concerned. A dumb ass that sits at the counter of a pep boys or advance auto can be certified just because he's a parts bitch. You don't make squat for working at a shop unless you are their golden child.

Shops won't hire unless you have shop time under your belt, but then how the hell do you get there in there without going to school? Hell, there was a guy that went to wyotech and came back to sioux city and got hired right away when he came into the shop. Nice guy but wasn't worth a crap, so what good is the schooling?

Just as well keep doing work out of your garage dude until you get something that's STEADY work. Most of the time I would make more money in a half day work to cover 3 days of work THose days were great. My body can't take too much of it anymore though.

I don't know what to tell ya man. I just can't believe there isn't enough work to go around in your area. My job isn't the coolest job out there but I sure am glad I stuck it out and stayed there. Hopefully the soybeans keep growin

 

[larry33kc]

I know your pain I was laid off for 10 months. I have gone from making $29 HR to $18 hr to $14 hr now in 3 years. My wife has been laid off for 6 months now also.

And people give me crap because I wanted to try clean and use my fuel fouled plugs for my GN1R's

 

[usetaboost]

I know your pain I was laid off for 10 months. I have gone from making $29 HR to $18 hr to $14 hr now in 3 years. My wife has been laid off for 6 months now also.

And people give me crap because I wanted to try clean and use my fuel fouled plugs for my GN1R's

I've been there. I remember making 10 bucks an hour, having a new baby, woman not working since we had no one to help with our daughter, being laid off all the time and getting 173 a week for unemployment, having 10 bucks worth of gas to last me 2 weeks, not taking anything for lunch because I didn't want to eat the last of the food at home, jump starting my car every morning because it was too cold for the battery to turn it over, selling your favorite thing in the world to buy food and pay the electric bill....like I said, it could get worse. I dealt with this for almost a year straight and off and on again for another 3 years. This was back when the economy was good. But I'm sure there's more people out there that have had it a lot tougher.

When it all hits bottom, there's no where else to go but up....

 

[jdpolzin]

Good News!!!!!!!!

Well thank god, I got another 20 weeks. Once that 20 weeks is up though, I'm screwed! I have 97 people in front of me at the union hall waiting for work and thats an average of 6 months so if I have 5 months of unemployment and need to wait it out for 4 weeks, I can handle that. Or hopefully the book clears out and i'm just back to work much sooner than that!

We shall see. I would have been totally screwed if I had to go 6 months with no income at all. I even went out and picked up an application at Wal Mart, I hate Wal Mart because of their economic strong hold but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[usetaboost]

Screw walmart. I would rather have a job at taco johns. THey pay more and you will never go hungry

 

[injdinjn]

My son graduated with a honors degree in Civil Engineering and is licensed in CA. 8 years experience.
Laid off Dec 2008. Unemployment ran out last month. No jobs in sight.
He's checked with the ones out here that are connected to the stimulas money and they are not hiring.

 

[charlief1]

Hey Rob! I've tried to look into a Mechanics jobs in my area but nobody wants a "Hot Rod Mechanic". They all want ASE certified. It kind of chaps my butt though, everytime I go to my local Tire Shop, which is quite frequently, I have to help those guys figure out whats wrong with customers cars anyways so they dont have to send them down the road. My skill level blows away most of the "mechanics" in my area but my lack of official education doesnt help me much!!

If it helps I've got an ASE master and I was offered $9 an hour. Not flat rate either. It was 140 mile round trip to work there. People are looking for bargins right now so at the shop I charge $35 and hour and still get people fussing about the cost.

That whole ASE certification is BS as far as I'm concerned. A dumb ass that sits at the counter of a pep boys or advance auto can be certified just because he's a parts bitch.

Sure Jesse. I've got almost 30 years of working on cars under my belt now and an AAS in Automotive Service Technology as well as almost 200 hours on a BS in Technology managment. I'm in an area that is starved for work right now as well and I don't want to open the shop up fully right now. I make enough to survive on but we have insurance at work and I can't afford it. I've had quite a few people ask if I had an opening and I tell them I'm a one man show. I just got access to Mitchell on demand and that helps a lot but it's slow going right now. Everything I do is under the table, the job is to show the government that I'm making some money so I won't get hit later in the year.:biggrin:

 

[usetaboost]

Charlie, I'll gladly invite you to come up here and I'll show you what I mean.
Parts guy: "Is that National front wheel drive, what motor did it have, v8"?

ME: WTF "Does that ASE patch come off like a sticker? It's just like an 87 REGAL" I think I've ran into 3 people out of all the auto parts stores here that can give me the correct part for any of my vehicles and doesn't try to tell me how to fix it. BTW, how's that 82 international coming along?

....and yes this was from an "ASE" certified individual.

 

[charlief1]

Charlie, I'll gladly invite you to come up here and I'll show you what I mean.
Parts guy: "Is that National front wheel drive, what motor did it have, v8"?

ME: WTF "Does that ASE patch come off like a sticker? It's just like an 87 REGAL" I think I've ran into 3 people out of all the auto parts stores here that can give me the correct part for any of my vehicles and doesn't try to tell me how to fix it. BTW, how's that 82 international coming along?

....and yes this was from an "ASE" certified individual.

The sad part is that the parts test is mostly BS and doesnt really test parts knowledge. The tech test does. My boss will be taking the parts test this week and to give you a laugh he told a customer that if they used to heavy and oil it would cause premature ring wear. I ended up talking to the guy and straighting hm out fortunately:biggrin: