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I myself, am in that same situation, or close to it. I work at Infiniti, I came in with just lube tech experience. After 6 months, I can do more service and maintenance work. I have took on jobs that were a little above my level such as suspension, recalls and stuff. My problem at the dealership is that I was stuck working the night shift, which is 12 pm to 9 pm. By 4 pm, all the day techs were gone and I was stuck doing all the oil changes and what have you. So I tried asking for a raise not too long to be compensated for that. But my boss insist on giving me a raise because he says he wants me to do better and take on bigger jobs. That I have no problem proving, I just lack the time because I am always given the dumb work and I am always the first up to be given that work because no one else in the shop would take it. So I am not really sure what to do at this point. I really would like to stay in the business but I also just want to feel appreciated for what I do. Sometimes I want to jump to another dealer for a raise/promotion. What is the best advice you got for me? I honestly never thought this would be so tough and harsh.
I feel your pain man. But how I go about it is, I just tell myself, the $40-$50 weekly payments I make now will double in a few years. You may end up paying your balance faster than you think. I will admit, I am always tempted to buy more tools. But there are always alternatives to buy tools. Buying the best of course returns your investment but like many others have said, start small and go bigger as you progress. I remember back when I was going to school, one of my instructors said that once you leave this building, be ready to commit to spending money on tools for the rest of your life in this career. But nothing the less, it sucks having any kind of debt. But they sure teach you a big thing or two. Look at it this way, you will ALWAYS owe money to someone if it’s not the man from the tool truck. Debt never gets paid off in this world.
It seems as that’s all I can do right now. I guess it’s part of paying your dues so to speak. I mean sure the shifts might suck but on the positive side, I do work with very easy going and cool technicians that are always willing throw a hand for me when I need it. It seems to me that a lot of this has to do with time.
[quote=”Fopeano” post=129915]You probably should suck it up. Don’t think that anything you’ve done that’s been impressive to the boss or your co-workers is any less important just because you’re getting jerked around a little. Just because it needs to be done doesn’t mean that exceptional performance will go unnoticed. Stay motivated and keep your head up. You’re neither an experienced, nor senior employee at this point. You have to be willing to roll with the punches for now. In time, you will understand and know how to work with how things are done around there and you’ll almost surely find your place. Even with how shady this business can be, I’ve always found that exceptional employees are valued and taken care of as best as possible, regardless of what kind of person is in charge.[/quote]Everything that Pitt has said is 100% true. If you can answer those questions yourself than you have an understanding of what it is you are looking for in exact in your career. I just so happen to work for a new dealership/shop that just barely opened up in the summer that just passed. They are going into their first year anniversary this June. I was told it was very slow their first months opened. Work has picked up and keeps picking up as we go. Except for right now because of all the BS snow storms here in the East Coast has been having. I am sure it is slow for many other shops out there as well. But yeah, I can only imagine how this summer coming up will be. I am looking to really see work pick up. I am looking to stick around in that shop for a while. Everyone there is really cool and there isn’t any problems at all. I want to see how much changes there be 10 to 20 years from now.
You know, sometimes I can never understand while people turn down tires and brakes. Also how some people peel their tires in such a short time. Guess people think their tires will last them for eternity.
Well I can tell you one thing that is not my mindset at all. I actually strive for acknowledgment and success. I do whatever I can to hear a “great job kid, you do fantastic, keep up the good work”. That gives me more motivation to tackle more challenges and mainly show I have a mindset of success, pride and determination.
[quote=”Chevyman21″ post=129458]Seniority matters…but not as much as performance and experience. Rewards based on performance are always better because it encourages people to better themselves(“Hey that guy did a good job and he got a raise for it, I need to work harder”). Anyone can acquire seniority and rewarding someone just because they’ve “been there longer” encourages slacking and underachieving(“Heh if I just keep my job I’ll get a raise/promotion regardless of how I perform”.) Two completely different mentalities.[/quote]Well you have point that I see. My main thing is here that I actually try my hardest in every job I am given. I did actually impress my boss a few times with jobs he has asked if I can handle and ended up doing it just fine. As I said before I do not have that much experience at all. I am still new to the field, still trying to prove that I’m capable of doing the job. So far I have been able to do that. I just don’t see that it is fair. But oh well. My only other option is to suck it up. I actually really like the auto repair profession.
i don’t understand what the big deal is with buying affordable tools. Stuff like Craftsman and Harbor Freight aren’t bad tools. Now I cannot speak for much because I myself am still starting out. I only have maybe a year and half of work experience. The way I look at it is, if you are a very experienced technician, then yes it is reasonable to say that you will own and buy expensive tools such as Snap-On, Matco, Cornwell and so on so forth. But If you are just starting out then I feel it is best to save as much money as you can and buy more affordable tools just to get the job done. Yes I know cheaper tools means cheaper quality. But at the end of the day, hand tools are all life time warranty so what is there to really complain about when you can always take yourself to the place where you purchased the tools to get a replacement. I will say yes that there are certain tools that you should invest in the higher end tools. Eric is right when he says a lot of technicians out there are so opinionated and have such a strong ego. I own a lot of Craftsman stuff because I had to get rid of all my Snap-On tools when I was back in California working for Nissan as an express tech. I thought I was going to be using my tools but I was wrong. So here I was, paying for tools that are not even making me money. Till this day I am still paying them off. I didn’t have the money to send my tools out back to my home state. It was not till recently that I got a job with Infiniti and I had to buy tools once again but only this time being Craftsman stuff since now that I am back home I was able to ask for my father to lend me a hand and help me finance tools. Now I am in debt paying back tools that don’t even exist to me and another set of tools that I actually use now.
If I can make a really good income I would definitely invest my money on a brand new car. After all, when you are a technician you can fix it yourself instead of having to worry about taking it to a dealer or repair shop to have someone else fix it for you.
If I can make a really good income I would definitely invest my money on a brand new car. After all, when you are a technician you can fix it yourself instead of having to worry about taking it to a dealer or repair shop to have someone else fix it for you.
I hear that friction modifier is probably one of the worst stinking fluid there is. Never smelled it before or seen what the container looks like.
I hear that friction modifier is probably one of the worst stinking fluid there is. Never smelled it before or seen what the container looks like.
I agree with jeep72. It will come back to you. Most sedans are lifted by their pinch welds and most SUV’s/trucks are lifted from their frame. Just depends on the make and model of the vehicle. I am a Nissan guy so I know where to set the arms of the lift to raise the vehicle.
I agree with jeep72. It will come back to you. Most sedans are lifted by their pinch welds and most SUV’s/trucks are lifted from their frame. Just depends on the make and model of the vehicle. I am a Nissan guy so I know where to set the arms of the lift to raise the vehicle.
Invest some money on Motor Age Training study guides. I bought them because I myself want to jump on my ASE’s. They are pretty awesome study guides and give you a ton of information on the specific certification that you are desiring to get.
Remember, only you make the choice to progress in the industry. Don’t hold back on something that you know can better your future.