Share your terrible job stories

[Corn Pop]

More people should work for themselves.

 

[Edward]

A terrible job story? Oh, you mean employment! (Sigh).

God transplanted me from a long standing Heating & Air Conditioning (self employed for 22 years) in colorful Colorado...to Canton Ohio, working for someone else now. Im just over one month in with this new outfit.

Apparently everything he said to me at the interview was a lie. There's two aspects to hvac. Installation and service. I applied for a service position, and was very clear that I would not be a lead installer, but I know how crunch time can be so do not mind helping on occasional installs as a 2nd man and not a lead.

He said he wouldn't pay me what I wanted right now because he don't know me or if he can trust me. But after he can then he will bump my pay to where it should be...

I reluctantly agreed. My back was to the wall financially. We Don't have a service truck to put you in Ed, I'll get one soon, meantime go help with installs. So I did.
A month later, the truth is out. Neither one of his installers have a drivers license. I have to drive them.

He hired my drivers license for helper wages! And expects me to be an installer with the benefit of my 29 years experience without the title of lead. He has no service truck for me yet. I haven't been dispatched to a service call yet.

I Don't have a problem putting in my dues. Prove myself, do good work...but there's no service work in sight. He doesn't even pursue service work. He has a bad assed salesman that sells a lot of installs.

He lied and I'm kinda stuck on installs and for helper wages! Not only that, but he...doesn't treat his crew right. He has a professional (HA!) coach.

I ran the same sized company, three trucks. Carried three families. ..and they were all happy because I treated them good, let them in for a share of the scrap (which they generated) which is fair. He has more office personal than I did. Me and my wife ran it all. She was secretary phone girl, collections, scheduling, ordering material for jobs and all that. I was service. Manager to my men and got them lined out and it ran smooth. This guy has a several idiots in the office that have no clue about anything to do with business. There's no office support. The girl can't even order basic parts and material unless we go in and tell her what its for, supply model numbers map her out real good, and then she tries. It (almost) never right. So we typically spend the first 3-4 hours of the day taking the wrong units back to the supply house and getting the right equipment. It is chaos,

The make tall promises to customers then let the crap roll downhill to us Penn installers. Angry customers are a normal day before we get there. I've smoothed over several of their customers, just by talking to them right and straight. That's all people want.

I could straighten that shop out so it would run smoothly if I were service manager there. (Their salesman has never worked in the field. He can sell a package. ..but can not spot difficult or non standard installations. This makes for chaos and difficult days. (They were sending us to install an all electric heater-air handler, in a crawl space, there's the unit go install it..
It was a one piece unit almost 6 feet long. I told them as soon as I layed eyes on the unit that it would not fit through the opening to the crawl space. But nobody listened to the new guy.
They sell these units in two pieces that buckle together. So you can get the unit in the crawlspace.)
Well maybe you have to dig out the crawlspaces floor in front and get the unit to slide in...(not this unit! I've been there too many times, I know these things from experience) besides what if it's a concrete crawlspace floor, they're popular!)
Go ahead Ed, it'll work out...
So 45 miles one way to find a concrete floor. The unit wouldn't fit just like I said.)
They installed a furnace air conditioner package the week before I signed on. They removed a heat pump...the installer didn't install a conventional T-Stat. They sent me with the installer and otw to the job he's telling me how it wouldn't cycle right. He concluded that it was a bad computer board on the new a-c air handler.
"What kind of t-stat did you put on?"
She liked her old one and wanted to keep it...when I saw it was a heatpump t-stat, I told him, a HP STAT won't run a conventional furnace a-c. (Pay no attention to the new guy, go play with his meter and wiring to again conclude the board was bad!
It was obvious. I had to get terse with him to get him to listen to me. ..WE CHANGE THE STAT AND IT WILL WORK, DON'T PULL THAT BOARD!
He finally agreed to let me install a new stat, It was fixed. This, supposedly their top guy,..
I have had a month of this, every day it's something. Chaos.

The company has no benefits or incentives for the crew. He makes those guys (and me some) tear down the old units for scrapping...he said that's his money not the mens...no share the scrap with the crew, but go break it down for me. ..? Oh no...

He listens to his business coach like he can't be wrong. I've talked to coaches. Their only 90 percent right.
The boss is (supposed to be) the Captain of the ship and catch the coaches mistakes that would hurt his company. Like being too "corporate" with his men. These guts tell me he doesn't give any bonuses even Christmas, and continually cracks the whip...but no attaboys. No incentives. Pours more responsibility on the men (to do office personnel's job!)
He displays that he doesn't trust anyone, clearly.
But after he trusts me I'll get a raise? Not gonna happen.

He has a decent crew. I like them all and can work with anyone. I think the boss is intimidated by me. He dodges talking to me. Im just heading out, talk to Leah. ..she can't do anything, phone girl no authority.
He does not care about his crew.
He actually stands there at meetings and says stuff like, my wife blah blah blah, my coach blah blah blah,..and went be s captain to his ship. I did pull him aside and asked, how can you talk to your men like that?! Those words will kill a crews morale (and loyalty). He blew me off.

They're pushing me out the door. He's even turned me down for multiple things that I need to do a better job for him on his work. I can only wonder that he doesn't trust me. Or anyone. I also noticed my paycheck is routinely shorted a quarter to a half hour...(I'm honest with my hours)

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Edward - yikes, that sounds like a nightmare! why did you move from Colorado?
I've had a similar situation with this new job - they say one thing and do another. But not to this degree. I'm praying there is another A/C company in that is hiring and will fully appreciate your talents and experience! Also, you need to get that paycheck issue sorted out right away. Can you prove that they are shorting your pay?

 

[Corn Pop]

You know when a message is long its going to be a great rant.

 

[Edward]

Edward - yikes, that sounds like a nightmare! why did you move from Colorado?
I've had a similar situation with this new job - they say one thing and do another. But not to this degree. I'm praying there is another A/C company in that is hiring and will fully appreciate your talents and experience! Also, you need to get that paycheck issue sorted out right away. Can you prove that they are shorting your pay?

I moved from Colorado to ohio for the only good reason that anyone ever would...because God told me too, and confirmed it for me!
I was scared not to, Sister! I remember Jonah...
A Brother in Christ (here on the board) that I'm telephone friends with calked me up, Ed I don't know what this means, but God told me to tell you to give your business to your sons and move to Ohio where your birth family is...just like that.
But there was more. ..he continued with what God told him...words of knowledge about my life...that I am positive that I never shared these things with this Brother. ..
That was God's way of confirming to me, that this message was real and from Him.
(Private stuff!)
It was God alright. So here I am.

I can prove it about my pay. But I prayed to get this job, I asked for prayer support here in the forum! I got the job. I don't want to make waves. It's not that much, and He might actually come up with a service van for me? It has been busy it has been hot. I dont want to quit prematurely either. At least for now. We have been busy.
I'm keeping good records though. I take pics of my time card too, just in case...
I do plan to say something if it happens again next week.

 

[Edward]

You know when a message is long its going to be a great rant.

You're right Brother. That was even the short version. It's worse than this, I left out quite a bit really.

 

[Corn Pop]

I had a few terrible stories.

 

[Essenaut]

And when my clothes wear out I would have to make clothes from leaves.

Clothes are for quitters.

 

[Corn Pop]

Self employment.

 

[Corn Pop]

You know why someone like Trump is who he is, why he is so successful, does not care about political correctness, and how he gets things done, its because he knows history does not repeat, and there is a separation between a problem and a solution. Hes not a idiot.

This is not political talk either.

 

[Knotical]

You know why someone like Trump is who he is, why he is so successful, does not care about political correctness, and how he gets things done, its because he knows history does not repeat, and there is a separation between a problem and a solution. Hes not a idiot.

This is not political talk either.

Absolutely. Trump is wired to be successful. Sure he has had a bunch of failures in his life, but look at how much he is worth. If all he did was fail you would never have heard of him, but because he is able to turn things around and generate the net worth he has means he knows how to make good deals.

 

[WIP]

Excellent point! Yes, plumbing and anything electrical . . always seems like it shouldn't cost that much.
And pest control! I just had to treat my house for termites myself because I was out of work and nearly cried when they gave me the quote (I got quotes from multiple companies).

The thing is, you're buying more than just the labor. You're buying the schooling, training, experience/expertise, licensing, bonding, tools, equipment, billing, taxes, permits, insurances, inspections, and so forth.

 

[WIP]

I have found in my life that when people work for someone else people are just a replaceable number. Its always hard to get a payrise because companies know they can just get someone else to do the job if you quit.

Which is such a shame because for a relatively small amount they can keep someone on who has the skills and the history with the company instead of having to train a new person who might turn out to be not as valuable an asset.

Lisa, you just totally contradicted kiwidan's post you referenced.

 

[WIP]

Absolutely. Trump is wired to be successful. Sure he has had a bunch of failures in his life, but look at how much he is worth. If all he did was fail you would never have heard of him, but because he is able to turn things around and generate the net worth he has means he knows how to make good deals.

Think it's easy to own your own business? On average, 80% of all business that get started fail within the first 18 months. Entrepreneurs are true gamblers risking much and in some cases, their very livlihood. That is part of the reason they feel justified for higher salaries when they do actually succeed. They've spent countless amounts on failed attempts before they finally found success.

The company I work for is currently a $150M per year business. It was started in a garage by one guy with a vision. I was talking to the CEO one day and it was interesting listening to him tell about the early years. He and his brother and his uncle started the business back in 1964. He told me about how one of the first machines they built didn't get paid for. They had to somehow come up with the funds to stay in business so they borrowed money using the equity in their homes. He said there were many times when they wondered if they made the right choice and how they would feed their families.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I've only been here a month and things were crazy at first then last week and a half I felt better like I knew what I was doing but this week is getting worse and worse. Person I'm replacing is finding things she forgot to tell and I'm finding things she needed to tell me. And the annoying thing is that it really all comes down to me.. I'm the lead now so I have to handle it.
This place has had lots of turnover and they are insecure about it like they just can't seem to keep people on. Well, when you hire someone to be trained by person you are letting go because of their bad performance.. maybe, just maybe, you should consider having someone else bring them up to speed.

Big picture I know I can find another job and I'll survive this but the day to day "wonder what surprise awaits me today" that makes me cringe.

 

[WIP]

The bottom line is that we either agree to do a task for a certain compensation or we don't. We are in competition with others for job/career openings and we need to learn how to sell ourselves for the level of compensation we feel is appropriate.

Every morning when I get up for work I make the decision to either go and do what I have been hired to do for the compensation I have agreed to or not. It matters not to me whether someone else is paid more for the same task than me for I agreed to my compensation when I accepted the offer when I got hired.

Everything is negotiable but that does not mean the sky is the limit on what we can price ourselves for. It is possible to price ourselves out of the market just as easily as it is possible to price anything out of the market. That's the competition we face. Reminds me of Matthew 20:1-16.

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” NKJV

 

[Edward]

The thing is, you're buying more than just the labor. You're buying the schooling, training, experience/expertise, licensing, bonding, tools, equipment, billing, taxes, permits, insurances, inspections, and so forth.

Spoken like a contractor there. Absolutely true too. There's a lot of little stuff to know about any trade and the professional brings that with him. How to manuals and videos Don't really tell you what pitfalls and difficulties that can arise during a job. The experience that the university of hard knocks gives to a man in the trade usually means we been there done that. I am prepared for that eventuality. I'll still have the job done today.
Professional s are a little more, but if you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur! Lol.

A significant percentage of the (trades) work, is correcting less-experienced fly by night guys work. They get in over their head and then stop answering the phone, lol

 

[Edward]

hink it's easy to own your own business? On average, 80% of all business that get started fail within the first 18 months. Entrepreneurs are true gamblers risking much and in some cases, their very livlihood. That is part of the reason they feel justified for higher salaries when they do actually succeed. They've spent countless amounts on failed attempts before they finally found success.

I"we always heard this, but it wasn't true for me. When I was, 20ish my dad taught me (and it stuck!) that...even a bad business is better than a good job. 35 plus years later...it is true.

People tried to talk me out of going in business for myself. The first three fail, you need 50 grand in the bank, all sorts of stuff. I did it anyway. I didn't have anything except tools (from having a job)
They called me, we have s leak, do you work on crimped plastic water lines.
Yes we do, I'll be right out.
I didn't have anything for that job.
Sorry mamn, I'm one special fitting short..
Be right back...and went and bought it (and a couple extras for the truck) and went back and fixed it.
That's how I started a plumbing service company on a shoestring.
Don't worry about the money, just do good work (and stand behind it) and the money will take care of itself.

Later when I got licensed for hvac, I did the same thing. It worked.
Other types of businesses may not be able to do that. Depends what it is I guess

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I moved from Colorado to ohio for the only good reason that anyone ever would...because God told me too, and confirmed it for me!
I was scared not to, Sister! I remember Jonah...
A Brother in Christ (here on the board) that I'm telephone friends with calked me up, Ed I don't know what this means, but God told me to tell you to give your business to your sons and move to Ohio where your birth family is...just like that.
But there was more. ..he continued with what God told him...words of knowledge about my life...that I am positive that I never shared these things with this Brother. ..
That was God's way of confirming to me, that this message was real and from Him.
(Private stuff!)
It was God alright. So here I am.

I can prove it about my pay. But I prayed to get this job, I asked for prayer support here in the forum! I got the job. I don't want to make waves. It's not that much, and He might actually come up with a service van for me? It has been busy it has been hot. I dont want to quit prematurely either. At least for now. We have been busy.
I'm keeping good records though. I take pics of my time card too, just in case...
I do plan to say something if it happens again next week.

Sounds like you've got a plan but I'm still sorry you are going through it. Praying for you that it will all work out! And good point about not wanting to quit prematurely. Sometimes we have to follow a path to see where it leads? I don't think there is a bible verse to support that but maybe?

 

[lisa-in-FL]

The bottom line is that we either agree to do a task for a certain compensation or we don't. We are in competition with others for job/career openings and we need to learn how to sell ourselves for the level of compensation we feel is appropriate.

Every morning when I get up for work I make the decision to either go and do what I have been hired to do for the compensation I have agreed to or not. It matters not to me whether someone else is paid more for the same task than me for I agreed to my compensation when I accepted the offer when I got hired.

This is an excellent point, but it is frustrating when the employer changes the deal and isn't honest about what you are getting into.
I love that God cannot lie and He's not a covenant breaker. We know exactly what we've got in Jesus Christ!