6/17/05

Why Indeed?

Is it the great pay? You have to be kidding. You are, aren't you? The best pay you can hope for working at a independent dealership or golf course is less then the national average income. Not very good when you consider the investment you'll make in tools and commitment.

Is it the great working conditons? Wake up, grab a pot of coffee, you're dreaming again. The typical shop is a grundgy little hell hole. I'll haze over the greasy dirty part, it comes with the job. Most shops are just a hole in the wall, a required place the shop owner has to have and he provides the bare minimum. Under cooled in the summer, under heated in the winter. Exhaust fumes to deal with or sometimes having to work on equipment outside where your tools aren't with weather conditions worse then inside. Usually under equiped with proper shop tools and equipment. And aside from this mention I won't even get into the daily dealing with a small but real percentage of customers who are nothing short of dick headed ass hole tight wads.

Then it must be the great benefits? Wrong again loser. Most only provide the 7 standard paid holidays, if even that. Some will provide work uniforms and larger business's might provide a minimal health insurance. A standard one week vacation is about all any will consider. Benefits are not a high priority for the typical shop, employees normally don't last long enough to consider anything more. But why then, should they?

Could it be the great people you work with? If alkys, thieves and liars are your idea of great folks to work with, you'll love it. The majority of repair people are transient idiots. Why do you think the industry has such a bad reputation, its been earned, that's why. The bulk of repair people drift about from one shop to another. There are what I call three categories of L&G techs. Those who can, do; Those who can't who bull shit their way from one shop to the next. Then there are a few which I classify myself within. The ones who can do but are to complacent and put up with this nonsense for far to long. Why? I'll get to that in the conclusion.

Well if none of the above it must be the terrific boss you work for. Wait a minute, think about what you're saying. If none of the above is the reason, does it make any logic that the boss is a great guy to work for?? You haven't finished that pot of coffee yet have you?

Conclusion.

Then what is it? Simple. A love of doing something with your hands. Seeing something through. Taking a dead piece of mechanical equipment and seeing it through until it purrs like a kitten. The self satisfaction in this is what it's all about. Those of you who have been doing this a while and are good at it, and I'm NOT talking about you PARTS CHANGERS, know what I'm talking about. But life dictates other requirments. This brings me to the point of this editorial.

If you're new to this business or are considering it, don't be the complacent blockhead I've been. Bosses, manufacturers and other techs you work with are typically ass holes who don't give a rats ass about you. This business will keep you below average in pay and benefits and when its time to consider retirement all you have is social security which isn't much.

Become the user not the used. Use the independent shop to get the real world experience this work requires to be good at it. Then get out. Check with your local school district, county/city maintenance facilities about working for them. Get a job with the government. There are no unions for L&G repair techs. The only way for the L&G tech to advance is to either move to working for the distributor where you no longer get to do the hands on stuff we really enjoy doing or hooking up with a government job doing the same kind of work.

Use the independent network as a stepping stone, don't become everyone else's stepped on stone. Don't be a blockhead like me, work and plan smart, look to the future while you're young enough to do something about your future. Government jobs will always be here, if they aren't then we're all going to be in more trouble then worrying about a job.

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