Installers Wanted

[Bob La Londe]

Would you take on an aussie ????

Probably wouldn't be interested in paying your moving costs.

Otherwise... why not?

 

[Michelle]

They'd have to get a visa (unless they have one).. probably H1-B..
probably have to prove to US immigration that you couldn't find anyone
in the US? H1-B visas take forever don't they?

Would you take on an aussie ????

Probably wouldn't be interested in paying your moving costs.

Otherwise... why not?

 

[Bob La Londe]

They'd have to get a visa (unless they have one).. probably H1-B..
probably have to prove to US immigration that you couldn't find anyone in
the US? H1-B visas take forever don't they?

There is an idea. I really can't. Just guys who are totally unqualified
wanting to be the boss for more money than I make. Heck, I almost hired a
kid today with absolutely no experience or education in the field until I
pulled his background report.

I cancelled my ad on Monster.com this morning. Got tired of lazy treasure
hunters sending me resumes.

 

[Bob La Londe]

What are you offering? You're not one of those Jim R. speaks of that
wants installers to use their own trucks,

No I have several nice service trucks, but in construction its a common
practice to pay a vehicle allowance instead of providing a truck. This
allows those guys who otherwise could not be employable due to DUIs and
excessive tickets to work.

pay their own health
insurance,

Health insurance is always paid by the employee one way or another. If they
don't make enough money to cover it they don't work long. My payroll agency
has a managed healthcare program available to anybody after they have been
working with us for three months.

have no retirement plan,

401K Is also available through our agency.

We also offer paid vacation after the first year.

work for a barely livable wage,

Above average for the area.

and be available 27/7 at your beck-and-call are you?

No, but I expect all qualified techs to be on call atleast in rotation. I
have been on call 24/7 for 13 years. Expecting to be in this industry and
bnever be on call is just stupid. I would also expect them to use accuarte
terms in describing something even if in sarcasm.

It works both
ways - someone already said it, you get what you pay for.

No you don't. I have been doing this for a long time. I had one guy quit
for a cut in pay because he thought there was more stability in a government
job. The guy IS on call 24/7 now and works late 3-5 days a week. Oops. He
still does some part time work for me on a piece work basis and when he does
he makes way more than he does at his government job. Hell, his part time
work for me made the down payment on his new house.

What are
you offering????

What are you offering?

I am offering hard work for a reasonable paycheck. I am offering
responsibility in exchange for reliability.

I will not hire DRUNKS, DRUG ADDICTS, OR FELONS. Why these guys even apply
to an add that clearly says MVR report required, drug screens mandatory, and
Background Checks done I have no idea.

In a market where the largest employers are retail and farm work and the
farm work pays better than retail I pay well above market for entry level
and very well for somebody who can do the job. Oh yeah, and both of those
large employment bases are very strongly subject to seasonal layoffs. I
have had more work than I can handle year around for many years.

So much thanks for your ever so helpful reply.

 

[Crash Gordon]

I'm glad I'm done with employee headaches. I'm back to being a family
owned/operated company...none of those old days problems. There's a lot to
be said about downsizing!


| | > On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 18:31:52 -0700, "Bob La Londe" <[email protected]>
| > wrote:
| >
| >>| >>> They'd have to get a visa (unless they have one).. probably H1-B..
| >>> probably have to prove to US immigration that you couldn't find anyone
| >>> in
| >>> the US? H1-B visas take forever don't they?
| >>
| >>There is an idea. I really can't. Just guys who are totally
unqualified
| >>wanting to be the boss for more money than I make. Heck, I almost hired
a
| >>kid today with absolutely no experience or education in the field until
I
| >>pulled his background report.
| >>
| >>I cancelled my ad on Monster.com this morning. Got tired of lazy
treasure
| >>hunters sending me resumes.
| >
| >
| > What are you offering? You're not one of those Jim R. speaks of that
| > wants installers to use their own trucks,
|
| No I have several nice service trucks, but in construction its a common
| practice to pay a vehicle allowance instead of providing a truck. This
| allows those guys who otherwise could not be employable due to DUIs and
| excessive tickets to work.
|
| > pay their own health
| > insurance,
|
| Health insurance is always paid by the employee one way or another. If
they
| don't make enough money to cover it they don't work long. My payroll
agency
| has a managed healthcare program available to anybody after they have been
| working with us for three months.
|
| > have no retirement plan,
|
| 401K Is also available through our agency.
|
| We also offer paid vacation after the first year.
|
| > work for a barely livable wage,
|
| Above average for the area.
|
| > and be available 27/7 at your beck-and-call are you?
|
| No, but I expect all qualified techs to be on call atleast in rotation. I
| have been on call 24/7 for 13 years. Expecting to be in this industry and
| bnever be on call is just stupid. I would also expect them to use
accuarte
| terms in describing something even if in sarcasm.
|
| > It works both
| > ways - someone already said it, you get what you pay for.
|
| No you don't. I have been doing this for a long time. I had one guy quit
| for a cut in pay because he thought there was more stability in a
government
| job. The guy IS on call 24/7 now and works late 3-5 days a week. Oops.
He
| still does some part time work for me on a piece work basis and when he
does
| he makes way more than he does at his government job. Hell, his part time
| work for me made the down payment on his new house.
|
| > What are
| > you offering????
|
| What are you offering?
|
| I am offering hard work for a reasonable paycheck. I am offering
| responsibility in exchange for reliability.
|
| I will not hire DRUNKS, DRUG ADDICTS, OR FELONS. Why these guys even
apply
| to an add that clearly says MVR report required, drug screens mandatory,
and
| Background Checks done I have no idea.
|
| In a market where the largest employers are retail and farm work and the
| farm work pays better than retail I pay well above market for entry level
| and very well for somebody who can do the job. Oh yeah, and both of those
| large employment bases are very strongly subject to seasonal layoffs. I
| have had more work than I can handle year around for many years.
|
| So much thanks for your ever so helpful reply.
|
| --
| Bob La Londe
|
|
|
| --
|
|

 

[Bob La Londe]

I'm glad I'm done with employee headaches. I'm back to being a family
owned/operated company...none of those old days problems. There's a lot to
be said about downsizing!

How do you handle taking a vaction or even a long weekend?

 

[Michelle]

I sort of wonder why someone would be an security system installer
unless they really enjoy that work (which is more the case for me).

If a person goes for an electrical apprenticeship here in Canada
(alberta) you can make $30/hr.

Michelle

 

[Crash Gordon]

and 99% of time its a user error thing that can be dealt with via phone, so
CS will call me and I'll contact the client from wherever I am. Plus, I
remember every system I put in, so that helps too



| | > I'm glad I'm done with employee headaches. I'm back to being a family
| > owned/operated company...none of those old days problems. There's a lot
to
| > be said about downsizing!
|
| How do you handle taking a vaction or even a long weekend?
|
|
| --
| Bob La Londe
|
|
|
| --
|
|

 

[Bob La Londe]

I sort of wonder why someone would be an security system installer unless
they really enjoy that work (which is more the case for me).

If a person goes for an electrical apprenticeship here in Canada (alberta)
you can make $30/hr.

Thats about 25 USD right? Not out of line for an electrician a little
higher than this market, but then the cost of living is lower here. Of
course in most states an electrician is a protected trade forcing both
prices and wages up. Sounds a little high for an apprentice though.

 

[Bob La Londe]

and 99% of time its a user error thing that can be dealt with via phone,
so
CS will call me and I'll contact the client from wherever I am. Plus, I
remember every system I put in, so that helps too

Yeah, I even remember systems I didn't put it. LOL. Doesn't help if the
wife wants to take a cruise or if I have an opportunity to visit China.
(had to pass on that a few years back)

 

[Michelle]

Sorry.. the +/- $30/hr is for once you have your journeymans ticket.
Apprentices are paid a certain percentage of a journeymans wage.. I
think it was like 45%, 55%, 65% and 75% for 1st yr, 2nd yr, 3rd yr and
4th year.

Actually according to this site the wages aren't bad:

http://www.alberta-learning.ab.ca/o...file&format=html&occPro_ID=71002766&SNT_ID=25

 

[Crash Gordon]

Not all of us go away at the same time.

I have two other alarmco (long time friends/associates) that will cover for
me, and I cover for them if they go oot.

I rarely have service problems, except low batteries, anyway so even if my
backup companies don't know the product I use (one does, the other doesn't)
it's usually not a problem


| | > I'm glad I'm done with employee headaches. I'm back to being a family
| > owned/operated company...none of those old days problems. There's a lot
to
| > be said about downsizing!
|
| How do you handle taking a vaction or even a long weekend?
|
|
| --
| Bob La Londe
|
|
|
| --
|
|

 

[Michelle]

I've worked for family run businesses and I prefer them because there is
little politics, and you're not just "number" to the employer. Call
me silly, but its just a warmer environment.

Michelle

 

[Bob La Londe]

I thought you didn't hire drunks.

Never said I did, just pointing out that your view on the world isn't the
only one or even the best one. I know most big general contractors pay
their supervisors a more than fair truck allowance instead of providing them
with a truck. The only thing they throw int hat might stick in some craws
is they usually require it to be less than X number of years old to maintain
good appearances.

Health insurance costs are usually subsidized by the employer, mine
for example pays 75% of the cost. There is no way I could afford
buying it outright.

Where do you think that money comes from? If you think that you aren't
producing it through your own work then you are very confused about
business. If your specific work is not generating the revenue to pay 100%
of your health insurance no matter whose name is on the checks then you
don't understand how business works.

That's good. Do you have matching funds?



That's good too, at least 2 weeks I assume?

Depends. If the tech was experience when they started maybe. If they
started with no knowledge and no skills and are just becoming a tech after a
year doubtful. But then I suppose you think you get what you pay for only
applies to the employer. It goes both ways.

That's not saying much if it's in .. "a market where the largest
employers are retail and farm work". How does your offering compare
to other alarm companies in the area? Why don't you post it here?

I have had guys from other alarm companies apply and tell me what they are
making. Its comparable to some and better than others.

That's fair.

Hey, we agree on something.

Irrelevant.

No its not. It may not mean squat to you or anybody else looking for a job,
but it is very important to me, and how an employee responds to being on
call is certainly part of the hiring process. You may not care, but it is
definitely relevant.

No, it's not. I would expect to be informed up front if I was
required to be in the on-call rotation, and be compensated for
carrying the phone.

You disagree and then agree. I think we may just have a management vs labor
viewpoint on this one. Sounds like you do agree with my statement.

I wasn't using sarcasm. Actually I wasn't referring to on-call, I was
referring to those types that demand weekend work and long hours
without so much as asking if I had plans. Maybe you've seen the kind,
I have.

Yep, I have worked for them.

What I meant by "you get what you pay for" is: a knowledgeable tech
that will work hard and be reliable don't come cheap. I believe you
refer to them as "treasure hunters".

No, A knowledgable tech will earn whatever they are getting and a little
more to cover the service truck he drives, the insuracne for the company and
whatever other overhead is needed, and small profit for the owner or stock
holders. He should get paid well, but that is not what I called a treasure
hunter and you know it. A treasure hunter is the guy who sends a resume to
a tech position that is clearly underqualied, asks for a management
position, and wants more moeny than the owner of the business makes.
Perhaps treasure hunter was to polite a term. Deluded and semi-literate to
read is probably more accurate.

I'm not the one looking for help or work. If I was, I'd offer you an
honest days work for an honest days pay. Of course, I want all the
aforementioned benefits too. ;-)

And you would get them if you earned them.

Responsibility? For what? All the technician wants is to live
comfortably and have minimum responsibility. If I wanted to have your
headaches I'd start my own company in exchange for more financial
gain. When I clock out your business is the last thing on my mind.


In Texas that's the law.

I wish it was the law here. Better yet I wish it was a crime to apply for a
job that they know can't hire them for either liability or legal reasons
with those backgrounds.

You're welcome. I can see my response pressed a couple of buttons
with you, that was not my intention. It's just that I've seen too
many mom & pop operations that want the world from their employees and
aren't willing to pay for it. That's why I was (and still am) asking
what your offer was (is). If you have a great deal for a good tech.
perhaps someone will read your ad and be willing to relocate.

After all the headaches I have seen on this newsgroup I would never post an
offer here, but anybody who was serious could have checked my Monster.com
listing before I pulled it.

(This part is editorial.)
Personally I think you come off as the guy who walks in the door saying I
KNOW how to do all this stuff, and I KNOW what I am worth, and I WON'T even
start so I can show you unless YOU PROMISE me top of the world benis and
pay. And I'm the guy who has heard it all before. Seriously. Show me. If
you can't show me I can show you... the door. Been burned one too many
times. You have to remember I have been doing this for over 13 years, and I
have hired and fired a tech or two.

Take Care,
Same

-Graham

--
The Security Consultant
Bob La Londe - Owner
849 S Ave C
Yuma, Az 85364

(928)782-9765 ofc
(928)782-7873 fax

 

[JoeRaisin]

Where do you think that money comes from? If you think that you aren't

producing it through your own work then you are very confused about
business. If your specific work is not generating the revenue to pay 100%
of your health insurance no matter whose name is on the checks then you
don't understand how business works.

Which means my company loves me since I am retired military and don't
use their health insurance.

At the last benefits meeting I pointed out to my boss how much the
company was saving by my use of the VA and only asked for half of it in
my paycheck but for some reason he thought I was joking...

 

[Bob La Londe]

Which means my company loves me since I am retired military and don't
use their health insurance.

At the last benefits meeting I pointed out to my boss how much the
company was saving by my use of the VA and only asked for half of it in
my paycheck but for some reason he thought I was joking...

I actually use two different payroll agencies. One does managed healthcare
and the other does not. I give the employee the option of which agency they
would prefer to use based on whether or not they already have healthcare
somewhere else.

The one with managed healthcare is more expensive so raises are slower, but
hey its all a trade off. The difference is I make all that stuff known up
front.


--
The Security Consultant
Bob La Londe - Owner
849 S Ave C
Yuma, Az 85364

(928)782-9765 ofc
(928)782-7873 fax