Looking for something better. My mind needs to be kept busy.

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
As you all know we relocated to the Frederick, Md area last winter. We love the area, yes, miss NJ too, but this is our home. I have done several jobs in my adult life but am in serious need of change.

I was a working foreman at my last job and would love something along those lines again but, I am currently a field welder/machinist for a Caterpillar equipment dealer. I do enjoy welding and machining but the work load is not consistentand quite honestly that messes with my head. I realize I need to surround myself with more people and interact more, it’s who I am. I almost feel disconnected at times when I am on a job site alone or sitting in a shop “waiting”. Unlike a lot of people I need physical labor. I don’t want to sit at a desk or in meetings all the time. The miney and benefits are great where I am but the happiness is not there…open to suggestions.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Could you go mobile and run your own business?
Not sure what a fitted-out truck would cost, but seems like they are always rolling.
You'd be cultivating customers, working advertising, maximizing pricing,
scheduling, prioritizing, etc.

You are in the government work belt down there too. ??
Maybe chat up @michael.su ?

Also a big aero area. Seems like that would be high-stakes, high-paying.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
Could you go mobile and run your own business?
Not sure what a fitted-out truck would cost, but seems like they are always rolling.
You'd be cultivating customers, working advertising, maximizing pricing,
scheduling, prioritizing, etc.

You are in the government work belt down there too. ??
Maybe chat up @michael.su ?

Also a big aero area. Seems like that would be high-stakes, high-paying.
Hmmm. I’ll rephrase a bit. I enjoy welding and machining but am not digging heavy construction really. That’s what pays in my line of work. At one point I was considering going out as a pipeline welder but a certain political figure kinda killed the pipeline industry for at least a couple of years.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Site inspector?
Coming from a long career in construction you will want to tone down sweat equity as you age. I dabbled in project manager and absolutely was not for me, i couldnt wait to put the tools back on. Its not unusual to be where your at but i would definitely stick with what your professional at and innovate where you want to be 10 years from now.
 

ekuhn

Well-Known Member
As a Project Manager/Super in the Construction world, I know the feeling. Just a few weeks ago I had the same thoughts of is this what I want to do anymore. I circled back and asked myself is it because I've been on the same project for 3+ years now? My boss can be a micromanager - maybe its him? Everything is always reactive no longer proactive. Daily struggles. I just don't know what else I could/want to do.

My FIL is/was a machinist. He was let go at the height of COVID as he was one of the top guys who had the most seniority. He was close enough to retirement that it worked out. Unfortunately machinists are a dying breed. Everything is CNC now.

Have you looked for any specialty Fab Shops down in that area? Baltimore isn't that far away, always need welders at the port?
 
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JDurk

Well-Known Member
As a Project Manager/Super in the Construction world, I know the feeling. Just a few weeks ago I had the same thoughts of is this what I want to do anymore. I circled back and asked myself is it because I've been on the same project for 3+ years now? My boss can be a micromanager - maybe its him? Everything is always reactive no longer proactive. Daily struggles. I just don't know what else I could/want to do.
This is me as well. Been here at this fabrication shop for 18yrs and things don't change, boomer Pres. is a micromanager, but sliding into retirement with a axe to grind. I personally think he's trying to ruin this place on his way out to make it look like he was a good manager to corporate. My immediate supervisor is the poster child of creating chaos. Proactive? Why bother planning ahead, tomorrow we'll figure something else that's more important to put in front of what you're currently doing. And we do many simple tasks twice, but then there's no accountability or steps taken to make sure it doesn't happen again. Flush and repeat.

I'm struggling with what else I could/would do as well. Mountain biking is a powerful drug!

@Dave Taylor you have skills that are definitely in demand, just need to find the right place and fit.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
As a Project Manager/Super in the Construction world, I know the feeling. Just a few weeks ago I had the same thoughts of is this what I want to do anymore. I circled back and asked myself is it because I've been on the same project for 3+ years now? My boss can be a micromanager - maybe its him? Everything is always reactive no longer proactive. Daily struggles. I just don't know what else I could/want to do.

My FIL is/was a machinist. He was let go at the height of COVID as he was one of the top guys who had the most seniority. He was close enough to retirement that it worked out. Unfortunately machinists are a dying breed. Everything is CNC now.

Have you looked for any specialty Fab Shops down in that area? Baltimore isn't that far away, always need welders at the port?
My machining at current job is lineboring. It’s more of a specialty job.
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
I'd say drag up and go do something else but layoffs are everywhere lately.


I dont watch the news but did hear about AWS big layoff. That was an industry that thrived in 2008. Scary times indeed.

Ive busted your onions in the past @Dave Taylor but truly hope you find what you are looking for. Just what you did in identifying you personality needs to a job is a start. I pin that as a strategy approach vs. a striving approach.

I dont know your line of work but you mentioned to Eddie that it is fairly niche? Do you see opportunity there to do that on the side while taking on a new endeavor? I mean if you were in NJ and weld stainless, i could keep you going a bit.

Good luck 👊🏻
 
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ekuhn

Well-Known Member
My machining at current job is lineboring. It’s more of a specialty job.
I prob should have guessed that and was thinking more mill/lathe work for some reason. Good misc Metal guys (stairs/railings/misc steel) are sometimes hard to find. Just more sweat equity there
 
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ekuhn

Well-Known Member
This is me as well. Been here at this fabrication shop for 18yrs and things don't change, boomer Pres. is a micromanager, but sliding into retirement with a axe to grind. I personally think he's trying to ruin this place on his way out to make it look like he was a good manager to corporate. My immediate supervisor is the poster child of creating chaos. Proactive? Why bother planning ahead, tomorrow we'll figure something else that's more important to put in front of what you're currently doing. And we do many simple tasks twice, but then there's no accountability or steps taken to make sure it doesn't happen again. Flush and repeat.

I'm struggling with what else I could/would do as well. Mountain biking is a powerful drug!

@Dave Taylor you have skills that are definitely in demand, just need to find the right place and fit.

I need to work 5 days a week as I can't live on 3. I'm victim to production punishment - the more you perform, the more they give you.
 

JDurk

Well-Known Member
I need to work 5 days a week as I can't live on 3. I'm victim to production punishment - the more you perform, the more they give you.
I know that feeling well as someone who can perform well with little supervision. Here, can you do this too? And this?
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
I've been beating my head a bit lately. Honestly, some depression from the job/move. In reality I love our new town, the schools, the area, the riding, the people etc. In a messed up way I miss the craziness of NJ. I enjoy socializing and working with people. Since being here my social media time has gone way up, probably looking for that dopamine hit. But seriously, the riding in general is better down here. Roads are generally safe to ride on, trails are second to none and there are at least 10-15 weekly group rides within 20 min of my house.

On the job side, it's not like I don't like the people I work with but I have written it off as a negative and it's very tough to turn that around. You would think working from 6am-2:30pm 5 min from home is great(it is in a sense) but the negativity I have put on it outweighs that. I mean, we're going into a recession pretty much guaranteed...jobs will be lost, asset values will plummet etc. Financially I am in a good spot but need to be happy. That's where this is going.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I need to work 5 days a week as I can't live on 3. I'm victim to production punishment - the more you perform, the more they give you.

This is standard practice - until you tell them that something has to slip if this is assigned to me, they will keep feeding it in.
Another good one is that "I'm afraid quality will suffer if i take on that additional quantity of work"
Or, if you really want to step it up, tell them you'd like to get an apprentice to take on the additional work.
(you might not, so be ready. Always assign the simple stuff, even if it takes you 5 minutes and them an hour at first.)

Good people end up leaving because they never say no, and are ground into submission.
Project assigners might not even notice - "He likes the work! That's why he is here two hours earlier than everyone"
 

michael.su

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
Could you go mobile and run your own business?
Not sure what a fitted-out truck would cost, but seems like they are always rolling.
You'd be cultivating customers, working advertising, maximizing pricing,
scheduling, prioritizing, etc.

You are in the government work belt down there too. ??
Maybe chat up @michael.su ?

Also a big aero area. Seems like that would be high-stakes, high-paying.
Govt work is not for everyone. It takes a lot of patience to hang in for the long term…
I enjoy what I do for the navy. It pays well, CNC programming/set up/operation (+whatever it takes). It can be very challenging and I find it rewarding making things :)
I would die behind a desk all day.

We are always looking for talent, it’s a very small pool of qualified people for the type of work we do (small quantities with sometimes absurd tolerances)
 
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