| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
...than having to find another job. I got canned at work today. The reason was "company restructuring." The former GM turned service manager let me go because they can no longer support my position...or so he says. A porter with no experience was promoted to service manager to the shock of all after about a year. He was finally fired a week ago (after complaints from the entire service staff were finally heeded) and re-hired as a detailer (while there are already 3 porters, mind you)...yet the staggering $22,000 a year they've been paying me is too much. I jokingly mentioned to a co-worker today that things will improve once they downsize the employee base and hire yet more managers (they've hired for several new positions in the past few months). Apparently that turned out to be quite prophetic. I work at the back counter at a local H-D/Buell dealership in Orange Park, FL. I've been helping out with shipping and receiving (the guy I worked with tended to do things pretty half-assed and it drove me nuts), working the service counter, and handling the wreck estimates. The service guys (except for one that doesn't care) have always been very appreciative of the job I do (the other guy I work with had more experience but I had to help him almost daily...that drove me nuts, too). My direct superior did not appreciate me due to the fact that for the past four years I've been fighting to get the pay I was promised when I started. I really stirred the pot recently making a plea in front of the entire company at a meeting due to the poor treatment I and others have received. My GM then took every opportunity to debase my character to the new VP, and apparently this is where it has led. I feel bad that this is the first job I've ever lost. I've had one job or another continuously for the past 13 years and have always had no problem with promotions and pay raises until this job. Two years ago they opened a new store nearby that has taken much of our business with very bad timing as the market has gone somewhat stagnant as well. The employees here have been forced to suffer with elimination of incentive programs, reductions in commissions pay, and reductions in benefits packages. My wife is cautiously optimistic. She believes I can do better. I had just ordered about $400 in aftermarket riding gear and parts, too. I guess they can hold onto that  I went into fight mode while others went into emergency kiss ass-mode. That I'll never regret. The only thing I regret is not taking an offer from a more profitable dealership last year. | ||
| Sticks |
Sorry to hear that. Looking for a job blows pretty much. Things happen for a reason though, listen to your wife. There's something better out there for you! Good luck. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
You probably can't see it today, but once you've become unemployed, you will see there is a whole new world out there for you to discover. I've left behind six jobs and all but one opperation(city maintenance) doesn't exist today.......all went tits up,even tho when I left they were doing well. One job was not a step up. It was hard work, fun and almost like a two year paid vacation, regardless that the wage sucked. Each entirely different job added to my experience to get my current job that I have been at for neart 15 years. Hang in there, the sun comes up every day. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
Hang in there man! every job is like a stepping stone to the top of the hill! Some folks have small hills and some have big hills! But every hill has a top!! From the sounds of it, you can do much better! and fight mode is the best mode to be in! kissing ass only gets you so far in life, but kicking the kiss ass, in the ass to move over and out of your way, will get you through the crowd faster!! Gotta look out for #1.....YOU! | ||
| Oldog |
I work at the back counter at a local H-D/Buell dealership in Orange Park, FL Over on Wells? You can do better. My 0.02, their loss Rick, I have been there not very impressive. I too left a corporate job, with a bad culture, My friend what goes around comes around. and as the others have said it gets better (I also think that your wife is on to some thing be of good cheer it will get better.) } | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Never had much use for kiss ass people. I've always respected the truth. You have only proven yourself to be a leader and not a follower. It happens for a reason and someone will see you for what you are. If I had a job for you, you'd be hired. Keep your chin up, go ride and decompress. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I went into fight mode while others went into emergency kiss ass-mode. Sounds familiar...I've been doing it for 12 years are my current job. Been labeled a "bad attitude" by management because I state my opinion--unlike those who have no spine OR are so green they don't have an opinion yet. I REFUSE to be a "yes"-man. I probably only have my job still because I have a 12-year history (that seems less and less important as time goes on tho).....plus the fact that I am one of the few that knows WTF is going on... Good luck on the job search. I might be there sooner than I think. | ||
| Vagabond |
Adamec's? Unfortunately I'm not surprised. It seems that all of those Wells Rd dealers kinda suck. Remember Steve Lucas Honda? I've got stories about working for those ass-hats back in the early 90's | ||
| Iamike |
In another thread the guy asked about becoming a lineman. I would suggest you look into a trade job. I was talking to some of our guys that have recently received $11,000-$12,000 paychecks. I did not add a zero, yes, that much for two weeks work. When the weather gets bad they can work a lot and thus make a lot in a short time. The work may be hard and dangerous but look at the toys you can buy when you make that type of money. As much as I love motorcyles I have decided that I can make money doing something else and enjoy riding them. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I'm the one who asked about being a lineman. I free climbed a telephone pole with nothing but a safety harness, my spikes and my hands. I love my current job, company, coworkers, etc, but I discovered that I don't like a desk job. I will be starting classes in the spring to get my core college classes out of the way and working towards a CDL to make myself more desireable to the company. Something will come up, this was a stepping stone. I got laid off from BOTH of my jobs within an hour of each other a couple of years ago. The time off was a welcome 'vacation'. | ||
| Bbbob |
Rick, Similar thing happened to me in April. As sales dropped the dealership panicked, they were looking to cut costs anywhere they could, including shrinking the staff. It took awhile, but I realize I'm better off, in almost 3 yrs with no chance of moving up the ladder (I usually avoided the soap operas), & several cuts in the commission rates I still stuck it out (I'm a dummy). There have got to be places that reward loyalty, hard work, & treating the customer well. | ||
| Rick_a |
Linemen...hmmm...me and electricity don't get along...or get along too well. When I worked construction for a general contractor I did a lot of fixture installations. I often left fixtures live 'cause I didn't mind the shock if I got one . That probably wouldn't bode well for that profession, though I have retained a child-like fascination with climbing random objects, despite a fear of heights. | ||
| Rick_a |
Bob, it's funny. Two weeks ago they offered me a little more money, lectured me on how they seek to hire people to the "family" long term, and how they reward "team players"...how valued I am as an employee, etc...then they toss me like a new hire. The worst employee they ever had ended up quitting instead of being fired after a year of completely lackluster performance and constant complaints. So when the first thing I hear is "nothing personal" I tend to disagree. When I left I did a half-circle burnout in the parking lot. I had to leave my mark. I was considering doing a smiley but didn't didn't want to waste anymore time. The owner loves burnouts in his parking lot  | ||
| Buellgator |
Rick, do you still want to work at a dealership? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I am taking a month off in the winter and going to Mexico. Its my sabbatical from the grind. | ||
| Court |
>>>>When the weather gets bad they can work a lot and thus make a lot in a short time. I paid my way through Kansas State University on "Storm Breaks". There were two times where I was in a tough place and the greatest ice storm in history hit Bolivar, MO. It was on winter break and I spent 10 days at double time around the clock . . . PURE LUCK. One of the line contractors in Kansas is hiring all the folks they can get their hands on (my nephew has just been accepted into JATP) and is working 6-10's. Not my bag anymore but great money. I saw my first (not mine, it was an Electrical Foreman working for me) $10,000 (albeit gross) paycheck for one week. It was two years ago at the Grasslands Substation in Valhalla, NY. My Grandfather and Father were both climbing lineman and it's worked out okay. Even with more degrees than any one person needs I consider my I.B.E.W. ticket as my "ace in the hole". . .I can go anywhere in the world and be working within a week. Not planning to, but there is some comfort there. By the way . . . . Dad was one of the folks, in conjunction with A. B. Chance of Centralia, MO who pioneered doing live work on 345,000 Volt lines. We always joked it was amazing we could have kids. The good news is that there is TONS of work. The company I am with now is in a $7,000,000,000 construction program that goes through 2028. They used to build like 1 substation every 7 or 8 years, we currently have 5 major ones underway. If you want to see more, I'm meeting the folks from the National Geographic channel Monday morning at 9:00AM at 74th and York, they are filming a documentary of an exciting "impossible project" my team is starting . . .building a power-plant inside an existing building. The work is ALL OVER. An old friend from Topeka, KS started his own firm 8 years ago, did a mere $9M less than Becthel last year and just signed his first $1B contract last week. It's a 4-year job with transmission lines and substations on the East Coast. I get at least one "name your price" call a month . . . the last however was a several hundred kilometers of 345kV job from Baghdad to Kalifa and my wife still isn't talking to me. PArt of the description was overseeing removal and disposal of unexploded ordnance. . . . might want to steer clear of that one. "_  | ||
| Bbbob |
Rick, About 2 weeks before I was "let go", one of the managers was lamenting how hard it was to hire reliable committed people with good attitudes. I walked away from that conversation thinking maybe if the management there displayed those values instead of just preaching them...It used to be a fun place to work, but over the last year or so it changed, and the it went from "family" to dysfunctional. Too many good people leaving replaced by mediocre ones. And the good people that are left are afraid for their jobs. I've run into several people who still work there, they all tell me how lucky I am to be out & how miserable it is to work there. Tell me this doesn't effect customers. Maybe it's just me? .  | ||
| Djkaplan |
"She believes I can do better." Listen to her. | ||
| Andyss1w |
hey Rick, sorry to here about your loss. it really seems to be eating your lunch. (i am sorry to hear that too!) you know, I just left a job after ten years. pretty scary. i even took a decent pay cut, but in the long run, will come out way ahead. my new job is great, love it. should of done this years ago. what I'm getting at is don't let fear parallize you. it parallized me into ten years. i believe everything happens for a reason. one door closes, for another door to open. good luck on your journey. | ||
| Oldog |
WHAT ANDY SAID! | ||
| Simple |
i see IBEW mentioned, so i thought i would jump in. IBEW LU#196 here. i'm a telephone lineman waiting to get into the power apprenticeship. it a good trade. and there are other options inside of it, like becoming an equipment operator, or getting into the traffic signal/streetlighting apprenticeship. go IBEW  | ||
| Rick_a |
Andy, it feels a lot like the end of a bad relationship. Sure it was fun at times, but it's also a relief that it's over, and a shame that I wasted so much time there. Bob, that's exactly how our dealership had become as well. It's never good when every employee could tell you exactly what's wrong with the dealership and the new management's response is doing more of the same x10. Turns out a co-worker who'd been there around seven years got let go as, well. We were the only two who weren't afraid to voice our concerns, only he did so in a livelier, more animated and more colorful fashion
The wife and I were searching military jobs and there happened to be a lot of openings for EOD personnel. Makes me wonder what occurrences create all these openings. Buellgator - PM sent | ||
| Froggy |
Just wanted to say, welcome to the unemployment club. I recently got let go. Long story short, I replaced a guy that got promoted. He was a screw up and they demoted him back to my position bumping me out. Civil service laws suck. Either way I am happy enjoying some time off. Look at everything positive and never worry about anything. That’s what I do and enjoy a stress free life | ||
| Garyz28 |
I also find myself in the position of looking for a new job, and I agree, job hunting sucks! For the past 17 years I have worked for a small vending company in Sacramento and on Sept 1 the owner sold the business to a new owner. This is the most disorganized operation I have ever seen in my life! All the employees I have talked to say they hate the place and the owner makes lots of promises he never keeps. After one week I find myself looking forward to taking tomorrow off to have a colinoscopy! I'm ready to take a cut in pay if I have to just to get out of there. | ||
| Teddagreek |
Rick, Hang in there... Took me a year to find a job.. I know the feeling all too well man.Working in manufacturing its always been feast or famine for me.. I bailed out and went to work for a local city. It's a trade off money wise vs job security even that is getting sketchy with today's economy.. | ||
| Bombardier |
I know that compliments do not pay the bills Rick_a but you keep saying what you think man. To say what you think is to be a man. It's the backstabbing suckholes that will eventually lose out. God knows the world does not need any more of them. More power to you my friend. | ||
| Rick_a |
Thanks all. I wish I had a year to find a job. In reality I have one or two weeks before I am in serious trouble. On the plus side there's a lot of shops looking for people right now. Even if the "backstabbing suckholes" do prosper, they will likely never know a proper sense of self-respect. | ||
| Teddagreek |
File for Employment right away and don't wait.. It will help believe me, You got to apply to start getting it.. Even if you go two weeks or month without working you'll get a check for the time. If you don't apply no benefits and possibly put yourself further in the hole. If you applied today theoretically you'd get a check two weeks from now.. You just call them when you start your new job..You can do it all through the Internet now.. Good Luck again... Ted | ||
| Rick_a |
I'm taking care of that today. Thanks, Ted. I went back to check on some things and say goodbye to one of the girls and my former coworker says, "praise the Lord, couldn't have happened to a better person." I say, "what are you talking about?" "Now you can get paid the money you deserve." I was a bit stunned at the profound logic  |
