Getting started in Plumbing

[Bernie2]

When I worked in the Plumbing industry most employers where not interested so much in your qualifications, what they wanted was experience.

The industry was more like a village than anything else, most employers knew one another and even if they didn't they knew the company and what they did.

I worked for a well known Plumbing Contractor at one time for years as a foreman and that opened doors all over the place.
Over my working years I worked for many different companies following the work, ranging from several years to three months. But it was usually who I had worked for before that helped.

Its a bit like getting an ex Rolls Royce motor mechanic to look at your car.

Its wrong of course, you have got no idea whether they are a good mechanic or not, but you probably work on the idea that he worked for them so he must be okay.

Sorry guys that is the way it seems to work. As they say its not what you know its who you know.

And its wrong.

Funny story:

I went for an interview once, and was one of the first there, it was soon packed out with Plumbers all wanting the jobs. Anyway I showed my credentials and got the job. After I had worked there for a while, I asked a friend who interviewed me for the job, "How out of all those Plumbers they had chosen me as one of those who got the jobs?"

His reply "Simple" I expected him to say something like "Your a great Plumber" and expected to feel a bit puffed up and superior.

But he then said "It was easy, we just picked the first three!"

So everybody is in with a chance!

 

[Winston]

I wonder if I will ever get the experience as oppossed to me working it out myself. But now I have started I do feel I have learnt stuff that will always be a demand for and not sure I would want to work for someone else.

 

[Bernie2]

Hi! Winston

While I worked for other people mainly, I did have a go on my own once, but found it exhausting having to work and give out free estimates. I rather think I started off under funded.

But while I worked for other people, it was very much like working for yourself except you did not have the worry of wage bills to meet, but then you never got paid much.

And anyway, I would have liked to work for myself more, just never got around to it. The thing is, being self employed means you can to a certain extent pick and choose your jobs. Being employed you have to do what ever is asked of you.