# WHERE is the work ethic nowadays?!



## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Big Shoe said:


> Sounds like you all could be talking about my ''possible'' future son in law.:sad:



If he is young, give him a chance. My in laws werent exactly ecstatic about their daughters choice  :laughing:. I was twenty when we got married, been married nine years, one 3 year old daughter, and I turned out to be a pretty damn good provider.:thumbsup:

If he is lazy, may be a problem though :no:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Hiring is always tough. You can always require applicants to have a reliable car and to show their car insurance bill as well as proof of insurance. If the car they come in doesn't match the insurance or they're uninsured or paying outlandish insurance rates, you pretty much know to skip that one - they don't have their act together. Credit checks can show a lot of stuff as well, but having them bring their insurance bill is free and much of the time the insurance rates and credit score follow each other.

Instead of just doing a work history reference check, you can have a "who to notify in case of emergency" with primary and secondary people. Call these people and ask them if they would hire the person. If they say no, hesitate and say yes, or are too stoned to understand the question, it's a no go.


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## ADKRemodeling (Oct 3, 2012)

Hiring is difficult in any industry for sure and I have already posted about my feelings on the younger generation in a previous post. However I am noticing a new trend....

I notice that at least around my area and in my age group (32) there are a lot of us coming back to the construction industry after loosing our cushy office jobs in the recession. 

I was on a crew for a custom home builder in a high school and payed my through college building pole barns, siding houses and doing any other construction work I could get my hands on.

Got out of college with a bachelors degree in Business Marketing and switched to doing that. Was the Director of Marketing of a luxury hotel group and then boom recession hits company goes bankrupt and I get laid off. 

Both of my best friends have the same story. And all three of us now do a mix of what we used to do and construction to make ends meet now.

The office jobs of the past are simply not out there and certainly don't come close to paying what we used to make so we now do what we have to do to support our families. I think there are a lot of people out there like us that make great employees and can bring some different skills to the table if you are looking for it.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

ADKRemodeling said:


> Hiring is difficult in any industry for sure and I have already posted about my feelings on the younger generation in a previous post. However I am noticing a new trend....
> 
> I notice that at least around my area and in my age group (32) there are a lot of us coming back to the construction industry after loosing our cushy office jobs in the recession.
> 
> ...


This is the industry's future. One way or another, the brute force approach is gonna get replaced by smarter, business oriented fellas like yourself.

I'm d*mned well looking forward to it too.


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## Oconomowoc (Oct 13, 2011)

I think of all this as a tremendous opportunity. People who don't like physical labor is an opportunity for those who do.

When citizens elect to have office jobs and avoid construction? Man, that's the greatest opportunity possible for me!

Bring it on I say.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Oconomowoc said:


> I think of all this as a tremendous opportunity. People who don't like physical labor is an opportunity for those who do.
> 
> When citizens elect to have office jobs and avoid construction? Man, that's the greatest opportunity possible for me!
> 
> Bring it on I say.


Yep. I've made a choice to work with my hands. Lots of people either don't want to, or don't think they can. I'm not going to argue with them about it. :no:


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## Andrew6127 (Aug 14, 2012)

VinylHanger said:


> Yep. I've made a choice to work with my hands. Lots of people either don't want to, or don't think they can. I'm not going to argue with them about it. :no:


I know a lot of guys that stay away from construction and other jobs where you get dirty because most women want a polished guy that dresses nice and never breaks a sweat at work so this is what they aspire to be. 

I say F that, seeing a finished product at the end of a job is one thing that I really like about this type if work. Knowing I helped build something that others will see is awesome to me, it beats cross border shipping and machining small parts no one can see or appreciate. 

Used to hate going to work but now I arrive 20 min early everyday and look forward to it.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

Andrew6127 said:


> because most women want a polished guy that dresses nice and never breaks a sweat at work so this is what they aspire to be.


they know the wrong women. I've met tons of women that love a (mildly) dirty guy who works with his hands and can throw her around a bit (not in a violent sense)


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## crissyissy (Sep 15, 2012)

dom-mas said:


> they know the wrong women. I've met tons of women that love a (mildly) dirty guy who works with his hands and can throw her around a bit (not in a violent sense)


Yeah...I was gonna say the same. Clean cut men that don't break a sweat? No thanks. Nothing is hotter than a man in this kind of industry that knows what he's doing on his job.

Who wouldn't want a man that comes home a little dirty wearing a tool belt?! Not to mention they have strong hands!  And according to something I read not long ago, they have higher sex drives. :laughing:


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## Oconomowoc (Oct 13, 2011)

I can see where this thread is going. Lol


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

crissyissy said:


> No thanks. Nothing is hotter than a man in this kind of industry that knows what he's doing on his job.


Calling DWB:laughing:


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## crissyissy (Sep 15, 2012)

What?:whistling I'm just sayin'.....

Any guy (or woman) that avoids a career because he thinks women aren't interested in men in said career, is crazy and needs a reality check. 

On a side note, as per my original post, I have a 20 year red seal starting on Monday. Great references, clean record, nice portfolio. Here's hoping he doesn't turn all slacker on me over the weekend before he starts. :laughing:


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Top of the mornin to ya:laughing:


dom-mas said:


> I've met tons of women that love a (mildly) dirty guy who works with his hands and can throw her around a bit (not in a violent sense)


:thumbsup:



crissyissy said:


> Yeah...I was gonna say the same. Clean cut men that don't break a sweat? No thanks.


:clap:


crissyissy said:


> Who wouldn't want a man that comes home a little dirty wearing a tool belt?! Not to mention they have strong hands!  And according to something I read not long ago, they have higher sex drives. :laughing:


I vote crissyissy best new member of the year:jester: Welcome aboard


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

*WHERE Is The Work Ethic Nowadays?! *

Simple: There's no app for it.


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## crissyissy (Sep 15, 2012)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> Top of the mornin to ya:laughing:
> :thumbsup:
> 
> :clap:
> ...


LOL!! Sweet!

Now I know what he meant by DWB...:thumbup:


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)




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## ADKRemodeling (Oct 3, 2012)

Well that's the thing guys like me are coming back to it for exactly that reason... Did I make more money at my office job? Yes yes I did. But did I enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoy working with my hands no not at all. Being laid off was actually a blessing in disguise. 

I think a lot of kids are pushed into careers by there parents and teachers that they don't necessarily want to be in. If I had known then what I know now I still probably would have gone to college but I would have skipped the office job thing afterwords.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Ohh, that was fun! Back to work:laughing:


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

ToolNut said:


> Poor workmanship is not limited by age. I have worked with some young people that wanted to learn and were a pleasure to work with and some old guys that remind you of the saying "just because you have been doing it for 20 years doesn't mean you have been doing it right for 20 years"


that line actually came up a few months back while sheatihing a gable end wall of an addition.. the slacker old timer was using 2 1/4 spiral nails for his spacer between sheets.. their useless. gotta use spikes to get hte 1/8" gap.. the weight of the next sheet causes the edge to compress around the nail and using a nail leaves hte sheet hard together on the horizontal joint.. 

his response ive been doing it for 25 years way before you started even in trade.. i told him and its been wrong.. if an inspector sees that they can fail it or make us cut a channel in it, your way doesnt meet code... and im not being responsible for your constant screwups

i


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## Andrew6127 (Aug 14, 2012)

crissyissy said:


> Yeah...I was gonna say the same. Clean cut men that don't break a sweat? No thanks. Nothing is hotter than a man in this kind of industry that knows what he's doing on his job.
> 
> Who wouldn't want a man that comes home a little dirty wearing a tool belt?! Not to mention they have strong hands!  And according to something I read not long ago, they have higher sex drives. :laughing:


Forgot to quote dommas too.....I agree that's why I only see those guys 2-3 times a year.



It's where American culture is going, it's not like that everywhere but here in the part of Michigan I spend most of my time blue collar stuff is frowned upon by a lot, a great deal of women 23-33 here want the Hollister Mall douche the same as they did in high school. 

I don't have problems like that though, I myself found a country girl that will help me demo out the bathroom and mud drywall with me.

Good luck with the new guy Crissy.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

? 

Sorry, 3rd, what does that mean?


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## 3rdGenUnionCarp (Nov 6, 2012)

Sorry I ment to type "it" before "is". It seems as though many people are under the impression that a union is somehow a company, in competition with their signatory contractors. When in fact it is a group of enployees, collectively negotiating their wages and work standards.


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## 3rdGenUnionCarp (Nov 6, 2012)

Hey, JF. Apparently the generation after X is named generation Y, due to lack of direction. I feel it comes from a lack of imagination on the baby boomers part. Its just way to convenient that y follows x in the alphabet.


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

Ian345 said:


> Comma not common:


Thanks! Spell checker must not of picked that up for me.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Andrew6127 said:


> I agree 100%.
> 
> Also a lot of boys being raised without a father in the household contributes.
> 
> ...



If a 15 year old starts negotiating price and terms that shows management potential not lack of motivation. :clap:


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

Andrew6127 said:


> 35 bucks a cut, once a week. His reply was 50 a cut, twice a month.


:blink:

That's when I say in a low whispery voice, "Lemme make you an offer that you can't refuse.. in fact you can't refuse it because you won't be permitted to refuse it. Now, let me restate the original offer."


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

3rdGenUnionCarp said:


> Sorry I ment to type "it" before "is". It seems as though many people are under the impression that a union is somehow a company, in competition with their signatory contractors. When in fact it is a group of enployees, collectively negotiating their wages and work standards.


You friend are very Lost or brainwashed!


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## Oconomowoc (Oct 13, 2011)

3rdGenUnionCarp said:


> Sorry I ment to type "it" before "is". It seems as though many people are under the impression that a union is somehow a company, in competition with their signatory contractors. When in fact it is a group of enployees, collectively negotiating their wages and work standards.


Unions are a money laundering tool for Democrats.


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## crissyissy (Sep 15, 2012)

3rdGenUnionCarp said:


> A psychology degree may provide insight to the elaborate excusses people are capable of dreaming up. But a simple, tried and true, business rule is the solution to your problem. "You Get What You Pay For". Simply put. When you need skilled, reliable labor. Hire skilled, reliable labor.


Dude...I just hired skilled and reliable...oh wait. Nope. No I didn't. I hired a red seal. That turns out to be as lazy and unskilled as the last. Our last conversation went like this...

Me: "that isn't how you cut trim....you're going to be an inch short"
Him: "no I'm not"
Place the trim against the wall...an inch short. Had to teach him how to cut trim. Among other things.

How do you get a red seal when you can't cut trim???? And clearly can't measure it properly either. The only thing he can do is board. Can't tape, can't sand. Can't hang shelves. 

So "getting what I pay for"...is not the solution. That red seal can go back to the cracker jack box that it came from. 

Unfortunately the seal also doesn't make people reliable. 

Holy eff.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

At best you can get what you pay for - usually it's less. Anyone want to pay me $100 an hour???? I didn't think so. Try paying me $10 an hour for skilled work Maybe I'd do it on a lark, but probably not. 

Anyone think the union auto workers in Detroit are that much better than the non union ones in Alabama?

Business rule of thumb - to get the same work done using union labor, you'll pay 25% more in labor costs using the exact same people.


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

hdavis said:


> Business rule of thumb - to get the same work done using union labor, you'll pay 25% more in labor costs using the exact same people.


Probably more than that. In addition to the increased wages you often have to have 6 workers to get 5 40-hour work weeks, not to mention pension and benefits.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

kiteman said:


> Probably more than that. In addition to the increased wages you often have to have 6 workers to get 5 40-hour work weeks, not to mention pension and benefits.


It can always be better or worse than 25%, just a general guide line, but pretty close for a lot of situations (not specifically construction).


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## B.D.R. (May 22, 2007)

You have to pay union workers more . They need to pay therir union dues, so that the union executives can go on their yearly "holiday" meeting.
I spent a lot of years in two different unions, big ones. Won't do it again.
Been there done that.:no:


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

crissyissy said:


> Dude...I just hired skilled and reliable...oh wait. Nope. No I didn't. I hired a red seal. That turns out to be as lazy and unskilled as the last. Our last conversation went like this...
> 
> Me: "that isn't how you cut trim....you're going to be an inch short"
> Him: "no I'm not"
> ...


Don't have to cut trim to become red sealed. Just gotta know what it looks like.


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## AmeliaP (Apr 22, 2007)

I take back what I said earlier. I misjudged. The guy we met is trying pretty hard and just learning the ropes of running his own schedule so he goofed a bit.

Nice even tempered guy, good skills, has a bit to learn about working the business end but I think as long as he can bridge the gap from employee to self-employed he will do well.


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## crissyissy (Sep 15, 2012)

I have a new excuse to share today...."I just shot a deer, I can't come in to work." 

I can only shake my head.


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

Yep certainly help and keeping good employees is one of the most challenging aspects of running any type of business.


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## Carpenter eyes (Jan 10, 2012)

Im 24 years old. Sure i played the "im gonna be a lazy j***off and not go to work, show up late all the time, bla bla bla. Last job i had i was a welders helper on a pipe line for natural gas in my area. Same thing, call off, show up late bla bla bla, of course i didnt last long.

I met a man thay owned his own contracting company through a mutual friend. 

I was laid off, just got a dui like a dumb a** and needed to work.
Called him up and started my job

I swept floors, loaded and unloaded trucks, filled dumpsters and fetched tools. 

I knew alittle about the trade but no where near a professional level.

I paid dues, learned from some very talented people.

Now i have my own helper, run a few jobs here and there. I still push a mean broom though.

I will agree, most people these days juat dont wanna do anything. Could never understand why


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