New Comp

OK, it's the Sunday after Thanksgiving and I still don't have a job. I have been offered a couple of jobs. Of the two jobs I have officially been offered, I would be taking a large cut in pay and major deduction in benefits. I really need health insurance and I would have to find my own with either job. With my situation, that would be really tough. The bottom line is the most important thing in this job search is health insurance. I won't be able to get any without being part of a group. I would have to start paying full price for everything ie; Dr. visits, prescriptions, and I would be screwed if it ever came to getting surgery on my neck.

The first offer was from STF Electric Services, they wanted a drug test. I was actually going to go take it. Who cares right? I called them to see if we could work something out with the health insurance situation. They wouldn't budge. Their offer was straight $23.00 per hour and that is it. No vacation pay, no holiday pay, no sick days. Literally no benefits at all. I just think I can do better. The one appealing thing STF offered was that I would be working on the Day Break Temple. That could be real cool. I would love to see a Temple go up, and hang all those fixtures and just see how they do all the neat things they do in those amazing buildings. Then I could remodel my house to look just like a Temple because I would know all the tricks.

The other job that I am still considering is Mr. Sparky. It is a Service and Repair company. Almost exactly like Captain Shitball where I used to work. The owner was definately planning on me to run a truck full time. That was fine, but the pay was too low. I kind of made it known that the pay wasn't going to cut it. Steve, the owner was very persistent, he kept calling me and his thing was to say "Hey, I am not a written book. We are writing the chapters as we go. Let's figure a starting number we can both live with and get going". I would start to think maybe then he would always say "the wage we pick is just a temporary training wage anyways. I am a firm believer in New Comp. It puts the burden on the tech, well not really burden, it gives the tech more of the ability to make as much as they want". Bull shit, it does put all the burden on the tech and takes all the risk off the owner. The tech get's paid like $12.oo per hour or less and they get paid by how much money they bring in. It's tough, you really can make good money. The Mr. Sparky guys in Atlanta, and Florida where it started are making unreal amounts of money, well some of the techs. Problem is you don't even start making New Comp unless you average over $1200.00 per day. I told Steve first of all "you are only in Utah County right now. I know that Ut. county cannot support New Comp. I know we tried at the Captain. and we never could make it work" He said "Ok, lets get in the Yellow Pages in SLC." Once again my response wasn't what he wanted to hear. I said "I'm sorry Steve but the Yellow Pages leads are terrible. There is know way I will go on New Comp and risk my family life on Ut. Co. and Yellow Page leads. We tried for a long time at Captain to make it work, and we were state wide. I was prospecting leads from Ogden to St. George and we still had to create a hybrid type of New Comp for our guys. They were all still making $24.00 per hour + New Comp. Only one guy ever even got any New Comp compensation." And "all of our health ins. was paid, 2 weeks paid vacation and all the major holidays paid. I don't really care about all of that, just the pay, the ins. and that is it." Steve said, "Well Mr. Sparky has a little different type of New Comp". "OK Steve, let me think about it and I will get back to you, soon. Thanks a lot" He was like "Sam, remember I am not a written book, we really want you. Come work with us. We are going to do special things. If you are going to some other job interviews forget it and just come to work. I know we can make New Comp work". He sounded a lot like Joe when I first hired on at the Captain, only worse about the New Comp. It won't work here in Utah. Not enough people will pay these crazy prices. To much risk is on the tech, all the risk is on the Tech, it's bull shit. I still don't know what to do. I just can't decide what to do.

I have been having entrepenureal (sp?) feelings since all these interviews and offers. I have relationships all over the state. Why can't I do this myself. If I am going to make someone $1500.00 a day, why not do it for myself. If I am going to work my ass off, I might as well do it for myself. Is that the right way to think? Can I do it with all that I have learned over the years? Am I too screwed up? Is it possible to go from 0 to successful contractor? I would only do service and repair, no house roping or anything big. I have met one General Contractor who is really pushing me to go into business for myself. He is in with a lot of home owners in Midway and says he can get me $4K to 6K per month in jobs like that. He has already gotten me a couple up there, and so far they have been good jobs. I am using Captain Elec price book and they have been willing to pay their prices. It is just hard. I would have to make my own Price Book, my own invoices, my own everything to look professional. The big thing is I would have to take the time to get properly licensed. That would really cut into my income right now, which is very paltry and it's Christmas time.

Well I am not sure what to do. I am just trying to stay busy and keep working hard to support my family. I think my daughters kind of think I am a loser. Just a hunch, because of all I have been though during their lives and now I am unemployed and can't find a good job. I know they wish their Dad was successful and could get a job easy. I think they are scared. I haven't talked too much to anyone about starting my own business. I am scared everyone will cringe or laugh and be like, come on pull your head out of your ass dumbshit. You can't do that. Maybe not. Got to go

Peace.