GOOD LIFE??

[Yodog]

Hi, I'm new. I'm about to finish an Electronics class, I'm 28yrs old. I've been told that after the class ends Some sponsers of the class might hire us. One of the sponers is an appliance company. The others are a security alarm company and the other is Agilent, they are a part of Hewlet Packerd.
I was wondering if this is a good field to enter, do most of you guys own a home have children?
Is this job hard on the body, is it a good job for a family man, if I ever have kids.
Could a person make good money in this. If I work at the security company I'll set up security systems and if I work at Agilent I'm sure I'll be a production worker. I LIVE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SONOMA COUNTY BETTER KNOWN AS WINE COUNTRY. If that makes a difference.

[LowSL2]

Your best bet is to work fora company for a few years, get some experience, and go out on your own and work for yourself.

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[MajorApp]

  Hopefully if you decide to work for the man or take the production line job you don't become a miserable, hopeless drunk.

[Yodog]

 So some of the appliance workers are not happy? you guys drink alot ? and do drugs?
 I know its diffrent for everyone. Everyone tells me to take the appliance job, so I could start my own bussiness. But thats easier said then done, and I know that. How much money do you guys make on a good year? In California, if anyone of you live there.

[LowSL2]

I work for $ears and it's horrible. They don't pay well and work you to death. I got hurt in June and if all goes well, I'll be back on the road next month.  I know it sounds bad, but it's still good experience.  You can learn about what's out there, learn how to interact with customers, and learn about how to (and how not to) run an appliance repair business. I'm starting my own business right now and will be on my own sometime this year. You can do it, even here in the bay area. There are a lot of independents, but more than half of them are scammers and losers.

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[Bailey]

Having electronics training is a great start. But that alone is not enough to be a professional appliance repairman. You need some on the job training to get acquainted with the various brands and how they come apart.Also you will need some refrigeration skills. I worked at a place for 8 years before going out on my own. It is a great way to work for yourself. You will need enough money to get by on until you get your customer base built up. For the first couple of years I would have made more money had I stayed at my previous job. You need to be self motivated. There is no one to tell you to get up and get after it.

[lesguns]

If you want family time at home take the security alarm or production job 40 HRS a week.

[wildimaginations]

If you do drugs, you'll be on the streets in 2 days.

If you drink a lot, you'll be dead before 55.

If you work as an independent, you gotta stay clean and sober.  To take on warranty work for a manufacturer, you'll be required to do a drug test and background check at your own expense. 

Recommend you talk to the appliance repair company that sponsored your program and see if they would hire you.  Learn all you can.  It takes about 5 years of experience to be considered a pro.

I'm in the Contra Costa Area of California.  Yes you can make a lot of money but you'll have to work hard for it.  $200k / year is possible but you got to be really good at what you're doing.

Good luck.

[andersenappliance]

You might want to consider the security alarm company, instead.

I do appliances, and I feel unfaithful saying this, but the security alarm company is probably the better bet.

The reason against appliances is because there is a low upper limit to how much you can charge a job - its less than the cost of the machine.

The security alarm company, on the other hand, will give you great experience for your own business - as a locksmith.

To get a license in California, you need a clean background check and about $175.  Then you have your license.  Picking locks is easy in the basics, if you have the tools.  You need the license to get the tools, otherwise they are "burglary tools." 

The web has forums for locksmiths too, but you have to register with your license to get access to their info.

The big money as a locksmith is in the electronic security systems.  If you learn that, and get the cheap and easy license, you have real potential for a business. plus the articles say locksmithing is going up, while appliance repair is going down.

Either profession can be run from a van parked in front of your house.

You could have your own business, complete with an additional Contractor's permit in security/locks in less than 4 years, maybe.

[andersenappliance]

What kind of electronic school did you go to?

[Yodog]

It's a 9week Electronics Class being held by the County I live in, It's basic Electronics and Electricity class. Series and Parallel circuits, Components and digram reading and soldering. Thanks you opened my eyes. So your thinking being a lock smith is the way to go, Huh. I'll really think about that.

[andersenappliance]

I'm doing more than thinking.  I'll be relocating soon, and the place I'm going to has no appliance guy.  It also has no locksmiths.  Small, mostly rural area.  Thing is, aside from agriculture, the major employer is a state & federal prison.  Were I a good locksmith, I could make out, no?

Small, mostly rural areas are good places to raise families, to put down roots, and to serve the community.

I might just get my license, and see what happens.

Maybe I'll just be the local fixit shop.  Maybe I'll do only appliances.  Maybe I'll end up being the 300K/year millionaire on-call locksmith for the feds.  Who knows?

Maybe I'll get hit by a bus tomorrow.

Grab life while you can.

[andersenappliance]

If you got experience with the security company, the locksmith license (for credibility) and a bit of website programming, you could sell do-it-yourself security systems.

Set the alarms & cameras, write up a web site, then your customers could monitor their own car alarms/homes/businesses/nanny cams/etc.

You could be fat!

Just got to keep a finger in the wind, and jump at the right time.

[ScottyMo1]

Wow, Andersen, You got me thinking after 23 years in the appliance business. Maybe I should take some locksmith courses.....

[andersenappliance]

LOL!

On the other hand, you can just get a new doorknob at home depot, and can get keys made at any liquor store.

If you looked back at all 30+ of the different jobs I've had, you'd see I'm not good material for a career guidance counselor.