Welding Work

[grahambl]

How does a guy go about finding out what jobs are going on around the US?


Thanks
Brian

[Portable Welder]

Watch the news, read the paper, call around and try to get a Job, going on this site might help.
Find out what kind of work you want to do, start out cheap, get knowlege.
Once you know if you want to be a ???? structural fab shop worker, a production guy, a tig welder, Iron worker, Pipe welder, what ever it is that you want to be. find a list of shops in your area, and knock on there door every 30 days and let them know you still want a job there, and dont ask for a ton of money to start with. Get your foot in the door and as they see what an asset you are, At that point ask for a raise,
Just putting in one application many times wont get you a job, be aggressive and beating on there door once a month every month will eventually get you a job.
Note there are certain jobs that this wont work with say for instance a shop that lays off 10 of there 30 welders, my method might take a while.
To all the guys out there that say there is no work, sitting at home crying about it wont get you a job. getting up every morning and knocking on doors every day day after day will get you a job. and I dont mean 5 places a day, I mean 15-20 places.

When I was 20 years old a had a beat up old truck and a portable welder that I bought for $ 1100.00 I would leave at 7:00 am without a job, I would go into the industrial park and knock on doors untill 5:00 oclock and more often than not I would come home with money in my pocket, when I got to the end of that industrial park I would drive to another industrial park. At the end of every day I always felt like a winner because I went out and tried. Mind you when I left in the morning I had clean work clothes on safety glasses, work boots, gloves, and a note pad and a pen. not a silk jogging suit and tennis shoes

[Pile Buck]

I’d say probably 60% of the people I’ve hired I called by name. The other 39% I just called the hall and hoped for the best. But I have hired a few that were setting on the stairs to my office every morning when I got there. Overalls on, tool belt, hard hat on, ready to rock an roll. Send them away right back the next morning same thing. Couple of these guys weren’t to bad.

[grahambl]

I know what kind of work I want to do, I have been building drilling rigs for the last year or so. I am already set up portable, (F-350, Lincoln 300D, and about any tool you can imagine.) But the company I am working for is about to finish their last rig. It is leaving the yard on Jan 15 to go to work. I am looking for somewhere to go next. I ususually work from word of mouth, but was thinking about trying a new part of the world If I can find work there.



Thanks
Brian

[Pile Buck]

I wish I had gone this route, just too many bad moves in my life.

http://www.local798.org/default.asp

[grahambl]

I wish I had gone this route, just too many bad moves in my life.

http://www.local798.org/default.asp

Sorry but Im not much on Unions, Have worked for a couple and wasnt inpressed

[Pile Buck]

I totally understand, I belonged to the Carpenters union all my life. Biggest union in the Building Trades, but also the weakest. Far as I know that’s one of the strongest unions in the Country. JT will have better knowledge than I. The trick is join a union that has *****, and takes care of their own!

[B2n3 welder]

Have you looked on the web at roadtech.com or Power-Plant-jobs.com

[ReddMann]

If you have a travel trailer you can get all the work you want in southeast Louisiana. Local news paper is full of adds for all types of welders. You will need your own place to stay as there is no available housing. Plenty of work in Plaquemines Parish repairing oil rigs and pipelines. Go to www.nola.com, you can review the want aids.

[Wyoming]

Brian,
Several power plants either breaking ground or just about ready to here in the Powder River basin. Also, the coal mines are expanding with a projected 25% increase in the coming five year period. Coal mines are mostly non-union up here. Always seems to be openings for welders in this area. Winter can be tough, but the summers are far more liveable up here if you are under a welding helmet during the day.

[tailshaft56]

You might take a look over this way. Lots of work in Pryor and The Port of Catoosa.

Dennis

[Portable Welder]

Grahambl, If you set your self up in business the best advertisement I have found is in the yellow pages of the phone book.
Staying in one place and building up clientel is where I get most of my work.

[Portable Welder]

I think Reddmann has a good idea, If I was just starting out in business and the hurracane were to hit I would buy me a good used travel trailer hook it up to my welding rig and hit the road to Louisiana, Theyre has got to be a pile of money there for the taking.
Dont forget to take a big gun with you.