Welcome to ECN and the trade. Coming up through ranks is tough. I was laid off bit myself. With the economy the way it is, it is tough all over. What I do know is the trade has been good to me spite of the hard times. I worked odd jobs and two jobs at the same time. If you can tough it out and trully want to be an electrician, it will pay off in the long run. In your down time, hit the books and the Internet. Study, study, study. There are job services out there that can teach you how to inteview. You will have to demostrate to perspective employers why they should pick you over the hundred other applicants. Most guys have playboy and readers digest in the bathroom, I had the NEC. Each day I came home and tried to located eveything I did that day. I read books, trade mags, and with the Internet, there's so much to read and it costs so little and is easy to get.
I do not know the employment situation where you are at, chances are if it is slow for electricians, it is slow across the board. What I can tell you is start boning up on green power. That's the next boom that is coming even with the economy the way it is.
General advice is if you are in the trade just for the money, you will run yourself ragged. If you are in the trade because you enjoy the work, I suggest you keep plucking away at it. You will not be the low guy on the bottom of the pole for ever. Heck if they give you a broom to push, push it with professioalism, they will notice the good and bad attitude. I got sick and tired cleaning out service vans and sweeping the shop but they were paying me for it. When something came up, I was one of the first ones who got to go with since I was there and everyone else went home pissing about the lack of work.
Last edited by sparkyinak; 11/23/09 03:32 AM.
