Looking for a job (preferably carpentry)... Can you help?

[brad$$$$$$]

Hello, Ive been looking for a job for a while now and havn't had any luck. Just wondering if any of you guys know of any jobs, with a local builder or yourself possibly? Or anything to be honest...

A bit of info about me:
2 1/2 years at Thurrock college, currently on my 3rd year Carpenry. (2 evenings a week)
CSCS card (site health & safety)
Driving licence
4 months groundwork experiance
4 months local buildingwork
Done a bit of kitchen fitting

Im open to any jobs at the momment, im interested in anything to do with motorbikes as ive had them all my life & cars also.

Thanks, Brad.

Edited by brad$$$$$$ on Monday 7th April 14:36

[SidewaysSid]

Try driving around your local area and take note of builders working in your area. Phone them and ask to speak to the boss.

Look in Yellow page and the various papers/magazines that come through the letter box. Make note of window companies/kitchen companies etc Phone and ask to speak to boss.

Show some initiative and they are more likely to be impressed. At least you might get an interview and also gain interview experience.

Good luck. It's not easy but life is like that.

[SidewaysSid]

You are at College at Thurrock. Where do you live? (don't need full address just the town/village).

[tel777.]

Try getting in with a kitchen/bedroom shop. I own a shop but it's in Norfolk we pay our good fitters around £1,200 a week.

Kitchens shops should pay by the job which on an avarage size kitchen with no elecs, a bit of plumbing and no tiling 15 - 20 odd units, 2/3 joints, 1 sink, 1 d/w, 1 oven etc should be around 5/6 days. £200 per day is better than you will get on any site these days. However it will be really hard to get your foot in the door so offer to do displays for nothing or even a cut price for the first few jobs until you prove yourself. Also I guess age is against you as experience goes along way in this business, I have 5 fitters 2 of which are over 55 and they are the best.

Maybe get in as a fitters mate to start with then build experience and contacts and go out on your own.

Tel

PS always good to have a few other tradesmen up your sleave ie corgi guy and part P qualified electrician as you may be asked to take the whole job and sub what you can't do.

[brad$$$$$$]

SidewaysSid said:

You are at College at Thurrock. Where do you live? (don't need full address just the town/village).

I live in benfleet

[brad$$$$$$]

SidewaysSid said:

Try driving around your local area and take note of builders working in your area. Phone them and ask to speak to the boss.

Look in Yellow page and the various papers/magazines that come through the letter box. Make note of window companies/kitchen companies etc Phone and ask to speak to boss.

Show some initiative and they are more likely to be impressed. At least you might get an interview and also gain interview experience.

Good luck. It's not easy but life is like that.

Thanks, ive tried ringing a few local companies, maybe if i do a wider search? i check the local papers on the day the jobs are listed but had no luck. Ill have to try the numbers in yellow pages next.

[brad$$$$$$]

tel777. said:

Try getting in with a kitchen/bedroom shop. I own a shop but it's in Norfolk we pay our good fitters around £1,200 a week.

Kitchens shops should pay by the job which on an avarage size kitchen with no elecs, a bit of plumbing and no tiling 15 - 20 odd units, 2/3 joints, 1 sink, 1 d/w, 1 oven etc should be around 5/6 days. £200 per day is better than you will get on any site these days. However it will be really hard to get your foot in the door so offer to do displays for nothing or even a cut price for the first few jobs until you prove yourself. Also I guess age is against you as experience goes along way in this business, I have 5 fitters 2 of which are over 55 and they are the best.

Maybe get in as a fitters mate to start with then build experience and contacts and go out on your own.

Tel

PS always good to have a few other tradesmen up your sleave ie corgi guy and part P qualified electrician as you may be asked to take the whole job and sub what you can't do.

Hi Tel, thanks for that information, its very helpful 2 me. As i have no proper experiance fitting a whole kitchen no-one wants to know and then when they ask my age (18) it makes it worse, but im not stupid but maybe most 18 year olds are?? From now ill offer to do cheaper work to prove myself, good idea

thanks, Brad.

[tel777.]

At your age I would definatly suggest working with an experienced fitter as they will have tricks of the trade which will go against any chippy training values. Order of fitting, types and age of house, types of kitchen, products and tools all this and much more needs to be experienced. You have to understand that your work will effect the shop owners ability to pay his mortgage. Call around all the fitters in the YP and even go to kitchen shops let them know what your doing and ask them to put you in touch with thier fitters maybe if your cheap enouth they will take you on.

If I can be of any help let me know. I do have a few contacts in the area mainly reps but they will know many shop owners.

Terry

[Mattt]

Have you tried agencies? Not sure who is around your area, but I used to use these guys http://www.csspeople.co.uk/ when I needed general trade work on site.

[Jaguar steve]

Put yourself about a lot.

Find out where the local building jobs and companies are and ask to see the foreman - he'll know which trades are working in the area and are looking for help.

Offer to do a morning's work for nothing. Even if you get nowhere it's worth it to watch a skilled bloke doing his job - he'll be a goldmine mine of information and contacts and probrably be pleased to have somebody whose really interested in what he's doing.

I took on a young college lad on day rate recently on a large contract. TBH he was not much good, but I needed another painter and was prepared to give him a try simply because he had the balls to walk on site and come and ask for a trial.