Best perks of your job?

[Woody John]

robinh73 said:

I went down the self employment route nearly a year ago as a tree surgeon. I had had office based jobs for the last 28 years nearly and felt it was time to do something for myself. I love it and wish I had done it years ago. It has been a real eye opener and the stress at times is pretty intense, but overall, being my own boss is just about as good as it gets.

Interesting.

Is there much training involved?
Much work about?

[hondafanatic]

vaud said:

hondafanatic said:

And anyone that gets that...you dirty old man.

Worst interview ever.

Sometimes you just gotta think long term.

[Gary C]

308 holiday hours
4 days on 5 days off
2/3 final salary pension
Retirement age 60
6 figure pay
37 years and still learning

downside
nightshift on Christmas eve and days new years eve and day

[robinh73]

Woody John said:

robinh73 said:

I went down the self employment route nearly a year ago as a tree surgeon. I had had office based jobs for the last 28 years nearly and felt it was time to do something for myself. I love it and wish I had done it years ago. It has been a real eye opener and the stress at times is pretty intense, but overall, being my own boss is just about as good as it gets.

Interesting.

Is there much training involved?
Much work about?

There is a fair amount of training and to date I have done two week long courses for felling what are termed as small and large trees (below 380mm is small and over that is large). I then did a day long health and safety course and a day long arborist specific first aid course. I have recently done a week long aerial rescue course, which is vital as a lot of tree work involves dismantling the tree from the top down so to speak. You have one person up the tree doing the cutting, but should things go pear shaped up there, you need to be able to head up the tree and get him down. This was a big hurdle for me as I am not brilliant with heights, but it focuses your mind having something to do up there, rather than worry about the height. I have one more tree climbing course which is a follow on from the aerial rescue course, which is aerial pruning. This is basically learning the best and safe methods of taking the tree apart with a chainsaw and handsaw whilst dangling from ropes. There is another course I plan on doing which is to deal with windfallen trees. These are probably the most dangerous to deal with as there is a huge amount of pent up energy in them and they are very unpredictable to a certain extent.
In terms of work, I have been busier than I thought. Over the summer and autumn I was very busy with hedge cutting and lawn work and the tree work picks up over winter.
The main thing has been the investment to get going, which has been pretty substantial, but so far so good.

[Woody John]

robinh73 said:

Woody John said:

robinh73 said:

I went down the self employment route nearly a year ago as a tree surgeon. I had had office based jobs for the last 28 years nearly and felt it was time to do something for myself. I love it and wish I had done it years ago. It has been a real eye opener and the stress at times is pretty intense, but overall, being my own boss is just about as good as it gets.

Interesting.

Is there much training involved?
Much work about?

There is a fair amount of training and to date I have done two week long courses for felling what are termed as small and large trees (below 380mm is small and over that is large). I then did a day long health and safety course and a day long arborist specific first aid course. I have recently done a week long aerial rescue course, which is vital as a lot of tree work involves dismantling the tree from the top down so to speak. You have one person up the tree doing the cutting, but should things go pear shaped up there, you need to be able to head up the tree and get him down. This was a big hurdle for me as I am not brilliant with heights, but it focuses your mind having something to do up there, rather than worry about the height. I have one more tree climbing course which is a follow on from the aerial rescue course, which is aerial pruning. This is basically learning the best and safe methods of taking the tree apart with a chainsaw and handsaw whilst dangling from ropes. There is another course I plan on doing which is to deal with windfallen trees. These are probably the most dangerous to deal with as there is a huge amount of pent up energy in them and they are very unpredictable to a certain extent.
In terms of work, I have been busier than I thought. Over the summer and autumn I was very busy with hedge cutting and lawn work and the tree work picks up over winter.
The main thing has been the investment to get going, which has been pretty substantial, but so far so good.

Very informative. I paid someone (2 man job in fairness) about £250 for half a days work last year and it appeared to be a nice little earner.

Good luck and stay safe.

[robinh73]

Woody John said:

robinh73 said:

Woody John said:

robinh73 said:

I went down the self employment route nearly a year ago as a tree surgeon. I had had office based jobs for the last 28 years nearly and felt it was time to do something for myself. I love it and wish I had done it years ago. It has been a real eye opener and the stress at times is pretty intense, but overall, being my own boss is just about as good as it gets.

Interesting.

Is there much training involved?
Much work about?

There is a fair amount of training and to date I have done two week long courses for felling what are termed as small and large trees (below 380mm is small and over that is large). I then did a day long health and safety course and a day long arborist specific first aid course. I have recently done a week long aerial rescue course, which is vital as a lot of tree work involves dismantling the tree from the top down so to speak. You have one person up the tree doing the cutting, but should things go pear shaped up there, you need to be able to head up the tree and get him down. This was a big hurdle for me as I am not brilliant with heights, but it focuses your mind having something to do up there, rather than worry about the height. I have one more tree climbing course which is a follow on from the aerial rescue course, which is aerial pruning. This is basically learning the best and safe methods of taking the tree apart with a chainsaw and handsaw whilst dangling from ropes. There is another course I plan on doing which is to deal with windfallen trees. These are probably the most dangerous to deal with as there is a huge amount of pent up energy in them and they are very unpredictable to a certain extent.
In terms of work, I have been busier than I thought. Over the summer and autumn I was very busy with hedge cutting and lawn work and the tree work picks up over winter.
The main thing has been the investment to get going, which has been pretty substantial, but so far so good.

Very informative. I paid someone (2 man job in fairness) about £250 for half a days work last year and it appeared to be a nice little earner.

Good luck and stay safe.

It is hard to price the jobs up and this is one area which is still taking some getting used to. Some days are good earners, others are hard work for not such great rewards. These last few weeks have been a bit tough, up at 6.30 at the job between 7.30 and 8.00 and work through regardless of the weather until it gets too dark to carry on. But I am doing it for myself and that is the important bit. I just need to invest in even more waterproofs! Oh and thermal socks are my new best friend.
Many thanks for the good wishes, much appreciated.

[Voldemort]

robinh73 said:

There is a fair amount of training and to date I have done two week long courses for felling what are termed as small and large trees (below 380mm is small and over that is large).

Below 380mm tall is a plant, mate. A small plant.

[robinh73]

Voldemort said:

robinh73 said:

There is a fair amount of training and to date I have done two week long courses for felling what are termed as small and large trees (below 380mm is small and over that is large).

Below 380mm tall is a plant, mate. A small plant.

I thought that but the most of the stuff we did on the course was about 40-45ft tall and around 360mm diameter. Big plants I guess.

[PushedDover]

schuey said:

NumBMW said:

Imagine the week on / week off offshore techs, travel out to wind turbines everyday by boat.

Start shift
Wind above 12m/s - cant use the crane - come back onshore - go home
Waves above 2.5m - cant get off the boat without getting creamed by the deck chasing you up the turbine ladder - come back onshore - go home
End of shift

You can imagine how many days off those lads have had in the last couple of months!

Edited by NumBMW on Tuesday 25th February 18:51

Just had 2 weeks of that. But I’ve now got 2 weeks off,that’s the best perk of the job!

That’s why we are building SOVs to kettle you boys in

[95JO]

Gary C said:

308 holiday hours
4 days on 5 days off
2/3 final salary pension
Retirement age 60
6 figure pay
37 years and still learning

downside
nightshift on Christmas eve and days new years eve and day

Pilot?

[Frank7]

When I was working, the fact that I could wake up when I no longer needed sleep, but just lay there thinking about what to do first, shower ‘n’ shave, then have coffee, or have coffee then shower ‘n’ shave, after all that I’d brush my teeth.
Then back the Black Cab out of the garage on to the drive, zap the garage door closed, put the TAXI yellow light on and go seek the first fare of the day.
I’d go to work when I felt like it, or if it started to rain I’d go straight out, and usually within one kilometre someone would hail me.
I worked until I’d earned enough, or felt like going home, turn off the TAXI light and that was it.
I guess that the main perk was, I could go to work when I wanted to, or if I didn’t want to, I could stay home.

[anonymous-user]

miniman said:

Those interiors are a struggle to put back in! Chances are ive played with that one on several occasions
That being said I enjoy it.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 25th February 23:33

[shep1001]

I work from home, my boss hardly ever speaks to me, I only know he's alive as he signs my expenses every month.

So long as I don't take the Mickey, I can stay where I want and eat what I want when working away.

I get to go all over the world, I am off to Madagascar next month - in between working on a mine in the arse end of nowhere I will get to go on a lemur conservation project which is on my bucket list to do before I tap out. Work pick up the tab from the minute I walk out of the house until I get home

I still enjoy it after 27 years. I get paid more to 'think' these days than 'do' stuff but I can still get my hands dirty pretty much every week which keeps me sane.

Edited by shep1001 on Wednesday 26th February 00:04

[Boozy]

vaud said:

Work from home, seeing a lot of my young daughters.

You’ve hit the perfect job, I’m at a four seasons hotel, having traveled in a fancy seat on a plane and get paid really well but I’d swap it all in to be with my girls at home. Enjoy.

[vaud]

Boozy said:

You’ve hit the perfect job, I’m at a four seasons hotel, having traveled in a fancy seat on a plane and get paid really well but I’d swap it all in to be with my girls at home. Enjoy.

I do that a bit as well but it's 95% from home. Daft stuff like popping to Atlanta for a day.

[Fast Bug]

Sheepshanks said:

The thing I fnd astonishing is if I step away from my desk I can almost guarantee my boss or our admin person will call.

I work from home 3 or 4 days a week, one of the admin guys always seems to call when I'm having a poo. Like every time!

Perks other than working from home, is the money is good, new car every 3 months or so. Boss doesn't micro manage and is happy for me to do school runs etc as long as I sell enough units. Mind you he knows I'll work evenings and weekends if I'm busy, so swings and roundabouts

[Dr Jekyll]

To quote a Dilbert cartoon. Free coffee and amusing examples of corporate dysfunction.

[Gary C]

95JO said:

Gary C said:

308 holiday hours
4 days on 5 days off
2/3 final salary pension
Retirement age 60
6 figure pay
37 years and still learning

downside
nightshift on Christmas eve and days new years eve and day

Pilot?

Civil Nuclear Ops engineer.

[95JO]

Gary C said:

Civil Nuclear Ops engineer.

I didn't realise you could earn six figures in that line of work

[ReallyReallyGood]

The tournament-sized Riley Snooker table on the office floor right next to reception, it’s virtually the first thing anyone sees as they come through the door. It’s by far the most used thing in the office.