# Having trouble finding a job



## ben14826

Hey Everyone, I'm Having trouble finding a job. I have contacted Davey, Asplundh, and Lewis plus about 5 other local tree services about a job and no one is hiring. I wanted to get a job with a tree service before going out on my own so that I could get some experience before jumping in withouth knowing what I'm doing. My plan was to get a job doing tree work and learn to climb on the job. Since I haven't had any luck finding anyone around here who needs help, what should I do? I have thrown around the idea of advertising in a small local paper and saying that I can do tree work, but then what happens when I show up and the job requires climbing or a bucket truck? Also I don't want to go out unexperienced and do a hack job, get hurt, or worse. I have been thinking lately that this wouldn't be a good idea at all. But I am running out of ideas. I would just cut would all summer to stock up for next years firewood sales, but money is getting tight. Any suggestions would be great. Heck, at this point just a bit of encouragement would be great, LOL. Anyways, have a great day everyone and God Bless.


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## elmnut

Where exactly is Cohocton in NY?


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## beowulf343

How far you willing to travel? Surprises me none of the local residential outfits need help-getting to be the busy time of year.


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## rb_in_va

elmnut said:


> Where exactly is Cohocton in NY?



2 hours west of you.

http://www.google.com/maps?q=Cohocton,+NY,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title


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## ben14826

I found it hard to believe as well. I am willing to travel up to an hour away. I have been to all the local guys and even started looking in Rochester and still nothing. Davey and Lewis are both in Rochester. Should I try at some of the smaller companies in Rochester? Even if I made $10 an hour, driving a pickup for 100 miles a day would quickly bring that down to a very small amount of money at the end of the week. Is it worth it to drive that far?


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## J.Walker

*Tree Work*

Ben You should check out East or West Bloomfield there are a tree co's. Mendon to far for you? Season is just starting, but now is the time. We have had a lot of damage this winter and I feel people a just settting on it, waitting to get back-out in their yards.


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## beowulf343

J.Walker said:


> We have had a lot of damage this winter and I feel people a just settting on it, waitting to get back-out in their yards.



Winter ain't over yet buddy-been snowing for the last 24 hours in this part of the state. Ah-gotta love western new york!


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## ben14826

Thanx guys, Yeah I'll check in bloomfield I remember seein a couple ads for some companies out there. If not, mendon definitely might be an option. I'll keep ya informed. Thanx, Ben


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## J.Walker

*Jobs*

Hi Ben
I know someone around Trabors Cornors (Springwater) area too. He's been in the tree business for a long time. He does bucket work around Honeoye lake area, Mendon and Pittsford too.
Work for him for a few years and buy him out. 
I have a big job going this weekend, painting the dinning room, but pm me with your phone number. I could call Sunday evening and give you some names.


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## Ed Roland

Ben, i see your picture below your name and you sho are purty! I think u will find work if you just show up in person to apply!


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## ben14826

woodweasel said:


> Ben, i see your picture below your name and you sho are purty! I think u will find work if you just show up in person to apply!



haha, it's starting to worry me how many ppl think I am a lady because of the avatar. She's my  dream girl, not me!


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## ben14826

I should include that she is the same age as me so everyone doesn't think I'm some 60 year old perv.


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## J.Walker

*Jobs*

Ben
You should get a CDL. Employers need people with clean drivers license. I PM you with a list of tree firms.


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## Ekka

Well, since I'm like 13000 miles away and like to provoke some thought how's this ....

... the large companies need productivity, generally they go in cheaper and work faster, larger crews are less forgiving of noobs.

... the smaller nearby companies simply cant afford to train their competition, they too suffer with low productivity, higher risk and then another competitor on the scene.

I can see the problem from here, can you? I think if you travel atleast you take away that competitor factor a little.

Also, what tickets, certificates and knowledge do you have? Enough for them to be enticed?

It's always tough starting out, but training your local competitor isn't a wise business strategy.

Just some food for thought. opcorn:


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## newguy18

*i feel your pain*



ben14826 said:


> Hey Everyone, I'm Having trouble finding a job. I have contacted Davey, Asplundh, and Lewis plus about 5 other local tree services about a job and no one is hiring. I wanted to get a job with a tree service before going out on my own so that I could get some experience before jumping in withouth knowing what I'm doing. My plan was to get a job doing tree work and learn to climb on the job. Since I haven't had any luck finding anyone around here who needs help, what should I do? I have thrown around the idea of advertising in a small local paper and saying that I can do tree work, but then what happens when I show up and the job requires climbing or a bucket truck? Also I don't want to go out unexperienced and do a hack job, get hurt, or worse. I have been thinking lately that this wouldn't be a good idea at all. But I am running out of ideas. I would just cut would all summer to stock up for next years firewood sales, but money is getting tight. Any suggestions would be great. Heck, at this point just a bit of encouragement would be great, LOL. Anyways, have a great day everyone and God Bless.


hi my name is bill howe i am starting out as a pro somday too. i do tree work for the locals in my area. no license no insurance hell i have a back belt lineman spikes 100 foot of climbing rope i bought at lowes and im waiting on them to get me two hundred feet of five eights rigging line. i take wraps around the tree to brake my loads.if you can make it to live oak flordia maybe we could get together and do business together after i get driving. i dont have a drivers license either.all the best and let the lord be with you bill howe


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## sawsong

newguy18 said:


> hi my name is bill howe i am starting out as a pro somday too. i do tree work for the locals in my area. no license no insurance hell i have a back belt lineman spikes 100 foot of climbing rope i bought at lowes and im waiting on them to get me two hundred feet of five eights rigging line. i take wraps around the tree to brake my loads.if you can make it to live oak flordia maybe we could get together and do business together after i get driving. i dont have a drivers license either.all the best and let the lord be with you bill howe



wow :O errm, well that revelation's gonna go down like the titanic. not here to tell you what to do, but no licence, no insurance, no driving licence, everything on linemans spikes. *gulp*

fair play if you're confident enough to get it out in the open but it probably wont be perceived well by most here.


ben... and any US residents, are there not any short courses you can do to gain a recognised proficiency in say groundsaw useage etc similar to our NPTC tickets? I worked for a company in Leeds UK for a few months just labouring, fueling up, chipping etc, but now i have my NPTC groundsaw tickets i've got a pay rise and theres companies closer to home (Leeds is where I'm at uni) that want to employ my services. Getting my climbing tickets over summer paid for by them.


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## Jumper

Can't speak for western NY, but the general job situation here in the Greater Toronto Area sucks. When you combine the shutting down of the manufacturing industry as we know it along with the arrival of 100000 immigrants a year who will work for nothing or next to nothing, it impacts the entire job market, including the tree industry. Who the heck can afford to work here for $12(or less) an hour without killing yourself in the process? And when people have no money they are not about to shell out bucks for tree work unless it is absolutely necessary.

I think you should be prepared to relocate, just as I am in the final process of moving west permanently to the Alberta Oil Sands. Jobs there start at $20 an hour. Western NY, like ON is not a hotbed of commercial growth at present. Lots of work if you like getting very little for your efforts IMHO.


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## Ekka

Jumper

You are spot on.


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## ben14826

Jumper and Ekka: You are both right on with this. My efforts will endure though. I will be looking at a couple more tree services this week.

J Walker: I have my class b permit, but I need a company that has a truck that I can use to take the road test. My dad has big trucks but none that are worthy of the taking the test in.

Thanx all for all the advice and input.


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## NYH1

beowulf343 said:


> Winter ain't over yet buddy-been snowing for the last 24 hours in this part of the state. Ah-gotta love western new york!


We just got about 10 inches or so over night. I think they got more southeast of us!


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## BlueRidgeMark

Jumper said:


> I think you should be prepared to relocate, just as I am in the final process of moving west permanently to the Alberta Oil Sands. Jobs there start at $20 an hour.



Ben, you might want to give that some thought. Work a couple of years in the oil fields, live as cheaply as you can, and sock away some money. You're young enough to really benefit from such a start in life. Seed money can do amazing things, if you're careful with it. Wish someone had talked to me about it when I was your age.



Of course, if you are just going to party the money away, it won't matter where you are. You can be broke and living from paycheck to paycheck anywhere, so it might as well be at home.


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## ben14826

I definitely do plan on moving pretty soon, just haven't got any solid ideas together yet. I graduate in May from college so after that I'm kind of "free". It will be interesting to see where things move from there. Thanx for the input, Ben


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## Mtnman4ever

ben14826 said:


> I definitely do plan on moving pretty soon, just haven't got any solid ideas together yet. I graduate in May from college so after that I'm kind of "free". It will be interesting to see where things move from there. Thanx for the input, Ben



Ben seeinh how you have time on your sideand are graduating you might waant tosee if a few of the guys on this site from the PNW will take you on. 
You might need your own grear at least a $2500 invest,ent in saws ropse chains bars at least a 50 inch bar if you are going out west . a big saw likea 395 or MS 660 some smaller ones like a 575 or 441 460 and 20 -24 inbars still more chains helemt . chaps and eyt a even smaller pro saw fro those really small tight spots . or even a arborsit saw . 

That is how a made a lving and leanredeven more a number of years agop my other two interests are photogrpaghy and hiking / climbing . hell iwanted to climb Ranier so i found some one who wanted soemday labor needed my own stuff back then about 20 years ago i was in my 20s we had real big beasts . i racll a huige Stil 090 and a Husky that was just as big . eigheda ton espcially witha 60 or 72 inch bar . 
I would take any part time job get your gear learn howto use it . I am sure if you post say oncraigs list that youare loooking fro say 10 or so trees to fall willingot pay non hazerdopus ect . you can get a feel for it . .Maybe ypou can place a add part ime or as needed help you might ge soem one or go to a day labor center . your not goingto get the best help in the world but it is a warm body .

just a few idea or start slow get a few saws a used chipper and some ropes a porta wrap mayberent or lease a tracked skid steer loader . 
But you will need seed money no matter how you do it .

You can look into subruban or urban timbering too . get your CDL buy a used bucket truck and a laon hire soem guys and after maybe a year ypour will break even even trey it on your own where you live but do not forget your studnet loan 

I do soem falling in the brubs . i usuealy the tree guys tere do not have a saw big enpugh to handle a old tree that neeeds to come down ifind it stange but most usea 460 or 575 maybe 585? why I think most of thier work is smaller trees . 


best of luck


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## ben14826

Mtnman4ever said:


> just a few idea or start slow get a few saws a used chipper and some ropes a porta wrap mayberent or lease a tracked skid steer loader .
> But you will need seed money no matter how you do it .



I'm starting to like this idea more and more. I have contacted practically every tree service in the area, and still no luck. I am thinking about getting ahead and starting to buy my own equipment as I learn like you said. Will it be easy? NO, but thats half the fun. I appreciate the time you took to reply. God Bless.


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## diltree

Build your credentials with stuff in your control, Like Certifications from the ISA and ACRT, TCIA, plus maybe a hoisting license and a class B CDL. With those credentials the Jobs will be there in waiting.


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## ben14826

diltree said:


> Build your credentials with stuff in your control, Like Certifications from the ISA and ACRT, TCIA, plus maybe a hoisting license and a class B CDL. With those credentials the Jobs will be there in waiting.



I will definitely take this advice. It's gonna be a lot of work to get some of those though!


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## Mtnman4ever

Ben Whrer In NY are you ? IS there a lot of competion in the area ? 
Alos You might want ot finda Nuche it seems that is becoming more comon.

One thingI know will help you is to learn to climb and do it well. If you can climb you can make alot more money as you can get intoi areas bucket trusk cannot go . 
Or look inot a smaller traked lift a few compaines make them but te cost a mint leasing or renting one forajob might be a good idea plus you getto se if you like it . i would try one on a job that does not have a lot of risk frist especially hitting a house car or other thing of value .
If I livedcolser to you I would give a bit of help


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