Chris_Hamilton
Trying to be the best me, I can be
Maybe some of you guys can feel my pain. I work at a small shop, Owner has never had any experience in the Industry prior to owning this Shop. I have 2 fellow co-workers, one is a helper who had no experience prior to working here. Other body guy/painter (we each take the vehicle from start to finish) has never worked at a real shop either. Only here and doing it at his house. His Dad was a long time body guy so he picked up much of what he "knows" from him.
You ca imagine how this goes. Owner is gone all the time, I gotta write estimates, answer the phone, pay the vendors etc etc. in addition to doing my work. Other body guy "knows it all" doesn't ever want advice, help etc, even though he screws every job. He doesn't understand ratios........seriously, I gotta mix his paint because he can't. I have never seen a job he's done that looks good and we've worked together over 3 years. He cut's so many corners it's not even funny anymore. I get stuck with every hard hit, anything complicated, all the nice stuff that needs to look good. We make the same amount of money. I say something about it to the Owner, he says "well you're not as fast as he is." I tell him my stuff looks good. doesn't come back and looks good a year down the road does his? Plus I'm doing estimates answering the phone, etc etc. Of course he can't argue with me about that. I could double what he does if I skipped half the steps like he does.
Today had to redo a 2017 Chevy Silverado painted "Limited Addiction Red" which the other guy couldn't blend. I just feel really dumb for putting up with this crap for so long. I realize that it's time to leave but around here no one is hiring at the moment and if they were it's a minimum 45 minute drive each way.I could get something in Raleigh or Durham but that's an hour and a half each way. Plus I've been here for 5 years and I've lost most of my former connections, and I know if I left that I would not be able to use my boss as a reference and if a prospective employer contacted him he would do his best to sabotage my chances.....Just the kind of guy he is.
Oh and I left out the best part.....he pays us as contract labor. Yep I'm an idiot.
You guys think there's any hope here? Any advice for me? I've been holding out because I want to open my own Shop again, but that is still a ways down the road. I don't know what to do.
You ca imagine how this goes. Owner is gone all the time, I gotta write estimates, answer the phone, pay the vendors etc etc. in addition to doing my work. Other body guy "knows it all" doesn't ever want advice, help etc, even though he screws every job. He doesn't understand ratios........seriously, I gotta mix his paint because he can't. I have never seen a job he's done that looks good and we've worked together over 3 years. He cut's so many corners it's not even funny anymore. I get stuck with every hard hit, anything complicated, all the nice stuff that needs to look good. We make the same amount of money. I say something about it to the Owner, he says "well you're not as fast as he is." I tell him my stuff looks good. doesn't come back and looks good a year down the road does his? Plus I'm doing estimates answering the phone, etc etc. Of course he can't argue with me about that. I could double what he does if I skipped half the steps like he does.
Today had to redo a 2017 Chevy Silverado painted "Limited Addiction Red" which the other guy couldn't blend. I just feel really dumb for putting up with this crap for so long. I realize that it's time to leave but around here no one is hiring at the moment and if they were it's a minimum 45 minute drive each way.I could get something in Raleigh or Durham but that's an hour and a half each way. Plus I've been here for 5 years and I've lost most of my former connections, and I know if I left that I would not be able to use my boss as a reference and if a prospective employer contacted him he would do his best to sabotage my chances.....Just the kind of guy he is.
Oh and I left out the best part.....he pays us as contract labor. Yep I'm an idiot.
You guys think there's any hope here? Any advice for me? I've been holding out because I want to open my own Shop again, but that is still a ways down the road. I don't know what to do.