Recent graduate of PA Gunsmith School seeking employment

[sandersz28]

As of March 21, 2014 I have graduated from the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School in Pittsburgh and I am looking for either an apprenticeship or a job at a shop that could turn into a solid career to meet my needs. I live in Gettysburg PA and would like to find a job below New York or on the east coast but would be willing to move to for the right job anywhere. I had an interview with Krieghoff and almost had it but he hired a guy with several years of german double experience. Ive also checked out the local shops but they either wont pay to justify working for them or they're retiring so basically I'm putting the word out that I am available and willing to work. I have no FFL or shop to start my own or to do work for people I need to knock out school debt first.

[39flathead]

Take one of the "low" paying jobs you feel is beneath you, work it for a couple years and build up a relationship with customers and sales representatives.

Eat ramen noodles and drink water, save all you can. Watch for auctions of the dying off gunsmiths. Buy their old stuff.

After all this, you are now ready to start your own shop.

To be quite honest, as someone who has hired and fired, IMO your post comes off as whiny and that you are owed something. Not a good way to get a potential employer to be interested in you.

I started off making min wage, then within two years was the manager.
Just because you put yourself in debt, does not mean you are entitled to $50 an hour right out of school with barely any experience.


And I'm not singling you out, you are the second graduate from gunsmith school to post about a job in the last week, he posted similar to what you just did.
Sometimes people need a reality check, that's what I'm trying to give here, take it or leave it, with 30 years of work under my belt maybe I don't know anything.

Good luck to you, hopefully you find the right place to work.

[sandersz28]

Well you come off as someone whose high and mighty Im not asking for $50 an hr Im asking for enough money to actually buy an apartment and live on my own common sense tells you that you cant do that with $8 an hr. ID like to see you pay almost $4 a gal. for fuel your own health ins. car ins. utilities and $700 a month in rent on $8 an hr. thats obviously not possible. Take your disrespect elsewhere.

[Dogpupkus]

Well you come off as someone whose high and mighty Im not asking for $50 an hr Im asking for enough money to actually buy an apartment and live on my own common sense tells you that you cant do that with $8 an hr. ID like to see you pay almost $4 a gal. for fuel your own health ins. car ins. utilities and $700 a month in rent on $8 an hr. thats obviously not possible. Take your disrespect elsewhere.

I don't know. As someone who is seeking employment on here, I'd kind of suck it up and word that reply differently. Someone giving constrictive criticism doesn't necessarily justify a response as such. Show respect, and you'll find employment. Tossing someone under the bus for an opinion, in public, to someone you may not know, doesn't show potential employers that you're the most respectful, responsible bull out there. My two cents.

Good luck in your search though. I've always been curious about the gunsmithing career. Though, while I'll learn what I need, I'd rather pay someone else to have the major headaches of my projects. To each his own.

[kimtyson]

Can't we all just get along?

Firstly, congrats on graduating. That is an accomplishment in itself. Glad you chose a career in the art of a gunsmith.
Secondly, I have two recent grad sons. They are both struggling, as is most of the country no matter the age, in getting jobs that pay well, are in their field of study, and that they'd be happy with going forward. Guess what, everyone is in the same boat as you.
It's not 39flathead's fault that we are where we are. It's the years and years of crappy leadership this country has had that has put us ALL in a bind to pay the mortgage, the $4 gas, the ridiculous healthcare, etc.
I'm just hopeful that your generation is able to pick up the pieces and make us a great, thriving country again.
Good luck in your job search.

[Steelblitz]

Well you come off as someone whose high and mighty Im not asking for $50 an hr Im asking for enough money to actually buy an apartment and live on my own common sense tells you that you cant do that with $8 an hr. ID like to see you pay almost $4 a gal. for fuel your own health ins. car ins. utilities and $700 a month in rent on $8 an hr. thats obviously not possible. Take your disrespect elsewhere.

You're paid what you are worth to an employer. You picked a job field which is very limited in opportunity. You'll likely have to do make do with sub $10 an hour jobs if you have little to no experience. Supplement it with another part-time job or two. In time and if your work is good, break out on your own.

And yes, I work three jobs at the moment...to pay the mortgage, insurance, utilities, fuel, etc..

[God's Country]

This isn't going to turn into a living wage thread is it?

I know it sucks but apprentices don't earn shit. The company that hires you under an apprentice program is going to spend lot's of their own time and money to train you hoping it bears fruit. If this is something you want to do get two jobs. You'll have to suck it up for a couple years.

[R L Suehr]

Well you come off as someone whose high and mighty Im not asking for $50 an hr Im asking for enough money to actually buy an apartment and live on my own common sense tells you that you cant do that with $8 an hr. ID like to see you pay almost $4 a gal. for fuel your own health ins. car ins. utilities and $700 a month in rent on $8 an hr. thats obviously not possible. Take your disrespect elsewhere.

Sorry to say but given the field you chose to start out in I think you will find it very difficult to find a high paying job fresh out of school. Personally I worked two and sometimes three jobs for several years when I was younger. They all paid pretty crappy and my free time was limited, but I had all my needs taken care of and had some money left over to have fun with.

Some suggestions to help you out from my experience:

When you find a job try to find a place that is close enough to it to ride a bike or walk if possible. Even if you have to drive a little try to keep it less than 10 miles away and you will save a ton on gas money.

For health insurance get the most bare minimum policy you can get right now. At 26 the only time you will probably need to visit a doctor will be in an emergency or for a serious injury. Eventually you will find a job with decent benefits or strike out on you're own and make enough to afford a better policy that will cover more. ( I have given this advice for a while now so, I don't know how Obamacare effects the Health ins. issue)

Housing, try and find a single buddy or two and rent a larger place together. Splitting rent two or three ways can make a much nicer place more affordable. Yes I know roommates suck and I had plenty of bad ones when I was young, but you gotta do what you gotta due when you are first starting out.

It is a sh$*tty time to be starting out in any field right now. I would suggest taking what you can get in you're field to build experience and figure the rest out when you find something. The job market is flooded with more people than jobs right now so employers can basically pick and choose who they want to hire and they will usually hire someone with some experience that they don't have to spend time or money in training. Make progressive steps in getting experience now and you will find it much easier to get a better paying job or start you're own business in the future.

Just my thoughts

Good luck out there.

[39flathead]

Well you come off as someone whose high and mighty Im not asking for $50 an hr Im asking for enough money to actually buy an apartment and live on my own common sense tells you that you cant do that with $8 an hr. ID like to see you pay almost $4 a gal. for fuel your own health ins. car ins. utilities and $700 a month in rent on $8 an hr. thats obviously not possible. Take your disrespect elsewhere.

Since you know nothing about me, I'll let your youthful wit slide without comment.

Want to get an apartment? Get a roommate if you need to.
Can't afford gas? Walking is pretty much free, carpool with a co-worker?
Still can't afford it, get two $8 an hour jobs like others do.

You chose to be a gunsmith, you are not owed anything.
Nobody in their right mind is going to hire a right out of school "gunsmith" and drop them on a bench for $20 an hour, or even $15.

Suck it up, and take a job with whomever close to you will have you, build a good working relationship with your customers, sans the attitude preferably, and within a couple years you should be set.

You call it disrespect, I call it the truth that many youth need to hear.
I applaud you for attempting to do something with your life, really I do, but the fact is is that you have chosen a field with low starting wages and a field that takes a few years to acquire the right contacts.

Again, good luck to you.

[762xIan]

Unless you have the money to start a shop of your own, you may well be stuck for a bit getting a day job and doing things on the side.

You will NEED an FFL, you have no reputation yet to build on and get work.

I would recommend hitting every shop and smith in your AO and even offering to work for free as an apprentice to someone just for experience.

As of right now what kind of gunsmithing service do you plan on providing? Revolvers? 1911's? Refinishing (bluing/parkerizing)? Hunting rifle accurizing? Black rifle building? Shotguns?

Not many gunsmiths do everything, many specialize and have a certain clientelle.