applying for welding position

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i am asking around the different welding forums , to get advice concerning the above. my application is sitting on the welding supers desk. this i know from personel. when they are ready to hire which from what i understand is soon. how do i stand out from the rest on his desk. it is a shipyard with a lot of applications. thanks, charleston,sc
Reply:Send them a letter thanking them for considering you for the possition, and let them know you're enthused about working for them. If you can, make a sample weld, something to show off, weld a couple razor blades together, or some aluminum cans. If you're into heavier welding just give them a weld sample maybe. Basically figure out how you stand out from the crowd. Is it your skill, your work ethic, or what? Find a way to show your strengths to the employer.
Reply:man.. from one who looks at applications all the time, i can tell you the ones that stand out.. those are the ones who have their names spelled correctly, who have the boxes filled in and checked, "i"'s dotted and "t"'s crossed.. names numbers all available.. and most of all.. you have a drivers license.. dress neat and be polite.. that alone puts you above 90% of all welders..lol.. sad but true.. you ain't exactly dealing with doctors and lawyers here.. so if you look like you want a job, are realistic and don't play the "been there done that" bullcrap game, and can get there on your own without your grandmother dropping you off, you'll be fine.. oh.. and you'll have to have a bit of skill..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:If you get an interview, wear nice work clothes.  Want to appear neat, yet be ready to take a weld test or run some sample beads.  New Carharts, or work jeans or pants, and some sort of long sleeved cotton work shirt with a collar.  Take your hood, gloves, chipping hammer, wire brush, pliers, tape measure, safety glasses, and leathers if you wear them with you.  It looks better to have them packed away in some sort of tool bag than trying to carry them loose.  I don't have a position where I do any hiring, but I have seen plenty of interviewees come through the shop to say what looks unprofessional.  A suit an tie is wholly inappropriate for this kind of work.  At the opposite end, ratty jeans with holes and a stained git-r-dun t-shirt with the sleeves cut off makes you look like a slob who just doesn't care.  The application gets you an interview, the interview get you the job.  In this industry, dress to impress, yet ready to work.
Reply:I agree with what the previous posters said but I do have one thing to add - be able to pass a drug test.  You might be shocked at the amount of people that apply for positions but can't pass the drug test.
Reply:lol.. i forgot about that.. that is a tricky one..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:I agree with all of the above.Make sure you fill out your application completely, accurately, and NEATLY. I have looked at aps. that I could barely read. Misspelled words, sloppy handwriting, one had greasy finger prints and a ketchup stain on it. I looked at the receptionist like WTF?, she just put her hands up and said “That’s the way he gave it to me”If you get the interview/weld test show up neat, clean, and ready for work. Look your interviewer in the eye and think about what you are about to say before you say it. No matter how good you are, do not acted like a cocky know-it-all. Most companies have an established way they do things, you will not gain points by telling them how F up you think there stuff is.Most off all, relax, but not too relaxed. If you can, get a friend to do a practice interview with you, more than one if you have time. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.Will
Reply:For the person hiring to pick you, he's got to recognize you out of the stack of resumes he has on his desk. Networking is number one, if he hears about you from someone else he is much more likely to hire you.If networking is out of the question, then don't be afraid to call, almost to the point where you are being annoying. You want the guy to know you REALLY want the job. This is how I got my last job. I got a phone number of a person I wanted to work for from a friend. I called almost every day leaving messages, a week went by before I heard back. By that time this person already knew my name and my voice from the messages. I heard positive news back, and that he'd contact me in the next week. But the next week came and I didn't hear anything. I kept calling, just being polite and letting him know I still was looking for a job. Then the next week after that I finally get him on the phone again and he tells me he just hired someone else (a friend of a friend, damn networking!). A few days go by and I figure what the heck, so I call again and leave another message, just saying something like "I hope it worked out with the person you hired but if it didn't...". Well to my surprise he called back within 5 minutes, said this was the first day the new guy was supposed to work, and he no-showed no-called, and he needed someone NOW. After stressing for a job for months I was working within half an hour of that phone call. The first thing he said to me once we met in person was something like, "I need someone reliable and the only reason I'm hiring you [over much more qualified people] is because I can tell you are driven and really want to work here".So yes, in this economy especially, you've got to let them know you want it, and are willing to go above and beyond the next guy to get it. Call, email, leave messages, do whatever it takes to show them you are willing to work to get this job. Because presumably the way you conduct yourself now will reflect the kind of work you will do for the company.Last edited by slagmatic; 02-14-2010 at 08:39 PM.
Reply:I hire lots of people, tho not in the welding field.  Everything said above is accurate.1. Be able to pass a drug test2. Have a DL with minimal violations on record3. Neat application with complete & proper spelling4. Contact employer and inquire (politely) about status of job5. Be polite & respectful, say Yes Sir/Maam, No Sir/Maam, Please & Thank You6. Be on time (or early)7. Dress appropriatelyRemember that the employer has something of value that you want.  You must be what they want & need.  To keep you on board they must be making money from the service that you provide them to their customers
Reply:Here's a good one. I like to dress nicely for job interviews. Button down shirt, nice slacks, nice shoes (I'm talking Kohl's nice, not Armani nice  ). This has been my usual garb for office type interviews. Now that I am in the welding field, is that still acceptable? I know I'm going to have to take welding tests so is it acceptable to have a "Go Bag" of a pair of Jeans, Work Boots, Work Shirt (100 percent Cotton Thermal Shirt) and my tools/gear?Or is it better to go out and find a nice set of "Trade Interview" clothes and just run with that?The world is amazing when you are slightly strange.
Reply:Act like a professional (welder, not lawyer), show up prepared, and be sure you know what they will want you to do (weld test, burning, etc) and are capable of doing it (this means you HAVE done it, and can demonstrate), know how to set up and adjust common equipment (set heat if testing stick, heat and balance for TIG, wire speed and voltage for MIG/fluxcore, set and use a torch for burning, etc. If you don't know the particular equipment they want you to test with, ASK)When we were hiring last summer, pretty much every rule that could be broken was:Guys that showed up strung outCitizen or green card required: several came in with "I'm working on it"NEVER welded the processes we need. This is a big one: we tell them up front they will test v-groove butt welds, vert and overhead stick, 6010 root/7018 cover on whatever light plate we have handy. Guys came in that had never touched stick in their lives, but thought that since they had run MIG ina production shop, it should be a breeze. Guy asked the receptionist to go out "for a nooner" after he tested.Guys that never stop talking. (If you are annoying, I can't hire you, since I have more tolerance than most of our customers and most of your potential coworkers. Funny: none of the big talkers could weld worth crud)Guys that showed up to test and needed to borrow a shield. And gloves. And sleeves. And, in one case, boots (he came for a weld test in sandles, tee shirt and shorts)One guy that needed to use the can. He sh*t all over the toilet seat. I could go on. And on. Jut remember that the company want to hire you. They are sick of looking for someone. It costs time and money, and they need the position filled, or they wouldn't be looking. You generally don't have to be the best, just good enough (though with some companies, like WSI, they are the same thing...) and let them know you will be a good employee. The best welder in the world is useless to the company if he doesn't how up on time, annoys coworkers until they won't work (or hurt him), annoys customers, etc. You want them to know that you are the guy that shows up on time, gets the job done to spec, catches problems and works to correct them when they happen, rather than when they harder to fix, is clear about willingness to work OT, go on the road (if the job involves travel), and so on.One of the guys we ended up with last hiring cycle was a good welder. BUT, he wouldn't travel, wouldn't work high, kept taking time because he was 'sick', wouldn't do labor when a job required it (many of his 'sick' days were non-welding jobs. 'I was hired as a welder'.... no, you were hired to do what the company needs you to do. You were told the cope of work before you were hired). Plus, he wouldn't shut up. Didn't like work conditions (too hot, too cold, too smelly, ...), didn't like the supervisors (who cares?), didn't like the coworkers, pretty much didn't like anything. Lasted a month.edit: Oh, and in a shipyard, a clean enough background to qualify for a TWIC card is probably going to be needed. (see the TWIC website for the requirements.)Last edited by enlpck; 02-15-2010 at 02:44 PM.
Reply:holy crap this dude knows what he's talkin' about.. lol.. the people that come thru the door.. hell.. the one's you work around are bad enough.. imagine the one's that DIDN'T make it.. lol..lol..lol..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:Thankfully, I think I have the clean cut image down. I don't do drugs (Well Caffeine and Beer, but never Beer/Alcohol on the job), I don't have a criminal record and I have a valid clean drivers license. It's good to know that based on what I've read, I've got a bit of a head start on a good majority of the other applicants.The world is amazing when you are slightly strange.
Reply:**** dude.. wanna job?.. lol.. come on down.. what part of jersey are ya' from?.. i grew up in a small town called alpha up there.. lived all over the place up there till i moved down here.. now i live all over the place down here.. lol..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:I know Alpha, in Bergen County. For those outside NJ, it's one of the nicest, richest places in the country. Most of North NJ (Morris County here) is a wonderful place to live. Working here, on the other hand... not so much. Oddly enough, I have a sister in Greenville SC and a friend that is moving to Conway SC soon.I'd love to get a job down there. I could afford to live on 12-14 an hour in SC but not in NJ. As it stands right now if I make 12 an hour I'll STILL have to rent from my parents instead of living on my own.But getting back on topic. For a Welding Job interview, would a plain Thermal Shirt (My standard Cold Weather shirt), nice looking Blue Work Jeans and my cleaned up Work boots be appropriate? I've already got a gear bag for my tools so I think I've got that aspect covered.The world is amazing when you are slightly strange.
Reply:I keep a pair of work jeans in good condition, and a nice clean button up work shirt for interviews. Clean, stylish welding cap. Usually clean up my helmet and tools too.
Reply:Applying for a job is all about making the best 1st impression that you can make.  Put your best foot forward, be ready to talk about what you bring to the company, be prepared to take a test on whatever it is they are hiring you to do.  Employers need and want productive employees.  They do not want to "give you a chence" if they think it is a risk to their business.  Getting rid of a PIA employee is difficult at time, but keeping one is more of a problem