getting a job out of school

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So my welding teacher says that unless you say you have experience, they won't let you take a weld test for a job. I can lie and say I have experience, but isn't it going to be pretty obvious? I can weld good but there is more to it than that like reading blueprints. Is it true that I need to lie or should I be honest. Cause I don't want to get a job and then be fired the first day.
Reply:IMHO honesty is the best policy. If you lie, they'll find out, you'll get fired, and then you'll have even more problems getting another job.I'd go to a school that teaches blueprint reading, and then go to one of the companies that looks at THAT school for new employees. Or start out at $8 an hour doing production work and watch that get old fast. But whatever you do, be HONEST. Good luck [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:The problem with a lie is that it grows.  You tell them you have experience then they ask who you worked for, remember they probably know everybody in the business, at least in their area or what you have welded on and they ask how you set it up and ran it, and so on it goes.Better to get creative and give the possible employer a good reason to give you a weld test, maybe bring a coupon to an interview with you, but as you mentioned there is way more to a welding job besides the weld.Also if offered an interview research and know a lot about the company before you get there.Good LuckLast edited by JPS; 05-11-2013 at 10:22 PM.
Reply:In 1982 I graduated welding school and the instructors talked up getting a job at Shearon Harris Nuclear plant being built near Raleigh. They would have nothing to do with me without experience. Pay then was $14 per hour which was great back then. I ended up getting an entry level job at $5 per hour and working my way up. There is no replacement for experience.....and honesty for that matter.Bad job history records can follow you forever and will never help a resume.Last edited by polarred21; 05-12-2013 at 08:00 AM.
Reply:I see what you guys are saying but I asked most of the teachers there and they pretty much all said you have to lie and say you've been welding for a couple years otherwise they wont even bother with you. So I guess my question is, is that true?
Reply:I would say that is false. Now coming don't expect to be Top Dog. Your going to have to start low and work up. This is all Trade Jobs. My school has a pass Rate of 89%(2012) with a job placement of 74%(2012). So out of Ten people about 2.5 people could not find a job with in the Year. 1 person failed and the other 1.5 could not get a Job.
Reply:When you fill out an application for an established business (with benefits and so forth) at the end you will sign a disclosure that you certify that you have told trhge truth.  If you sign that and they determine you have misrepresented (lied !!!) you will be fired.  That termination for being dishonest (lying) will follow you if the company is ever contacted as a reference by future potential employers.  Tell the truth, make that a habit!  You may need to hire on as a helper initially.  But that will be time well spent.  You already know how to weld. Now learn all the stuff that leads up to when it is time to do the welding.
Reply:One good thing about the school I am going to is that we have the chance to do a certified bend test after we finish each section of classes. Yeah a job is going to make you do another test but when I go for an interview I will at least have the pieces of paper that say that I already have taken and passed a 3G,4G SMAW bend test, 3G,4G GMAW bend test, and a 6G pipe bend test with a GTAW root and another with a SMAW root. All of that from a small, community college. And technically from school you have some "experience". At least where I am going. We have no classroom time. It's all spent in our booth welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by weld master 23I see what you guys are saying but I asked most of the teachers there and they pretty much all said you have to lie and say you've been welding for a couple years otherwise they wont even bother with you. So I guess my question is, is that true?
Reply:If your word is no good, what do you have?
Reply:If they ask if you have experience, say "No, I figured you guys would beat that into me." "USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:In fabrication and welding world, you don't only hold a MIG gun and weld all day and go to home without talking to your coworkers.Working in a company is WAY different than learning at school.Imagine the following situation, you told your boss that you have some experience (maybe 2 years for the example) then your boss emloyed you then start at this company, your start your day as a "welder" but you can imagine that there is MANY different kind of task to do during a day.So your foreman ask you to take a bundle of small beams that you have to fit base plate on and then weld them, this is a really easy job for someone with 2 years experience, its probably look easy for you now, but trust me, at the second that you'll take the crane and chain this small bundle of beam, and then the way that you will do the layout TOO accuratly on the base plate because you learn to be accurate on everything at school, your foreman will know in 20 minutes that you don't have any experience in a shop.There is more thing also, your foreman will probably tell your coworkers that you have 2 years experience, and then at the end of the day he will ask your coworker about you.Also the fact that you can be surprised with some loud "industrial" noise wich every worker ear those loud noise daily and don't even turn their head when they ear something loud.You should not think that your boss is stupid and won't guess!Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:Document the hours you spend welding. Take those numbers a Build them in to resume. Never lie it will come back to bite you. What you can do is "fabricate" your resume and Beef it up.
Reply:Originally Posted by KevinL90Document the hours you spend welding. Take those numbers a Build them in to resume. Never lie it will come back to bite you. What you can do is "fabricate" your resume and Beef it up.
Reply:Almost every job will "require" 3-5 years of experience. But I've had friends apply for these same positions around graduation week and get offers right out of school. It depends who you talk to or who "they" talk to. Some of these places just need welders, and they want to scare off timid rookies or crappy journeymen. BAE and Ingalls have done a lot of recruiting the recent grads here. Our career services rep is good at helping you make your resume look awesome. Even for the guys who've only worked at McDonalds before they got here. The real goal is finding a company that will pay your moving expenses. That is, if you aren't working while you're in school.
Reply:Originally Posted by weld master 23I see what you guys are saying but I asked most of the teachers there and they pretty much all said you have to lie and say you've been welding for a couple years otherwise they wont even bother with you. So I guess my question is, is that true?
Reply:Man you need to study up on prints! Both architectural and technical. Study up on weld symbols too!If you can read prints and run a half decent bead you will find a job.I just had a couple interviews and all they really cared about was if I could read the prints. I am certified in smaw but I have only had one semester in intro to mig and I got a job mig welding. If I can make it you can too