Thats true. I've done many a job for a set price and received a bonus at the end. Finish what you've agreed upon and if he asks you to work some more tell him that you need a higher wage due to the time spent where you could be working else where.

 

This stuff is tough at first, but gets easier as the years go by. It's always easier to get the money you're worth before the job starts than it is to raise it after you start. It's perfectly legit to look at a job, before you start, and negotiate what you want. At this point the honorable thing to do is finish the weedeater job. You have to finish what you start and do the best you can at it. The guy has a good thing going with you now and he'll try to move you on to the next task at the same rate, but that's the time you need to stand up for yourself. If it's only a few days work, you can make it. Believe me, your reputation is worth more than a few bucks.

If it makes you feel any better, I think we all have worked this type of job at least once. Fortunately, I learned my lesson early.

Back in the mid 70's, this old farmer hired me for a day to buck hay on this field he had contracted on. I worked six hours and he payed me $50 cash, (this was great money back then.)

I got a call a couple weeks later. Come work on his farm out of town for 2 weeks to get all the haying done, minimum wage hourly. I got there a day early. Next morning, up at 3am for prebreakfast and be on the field at 3:30, move irrigation til 6am, then out to buck hay til 7pm. 100# three strand bales. Off to do the irrigation til 9:30pm. We ate 4 meals a day - steak and eggs. This scedule continued for 13 days straight. There were two of us kids working, with the old guy and his wife driving the trucks and bringing us food and water. We had to jog everywhere. If he caught us walking, he would literally run up behind you, slap you in the back of the head and yell, "get your thumb out of your ___!!" Two of us moved over 10,000 bales.

On the 14th day we got to go to the parade in town and drink beer.

Next day it was time to get paid and drive home. 18+ hard hours a day and I was ready to spend some money. He hands me the check - $130 (Well, we have to take out for room and board. You boys ate a lot of food. My wife has medical bills.). If the guy had been under 70, I'd would have cold cocked him.

That really torqued my gourd for a long time, but on the bright side: I gained 20 pounds in two weeks and I had a rock solid reference from the guy till the day he died. The kind of reference where I could look a guy in the eye and ask for a couple bucks more than others were getting and when they called that old farmer, somehow he made it happen. Had I quit when I wanted to, (the first day) - it would have been for nothing and I'd probably be working at a Mickey D's right now.

Good thing labor laws have changed over the years, but work ethic hasn't

 

Next time, I'll look at the job before comitting to it. I learned my lesson.

 

I always haggled for my pay. I do odd jobs in the fall as well as after school harvesting for a family friend. Picking in the fields. He said how does 6 bucks sound i said make it 8 and you have a deal. So we agreed on 8. I've been doing that since i was 14 for him this is my 3rd year. I also do odd stuff for him around the farm. Plus he is a good referance and has been helping me find jobs on other farms since he knows all the farmers. Hopefully he'll find one for the early fall for me and next spring. He's a nice guy that has really helped me out.

Mabey this guy could help you out to.

DT

 

i would say, finish the job you accepted to do, but be sure of what your getting into the next time around.

 

what matters is you got the barn done so the boss could get on and paint. that's sure to be worth a couple bucks to him next time you guys talk about money.

 

But now, I have to weed-whack around the shed. Then the fence. The fence won't be bad at all. But I hate weed-whacking close to buildings with tall shrubs around them because of bees. I have an abnormal fear of bees.

 

2 suggustions:

A. tell him youre alergic to bee's and explain that you really want to finish the job, but the last time you got stung, you almost died....

B. you get paid 5 bucks an hour, work at a 5 buck an hour rate. If the guy realizesyour slower than him, he'll ask you to leave.

 

Never try to get fired - if you don't wanna do it, tell him you're a wuss and walk away.

The kind of work you are doing for him, if you do a good job, you will earn his respect. A lot of old timers will work you like a slave just to see what kind of attitude you are going to give him.

In the end, you do a good job, and like Howdy said, you might get a rock solid reference out of him that helps you out ten years down the road, or outta the blue you get a call from an attorney some day and you own a farm because you weren't a schmuck and his whole family is - something off the wall...

What goes around comes around, doing a huge favor for some old guy might really pay off down the road. Doesn't change how bad it sucks while you're doing it though.

 

Haha that's not a bad idea, except my character is above lying to get out of a job. I'd lie to get out of trouble but not to get out of a job.

Also, for the second suggestion, I don't have enough patience to work slow. If I don't work as fast as possible, I start to get bored.

 

Yeah, that's true. I work for two of my elderly neighbor's and they're going everywhere telling them what kind of a hard-working young man they have cutting grass for them. I cut a fine yard, I'm polite, and I have good character. My neighbors love me.

I have to finish the job so he doesn't think that I'm a wuss and a bad worker. I want a good reference from him, even if it means busting my butt for $5 an hour. I don't like the work, but it'll pay off in the end, like you said. Thanks for the support.

 

I went back back this evening for an hour and a half of 'whacking. I finished in front of the shed, and I started around the side. That's when I noticed the bees. I worked for a little longer, but since I have such an abnormal fear of bees, I couldn't bring myself to get any closer to the shed.

I was honest with him and told him my fear of bees. I told him I felt like a total jerk for not being able to finish the job. He didn't seem to mind much and said he had plenty of other work for me. I told him I'd do anything as long as it didn't involve any bees.

I still have along the fence, and I'll get as close to the shed as I can get without crapping my pants from fright. Now, I know I'm weird because of my extreme abnormal fear of bees, but this shed was dilapitated with holes in the wall and surrounded by low-hanging trees and shrubs. That's the kind of habitat that a bee-fearer like me stays away from as much as possible.

I just hope I can prove to him that I'm a good worker.

 

so this was the truth?
and you have a fear of bee's but wont say your alergic to them?


why are you

when you want to quit

 

I don't mean to be rude but everthing I have read only makes me think you are making excuses to yourself so you will feel better when you do quit? MHO

 

it's a farm. find some crap to burn. the smoke will keep the bees away.

i agree with the previous post.. you're trying to find an excuse to get out of working there. far as i'm concerned you have two options. tough it out and finish the job or go and tell the guy you're worth more money. if you have to go for another job i'd rather tell them i left the old job cuz of money than cuz i was afraid of bees.

wanting more money is normal. somebody that doesn't understand that isn't worth working for.