I was laid off from my job (HVAC service tech). I am 23 and i have a degree in HVAC and 3 years field exp. The company is downsizing so I won't be geting my job back even when it warms up . The local plumbing and heating buisnesses in my area are all real slow and are predicting to stay slow this summer . I can't move or drive down to Minneapolis because I farm as well. I need you guys and girls advice. I have 3 options. 1st is a starting up HVAC company that is very unstable. He bids his jobs real low and is working out of his garage. I would have no benifits or workmans comp but the pay would stay the same ($15.00 an hr) and I would be a independent contractor subed out to him. He is looking into giving his guys benifits and have them as his own employees but that is a few years away. 2nd option is working in a livestock feed plant on the 3rd shift making feed and a posibility to move to a maintance position. Pay is $10.50, benifits and retirement and a posible increase in pay after a month. Being on third shift would alow me to better manage my farming operaton and care for my cattle 3rd is a temporary positon at 3M corp on a rotating shift with a chance to get in full time at the end of my time there. If I get in to 3M full time I would have benifits and retirement as well. I have worked shifts in the past and they stink i am eiter sleeping working or staying up in the night preparing for the night shift and I woulden't be able to do as good of a job farming. What would you guys do? or do you have some job leads I like my field I am in. Being on unemployment sucks! It makes me apprecate my old job (uniforms and a take home vehicle) or should I check in to college again?

 

If all else fails, look into the military, you sound qualified to do that stuff, and God knows we need people. My best friend did HVAC and finished school, well, he didnt go too far. He was in your shoes, so he started building houses and then became a farrier. So hes now a jack of all trades. But back to you. Dont think of going back to school to learn something new was a waste. You will be better off in the long run. Take some business classes and business law classes before you would ever consider looking into starting yoru own business. Look into different trades. You have to do what YOU want to do. Dont go into something where you hate life.
So I bid you good luck with everything. I hope something comes along that is great for you.

Mike

 

why not start your own companyt?

 

You don't want to be an "independent contractor" under the terms you outlined above. I agree with jake, why don't you start your own company? It would be better than the garage based business because you would be in control.

The thing about owning your own business is that your boss is really a pain in the backside. The upside is that after a couple of years of hard work you can start hiring someone else to do the labor while you spend your time shmoozing with the customers to get their business.

Given that you are nailed down to the farmland, the military option sounds problematic no matter how good an option. If it is your own business, you can control the maximum amount of business you are willing to accept.

 

Where are you living now?

 

I don't want to start my own company beause I don't have enough experience yet and also there are about 20 different shops in my area (Hutchinson, MN) now several are working out of their garages now. My main dream/goal is to farm and I am doing that now, its just my farming operation at this time won't support me.

 

You might want to sit down and figure out what it was about the job you liked, and see what other jobs are like it. Many jobs actually transfer skills to other jobs, just have to stop and think about it. What part of it do you like best, and then look into the jobs that have that part of the job in it.

 

dont know your farm situation but ever think of doin some sort of trucking hauling work?
if you have farm trucks already half done
just a thought?

 

Apparently there is a market in the area for HVAC folks with shops in their garages. You have a farm. That means you have a really big garage. If you are looking for a career, try for the 3M gig. If you are looking for supplemental income to support your farming business, look for some side HVAC work as a self employed entrepeneur.

My $0.02

 

go back to college would be my first choice, second choice would be the 3m temp job(while still looking for the hvac job) and third choice would be work for that start up hvac company.

 

It sounds to me like you would really just like to farm, and not do HVAC at all.

If thats the case, I would work take the contractor position, but try to work a possiblity of becoming a partner at some point in time. You probably know quite a few clients working in that field for 3 years. With a little work, his money, and your experience, you could start up a decent company.

After a few years, and if buisness stabilzes, I would sell your half of that buisness, buy some more farm land, and start farming full time. I will say, that no matter what you do, follow your heart, you can't go wrong there.

 

Snake's got the best advice. Part-time contractor, part-time farming. I work part-time as a computer systems analyst and part-time farming until the farm starts payin for itself. If it never does, at least part-time I do what I like.

 

I agree with the last couple of posts - if farming is what you want to do, then do what will move you in that direction. I'm not sure if that's the 3rd shift feed plant job (more daylight hours to spend at the farm?), or the HVAC sub-con job (more $$$?) But do what will do the most to get you to where you want to go...

 

I don't think you say if your single or tied down with a wife and kids - do you really need the benefits now? I'm guessing that since you farm and are looking for extra income, ya'll don't got 10,000 acres split amongt 12 relatives to maximize federal re-imbursements.

Consider 3-M seriously. It's been awhile since I had any dealings with them, but if you could get on full time, 3-M might have programs to help employees with continuing education (you've already shown a tech leaning with HVAC) - ever think of being an engineer or other tech career? You might want to think about what your going to be doing 20 years from now, rather than 20 days, if you got the time...

Luck.

 

man a college degree in HVAC and 3 years experience, you should start your own company, working out of your truck, talk to realtors and builders I'm sure they can help you. You might have to hire someone to tend to your cows, while you are working.