| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
I love my job. The last three years I've been working at a H-D/Buell dealer doing shipping/recieving as well as handling service parts. The problem is, it's been roughly two and a half years since I've seen a raise and nobody seems to give a crap. I really feel like I'm going backwards here. As much as I like what I do it's disconcerting how though I easily achieve my responsibilities as an employee and surpass them in some respects the management never has my back. It has no illusion of a career, either. I'm frustrated to the point of finding other work. I could be making the same money starting at any corner auto parts store (I know, as I've been there), and at least there I'd see a small yearly salary increase! The wife keeps telling me I need to find a real job. (Message edited by rick_a on October 24, 2007) | ||
| Spiderman |
Ditch!! I used to be in the same situation working for a H-D dealer. But I stayed longer! FInd a new place ASAP... Or do like I did, go back to school. | ||
| Greenagain |
Employers often don't realize that the cost of training a new employee is far more than it would be to give an existing good employee a small raise. Tell them you're leaving if you don't see a bump. Now. | ||
| Toona |
Before you give them the ultimatum, go to a Barnes and Noble and geta book called "What color is your parachute" or something to that effect. It's a book that helps you realise what your best suited for in the way of a job. Maybe you are supposed to be a great parts guy, but just in the wrong "store" right now. Maybe you are best suited for a manufacturing job? I dunno. But the book should help you figure that out. And as Spidey did, never rule out going back to school for a new career. | ||
| Teeps |
I worked at a Honda motorcycle dealer for over 12 years. Through attrition I ended up Service Manager. Then, things changed and I was offered a demotion (back to mechanic) and a cut in pay. So I left the motorcycle industry behind. Trust your gut on this one... | ||
| Glitch |
SCHOOL! That being said, Toona gives some great advise. What color is your parachute is a great book to get you going in the right direction. SCHOOL! | ||
| Strokizator |
Before you just up and quit, sit down with the boss and ask him where they see you fitting in, in the long run. Tell them you like working there but feel under-challenged and under appreciated (underpaid). The answer may be that they want a parts guy and this is what the job pays and if you want to make $40/hr you can't do it from behind the parts counter. It may be that they were waiting for you to "step up to the plate" before investing any more time or money in you. As a boss, I can tell when someone is getting itchy feet and will eventually leave no matter what I offer in the short term. Bottom line is you should have all this information before you make a decision. If you do leave then at least you won't be second guessing your decision. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Don't issue an ultimatum! They will can you. Find a better opening and give your notice. Management generally doesn't respond well to threats. Just leave quietly on good terms. | ||
| Ducxl |
Ditch It's a job with low skill level that most anyone can be easily trained to do.Sorry,that isn't a slam against your abilities.Go to school and train for a higher wage job.Gee,that's what Court is always preaching to me when i lament the loss of American manufacturing. | ||
| Djkaplan |
You got an ace in the hole already and probably didn't realize it; the best time to look for a job is when you already have one. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
cash out the house, take the equity and go overseas, live in a foreign country selling american bikes/parts/service to the ever expanding european market. Wait maybe that is only my parachute | ||
| Rick_a |
Thanks for the responses guys. I feel I am outgrowing this job. Had a talk with the boss. I'll see where it goes from here. Whatever the outcome, I believe my time here is limited. Once I fix the current ride and build myself another bike (employee discount and all), I will be going elsewhere. As much as I'd like to get a degree that's not quite possible right now. It's definitely something I look to do in the future. I've even been having dreams about being in school for the last few years. | ||
| Glitch |
Best of luck Rick! I've got my fingers crossed. Don't write off school, you don't have to go full time, you can take one class at a time if needed. I kept putting it off for a number of reasons. I wish now I hadn't. I was stuck in the manufacturing/production field for what seems like forever. I made my way up to management, but it was the same ol' thing day after day. I really got tired of the ol' standard... The line can not stop! Run it 'til it dies! I went to school at night while working during the day. I had very little time for family, friends, and only rode back and forth to school or work. It was a very long two years. It wasn't easy. The rewards greatly out weighed the pain. Now I work for myself as a contractor for the Coca-Cola company HQ here in Atlanta. While I still feel the need for a change, the opportunities I have are far more numerous than before. Dream on, but don't for get to do. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Oh, thought this thread had to do with relationships, my bad. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
Watch American Beauty and the first hour of Fight Club. You'll see what you need to do. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
I agree with Glitch. SCHOOL is something I have done a lot of. Wish ALL my degrees were in one field (2 of them) but I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. Still feel that way sometimes I am Going to start again too. Stepping into a new position and in a some what different field...Thanks to a friend! I been looking for a reason to go back to school anyways. More of a personal goal form me. I realize It is Hard Too .. | ||
| Buellshyter |
I had no clue HD dealers paid so poorly. Owning a dealership has to be very lucrative. I guess they don't share the wealth. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
You have to be loaded BEFORE you're chosen to be a dealer. Last time I checked, you needed to have $650,000.00 in liquid assets and a previous year's income of 1 mil. The rich get richer. I can't remember seeing a HD dealer folding up around the Milwaukee area recently. | ||
| Dick8008 |
Ask them if there is any possibility of advancement within the dealership. ( Sales, Shop ETC. ) They know you're not lazy now let them know you're not satisfied with out directly telling them. If it doesn't work then find another job and leave on good terms. Possibly staying part time and keeping the discount, if any. I've had plenty of jobs I loved and my bank account hated. Unfortunately the bill collectors don't care if your happy with your job. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Cityxslicker, as a European Bueller I can tell you that the shiny bits market is saturated here & the dollar exchange rate means that a hell of a lot of people, myself included, buy direct from the US, mostly Appleton or American Sport Bike. Rick, if you think it's worth it, you might put some sort of proposal to your firm to advertise on the European Buell web forums & have staff that can deal in the major languages, French, German, Italian. There's a huge market here but it's fragmented with the languages, dealer parts prices are shocking, due to a number of factors, including taxes & duties, but there's still a large gap. The opportunities are there. | ||
| Swampy |
School! Determine your passion and persue it before its is too late! Even if it looks funny or sounds stupid or people laugh at you. I waited too long, now I am stuck in a deadend job in a deadend state that only allows 4-5 months of riding. I am too old to go back to school for a career change. CAUTION! Time Flies! | ||
| Glitch |
I've had plenty of jobs I loved and my bank account hated. Sad but true. Swampy, it's never too late. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
school is a good idea, unless your degree is obsolete the day you graduate. B.A. Soviet International Studies / Russian Language double.... Graduating the year after the wall fell.... Well it is definitely not priceless So then it is just tramping around the country that I have studied for too long and not making any money at it... in the words of McFly "Its my Density!" | ||
| Bad_karma |
Rick Figure out what YOU want from life. Research and develop a plan to get there. There is more to life than your job. Happiness has a value. Tell the wife to get a job. Joe | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Don't issue an ultimatum! They will can you. Find a better opening and give your notice. Management generally doesn't respond well to threats. Just leave quietly on good terms. Very fine advise. If they do not respect your current position, they will never respect any position you hold. Find something new, leave on good terms. If all hell breaks loose you can always come back. | ||
| Rainman |
I've been very lucky in that I found what I love early, got my degree by cramming four years into six while working full time and schoolin' full time. I've never made much money, just now got to $40K per year after 30 years in the business, but never hated going to work. Now, at 50, I find I want to make a change for more money in my last 20 years of good income earning, but my degree is in journalism and that's very limiting right now. I think I'm going back to school to learn Spanish (important and marketable skill) and see where I can go from there. My parachute, unfortunately, is argyle. | ||
| Rick_a |
A lot of what happens here seems to be based less on actual ability and more on likeability. I am terrible when it comes to being personable and all that. That's why I like the back counter work. I don't make a good salesman, either. I've entertained getting a criminal justice or mechanical engineering degree. Who knows. The plan was for the wife to have the career (she's a talented welder) and me to just make enough to get by and enjoy my hobbies. Now she wants to stay home until the kid is 5 y/o. | ||
| Doz |
"The wife keeps telling me to find a real job" Yep, I used to hear that too. But not anymore!!(kept job, got rid of wife). | ||
| Oldog |
I am terrible when it comes to being personable and all that. That's why I like the back counter work. I don't make a good salesman, either. Seems to me that you know the product quite well, [ IMPORTANT ] the interpersonal deal like any thing else is in part learned, and knowing that the "interpersonal bit" needs tuning is + 2 Rick I have visited the Wells Ave store, Even spent some money there. I'ts a boutique and unless its changed your sorta out of your element. How many Clients race? or want to? OTOH If you dont like the Co and the "culture" change is good, ask me how I know}. BTW IF your @ Adamec when I come down later this year I'll stop by I agree School +1 at 50 I am considering it too (Message edited by oldog on October 26, 2007) | ||
| Nevrenuf |
rick, i'm finally doing the thing for the past year that i had spent the previous 27 yrs trying to do after i got out of the navy. looks like i got 20 yrs on you. it's not to late by a long shot to find something else that you would like to do. right now your in that circle of people that can go from one store to another to try and find the better place to work cause you've been there for a while now. a lot of that depends on how far your willing to travel. my daughter starts on the 1st her new position behind the parts counter. she's wanted to do this for quite a while now and she's been there for over two years now and she likes it. she even turned down going to work for progressive insurance making a decent bit more money than she is now to stay and see what happens. of course she doesn't have a family to contend with or even any major bills like rent. i'm letting the kids stay in the house while i'm working up in greenville SC and my wife is looking for work over in chattanooga. so she has it made pretty easy and can afford to stick around to see how she makes out as a parts person. she is a people person so she will do good even though she is not all that knowledgable about parts. best bet start taking some classes while your still working to see how you fair back at school. either way good luck. | ||
| Firemanjim |
And here I thought we were going to talk about getting rid of a wife or a bad motorcycle---- when you don't ride em and enjoy em, heave-ho.  | ||
| Sanchez |
I find the best way to get a raise is to ask for one. If you just sit around doing a great job and hoping someone will notice it and offer to give you more money, you'll be disappointed more often than not. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that. |
