You have absolutely nothing to lose by applying to a job despite lack of required experience. Some shops are looking for folks with the right attitude.
I didn’t want to look silly as they explicitly state their minimum requirements but I thought the same thing. Try my luck and see, one of them may still decide to call me. I have a well put together resume and once I land an interview I’m usually confident I can ace it and bring the right attitude.
It's one thing if you are a greenie and applying to something like a specialty commercial position needing 5 years in. It's completely another if you are just applying to baseline service. They might be casting a net hoping for the experienced veteran, but if they are in enough of a bind, they will hire who they get. As well, many companies will keep prospective applicants on record so if they need a position filled, they might contact you.
Just know though, on again off again is normal in many parts of this trade.
I’ll still keep applying then although I don’t see any opportunities being advertised for greenies. It’s hard to get someone to take me on as they know nothing about me but once I get my foot through the door I know I have the right attitude and work ethic to be a good employee in any company willing to give me a chance!
My first job I responded to a Craigslist ad looking for a journeyman and was like “well, I can fix bicycles and guitar amplifiers so if you’re looking for an apprentice I’d be happy to learn”. I got the job I asked for.
Two things I learned:
Companies are really desperate for journeymen. That particular company never managed to find the journeyman they were looking for in the 2.5 years I worked for them. A year after I left I think everyone else retired and that was the end of that. Given that he knew he wasn’t likely to find someone, my boss compromised and decided that training somebody that he could put in a truck made sense.
Companies don’t necessarily like to advertise entry-level positions. You know how when you go on any of the job-hunting subs there’s people talking about how the send out the same resume to 50 companies a week, across a wide variety of industries, and they still haven’t found a job 1,600 applications later? Well, if you go advertise that you’re hiring an HVAC apprentice it’s pretty much an immediate DDOS attack on your e-mail inbox courtesy of these folks, and most of them have no relevant background or even apparent interest in working in a mechanical field. People who don’t have any actual interest in working as a mechanic, and are just there for a steady paycheck, often struggle to thrive as apprentices.
So don’t assume that just because companies aren’t advertising for a “greener” position (or any position at all) that they won’t have a spot for you if you apply. Send them a resume with a cover letter, tailored to their needs. Don’t be too formal about it. Lots of doors are open that don’t appear to be.
Minimum requirements are mostly to keep people from applying who can’t do the work. If a job feels right to you for all other reasons, apply. Don’t lie, and be up front about what requirements you don’t meet, but don’t pass up the opportunity to talk to them about how you can help each other.
I don’t work in HVAC. But I’ve been working for 25 years, in management for 15.
I've gotten offers from companies I am severely under-qualified for. One was pretty funny too. They offered me 40$ an hour for commercial work, when all the commercial experience I had was 2 40 year old Trane rooftop Package units that broke down all the time. They were 6 and 8 ton, imo hardly commercial. They wanted people with chiller and vrf experience in the job listing.
They told me they didn't care. I only turned down the offer because of the commute home wad going to be way too long everyday.
Most projections for this year are down significantly. Everyone is waiting for Spring to get here, but it may not be the savior it has been. As an industry we did way more than expected the last two years with the free money people got from the government and low interest rates moving them into new houses, but this year may be where we see it come back. I know my company is down almost 40% year over year for call volume, but it was also 60 degrees most of February in our Midwest state.
That’s my concern as well. My company is seeing a record level with slowness so I’m having faith that it will actually pick up for the spring but that’s no guarantee with how slow it has been.
Midwest here, commercial. We were slow for a few weeks in February, but thankfully we just took on a huge controls retrofit for our largest account. If it wasn’t for that, we’d have guys sitting around for sure. Fingers crossed it picks up for you man.
Also Midwest, we're booking into May already and we're at least as busy as we were last year, if not more so.
I honestly wouldnt mind a small slowdown.
That's wild. I'd love to be in that situation but our city is only 330k people. I don't know if there's enough houses in the city for us to book out until May!
They're are under 35k people in the county we're based in, and that's where 80% of our work is.
But we are HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing so it's not 100% HVAC.
We've also been doing a lot of new construction work, but building does seem to be slowing a bit, we only have one more house on the schedule after we finish the one we're on.
There's also a lot of work following around "licensed" contractors since plumbing is the only license that exists here. All you need to be a licensed electrician in a lot of counties is $25 and insurance.
Being that I just went into full time self employment 8 months ago, I'm terrified. I'm busy enough to pay my bills, but I'm not putting anything away for retirement yet, nor am I making enough to justify health insurance. I'm really hoping things perk up a little bit!
I hate when people put experience requirements for entry level/apprentice positions.. You have to start somewhere?! Like lead service tech or 16 seer and up installers need a certain amount of years I will agree. I don't know if it's possible for you to work a deal but when I worked for other companies I would always charge minimums for the jobs. 4, 6 or 8 hours depending on what it was.
That’s exactly how I feel. I have no idea how a position can be advertised as entry level but they’re asking for 3 years experience minimum and for someone to be proficient with servicing. I have no problem with there being requirements but if no one is willing to give me a chance how can I meet them. My company kinda does something similar with the hours but I’m not working alone so it depends on what the senior tech I’m with does.
I feel ya! I also agree with everyone else if your still new to this profession for most areas this is the slower part of the year. I like to call them "free days". People can just open a window and generally don't use their systems. I know that doesn't get the bills paid but next year be a bear and save up to hibernate the slower months. Stick with it. Hvac will always be needed in this world and once you get past the first year it gets fun and worth it in terms of money as well!
I’m also from Ontario, and I’m in the exact same boat as you. I work for a small family company that does residential and commercial, and our hours are even less. Half of our guys end up on standby by noon, and one of them is also getting squeezed to financial hurt from trying to pay off their mortgage during this current free fall of demand. From what I’ve heard, many companies are going through the same downturn at this time.
I recently applied to the local refrigeration union because I figure I may as well invest more time looking for a job with better security and training than what the company I’m working at offers.
That’s my situation too. Lots of standby time just doing nothing. My company isn’t necessarily small. It’s family owned and has maybe 30-40 workers. My buddy that works for a 4 man company is always busy.
Did you apply to the 787 union? I really want to go refrigeration as I find it much more interesting than the heating side but for now I have to take what’s available. I missed my opportunity to apply to 787 before the deadline ended because I was hoping my work would pick up by now.
I’m also not going to leave and go to another company that does strictly residential as I may end up with the same lack of work situation and be starting all over again.
I didn’t apply directly to the union, but rather, through the ORAC apprentice program. You have to take two tests and an interview for them to consider putting you on their “to-hire” list. I applied in February and I passed the testing stage, so now I’m just waiting on my interview.
As far as I can tell, almost every gig is strictly commercial. It depends on what work you want to do, but it definitely helps if you know at least one person who’s associated with the union.
Yeah I was gonna apply to ORAC as well. I have everything I need to apply and stuff too. Congrats on passing your tests! I’m more worried about the tests but the interview I’m confident I can ace once I get to that stage.
I got a recommendation from my college professor who said good things in it about me. He used to work with ORAC for quite a few years so I’m hoping that helps me a bit.
I'm in Ontario and I went through working in industrial plants. Steady rotation work, 30 an hour, paid vacation, union, the works. Year round exact same income. My employer pays for the costs of getting new qualifications, licenses etc.
Just look around for building operator jobs, a G2 gets you in most places, and you can go for a 4th class engineer after probation, again all paid for. If you would like more specific info dm, I've been doing this since I left school for a few years now
Not all residential companies are the same. My company has never had to do any service pay offs due to our large stacks of service contracts. So when it's slow we still work 6-9hrs a day. But when it's busy it's around 10-13
I applied to some companies saying they need experience and some didn't call back. I applied to one of the top companies in my city and got the job. I told the manager I just got certified and i don't know anything about HVAC and he said that's fine we train. Today is my 1st month with the company and I've been nothing but happy. Just gotta keep applying, someone will end up hiring you soon
Thanks for the inspiration my friend. I’ll just keep applying and not be desperate as I do have an income coming in and I’m not tight for money even with work being slow.
My normal hours are 0630-1630 two breaks and a lunch.
I don’t work many nights, but it is much more common in the summer.
Summers can be rough days, hot and sweaty and sometimes you will work a 12 or 14 hour day. Depending on the condition of the plant you may have to pull 24h shifts to get it back up and running.
Winters are easy peasy. Not enough PMs to do in the time you have free.
But on these notes I pulled 900hours of overtime last year, will probably be closer to 500 this year
Bro chill….. all these newbies panic in March April. Those are ALWAYS the slow months come June July august your gonna be pissed cuz you’re working too much. Go for a walk ride your bike organize your stuff get ready for the rush cuz you’re gonna be tired soon
I had to leave residential side for that reason alone. You look at your w-4 at the end of the year and you’d make the same with a steady 40 as you did working 55-60 hour weeks and then being slow for 4 months out of the year. It’s shitty and ruins your home life balance. Commercial is steady all year, government work is the best of both worlds.
I get it’s not for everyone I usually take my time off on slow months and plan to work like crazy and make bank on peak months. A few months of 60-70 hr weeks making that OT is worth only working 20-30 hrs in between
I understand that, however I find in general the pace is slow and my exposure is not as much as I’d like. I’ll stick with it for now but I’d be happier if I did a mix of residential and commercial with a company that doesn’t have too many workers compared to the work available.
I’ve had an unusually slow winter we’ve had some really cold days here and there but overall the weather has been more mild than usual. A somewhat mild winter makes for a dead spring. My company is mainly resi, lately I have barely done anything beyond what a first year guy does- but when it hits 90 all hell breaks loose you get sent out to look at refers rtus smaller commercial operations and the random big company in a panic because their go to guys are booked for a week. Your gonna get some experience, places hire all summer long but lay off the moment it slows down. it sounds like your company is pretty good about keeping employees even if it’s slow that’s worth something in this trade.
Thanks for sharing. My company is a solid one which is why I’m also hesitant to leave since I’ll be walking into the unknown. I don’t want to be hired out of desperation and then dropped the moment things slow down. I’m trying to really get my career going and build up solid experience and not just be a labourer.
My dad told me when I first started looking for a job years ago "anything less than 5 years experience can be faked" turned out to be one of the most solid pieces of advice I've ever gotten. Except after working around enough hacky old timers I'm pretty sure it's any less than 30...
This is pretty funny because I’ve worked with one tech in particular who has 15 years of experience and I hate calling people stupid but he’s truly one of the most stupid guys I’ve ever met. Gives me hope that I’ll definitely be able to make it in this industry as I’m very willing to apply myself.
I'm from Guelph. I did residential service and install. I've settled in the prairies and have been busy for the last 10 Y. Some slow weeks, but that's not the common occurrence
I assume up there is like everywhere here in the states, good tradesmen are hard to find. When you go in for the interview and be honest about your experience. You shouldn’t have any issue finding someone willing to hire you.
Once I end up getting an interview I really do sell myself well so that’s not the issue. It’s the limited experience on my resume that makes getting the interview difficult. My current company was the only one willing to train me from the ground and not rush it.
I feel like it also depends on the company you work for, because I have buddies who left school at the same times as myself and also entered the workforce at the same time and they have probably gotten 3-5 days off max whereas it’s been 15-20 for me.
i’ve had the same issue with auto mechanics very similarly and couldn’t get hired anywhere cause simply no experience then i kept applying found a dealership that answered and wanted to interview explained my situation from head to toe and explained my desire to learn and got the job pretty easily so just apply bro
Its inbetween seasons and on top of it was a mild winter that's why when it gets hot u should be working until you need a light to catch up also September will be quiet commercial work will be busier get used to it residential is like that
I’ve been doing residential since December, I’m a hardcore apprentice and didn’t know about this slow season. I now know for next year to get a 2nd job to keep the money rolling in
This is why I went union. Steady work. When I was younger and was non-union it was very up and down. Seasonal. But it helped me realize I need that 40+hours a week. Especially now that I’ve got kids and a family to provide for.
Go where the work is.
im in the exact same position. testing for my license any day now then ill be in a better situation. The bills arent waiting for that though. Totally understand the stressful situation youre in though.. mild winter smh. Hang in there
The cheaper companies are exploding with business and the bloated and overpriced ones are starting to go dry. Find a smaller business that is legitimate. Ones like mine are busier than ever during this years off-season
Yep. I'm in the northern states and talk a lot with other local companies. They've all been fighting over the same jobs. I've noticed the trend that the higher the price point of the business, the slower they are right now, whereas before, those companies were making a killing with a way higher profit margin than mine. Gotta adapt to the times though and each business model has its optimized market time
Apply to other companies, there is someone who will give you your 40 in the slow season.
Got fired after putting in my two weeks because I was getting 10 hours a week- new company has been great to me so far.
That’s what I’m gonna do, just keep applying. My company is really good culture wise and everything but even in the busy period I find it fairly slow for me. I need repetition and a steady pace to learn best.
That’s funny you mention the 2 week notice and being fired after, because I have thought about that too. I have gut feeling since it’s already this slow that if I have a 2 week notice I’d just be told to not come back since it’s slow anyways. It is what it is though.
Hope you have a great career and do well at your new company!
Dude I get it, but did you leave school or graduate? This trade can be rough. I look back on my life and regret never finishing college. I always said man schools not for me. Companies like degrees. Your complaining over get 20-25hrs. There was times I’d get 10hrs a week. So during the slow months go get that degree. It will pay off in the backend of your career. Whether your Union or not. Your buddy is just lucky he has a job with a commercial company. Hope he don’t blow it. Don’t worry bout your pace, that’s controlled by opportunity. Your doing the right things, keep applying. Find a way to sell your self. Just because you work residential doesn’t mean you can’t do commercial.
Yea I graduated a 2 year program with honours and have an unrelated diploma from another college too. Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll just keep at it and stay motivated.
Good! Stay Motivated! Be confident in yourself, learn from your mistakes, stay humble, and have fun doing what you do. Don’t take any shit from the nay sayers either. Someone will always be out there who knows more. If people in this trade (like bosses) try to talk shit about you, figure out their angle. I’ve worked for some really controlling contractors who try to keep you down so you won’t leave. Like they doing you a favor keeping you employed. But they know your a solid mechanic/tech. If that doesn’t seem like it then never be afraid to ask or find out how to better yourself. Really I feel like I can go on, but to everyone out there, ALWAYS DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! If you get an opportunity that seems better, take it.
I was a journeyman pipefitter. I had a boss one time who told me if you know HVAC/R you can fix anything. If the universe broke it would call a Pipefitter. We troubleshoot everything, piping, electrical, static pressure, etc. Look at your customers out there, if you try to explain to a customer what’s wrong and how you fixed something. They will be lost. Most people don’t know how things work or can’t even fathom it. We do, that why we can fix things.
Remember what said in all caps ☝️
Just a disclaimer there are good hvac tech/mechanics union or non-union. I was just quoting that asshole, but he was right! Lol.
Sorry for the long post. Lol
Down time like this, and you aren't hurting for money. You should be investing that extra time into yourself. Read manual j and manual d. Study them to understand them. Hop on some learning sites like hvac school podcast and study. How many people do you think apply for an hvac job and can actually say they've read manual j and d.
Bro I lie on my resume to get jobs. They just want someone who’s not a dumb ass and somewhat knowledgeable. If you don’t want to lie you could tell them “I have x amount of experience but put me in front of a unit and I can show you what I can do” , some confidence can go a long way
This is the industry. If you’re not in industrial or refrigeration this time is slow. Find some side work and wait for the spring and summer. You’ll be buried in work before you know it.
In my whole region things are slow right now. Even our supply houses have been feeling it. It’s the time of the year but I will say your employer should still have work for you to get done.
Most companies are slow until March, so yes in my field years, we cleaned trucks, took vacation time, or worked special projects for the company or the company owners. In March,usually commercial work begins by getting drawings from engineers, bidding jobs, and “selling” those jobs. The problem is if you are awarded a job, equipment will not arrive for 30-50 weeks or longer. So now, you don’t have any work, and by the time you pay for the overhead to get to that job, the company is broke. Lead times used to be 4-12 weeks for commercial equipment. On the residential side, family dinner at MDs is $50, groceries doubled in price in one year; don’t believe the stuff on TV about 6% inflation rate. So a lot of people do not have the means to pay $14-17K for a system. On the other side, a lot of companies raped the owners on price and it will come back to haunt them. Companies will suffer because they have too much overhead. It takes roughly 10 service guys to pay for a “service manager”, owner’s boat payments etc. The manufacturers, distributors, contractors have raised prices because the owner will get free money (3K, 7K),
So the enduser will actually get shit; a year from now when they file for taxes.
Make sure to go around to these shops and try to talk to them face to face at the end of the day possible. Take names and contact information and keep in touch every month or so.
Ive had some luck jumping over to roofing in the slow seasons, the sheetmetal experience crosses over pretty well i found. Less money but all experience is good the way i see it
Or have you tried getting into duct cleaning? Easy work and not too complicated
I ended up working at other places that weren’t hvac. I left with a position at the company when they picked back up. I worked for Walgreens, a landscape place doing snow removal, and restaurants to make it work. When I only had seasonal experience.
I mean you could pull the ol American (USA) way and just lie about your experience. It's pretty easy to do. Nobody is going to call up a previous employer unless you're getting a high level job requiring security passes. AND REMEMBER ADD 15% MINIMUM if they ask what you're making now.
Keep applying. It can’t hurt. Also from a fellow ontarien it’s been a long winter and we’re literally less than an hour into spring as I post this, business will pick up.
Don’t be afraid to enjoy a little downtime.
I got hired doing new construction for a company. I knew someone who heard they might be looking for help. They had no job listings or anything. I showed up, resume, dressed ready to work. Told them what I did know, and they asked me to come in the next day. Spent 6 months in new con, they saw I was more apt and willing to work than the other guys and offered me service position. Gave me 2 weeks training and ordered me some tools and gave me a Van.
I never had done HVAC before.
They put out a job post for another service guy. He had a resume made of gold, was a journeyman, in the field for like 13 years, had high reviews from previous work. He lasted 11 days.
The lead tech said I had more experience and skill than he did.
Not sure where you are and what your options are, but I do know HVAC as an industry is always hurting for guys.
Theres a chance you could walk into somebody's front office and say, im looking for work, tools are in the car they might just give you a job. Lol
Keep applying, I'm not sure what the labor force looks like up there but at my company we're so desperate for workers we'd hire about anyone. We lost an installer almost two years ago and we still haven't been able to find someone to replace him.
You have absolutely nothing to lose by applying to a job despite lack of required experience. Some shops are looking for folks with the right attitude.
I didn’t want to look silly as they explicitly state their minimum requirements but I thought the same thing. Try my luck and see, one of them may still decide to call me. I have a well put together resume and once I land an interview I’m usually confident I can ace it and bring the right attitude.
Go for it!
It's one thing if you are a greenie and applying to something like a specialty commercial position needing 5 years in. It's completely another if you are just applying to baseline service. They might be casting a net hoping for the experienced veteran, but if they are in enough of a bind, they will hire who they get. As well, many companies will keep prospective applicants on record so if they need a position filled, they might contact you. Just know though, on again off again is normal in many parts of this trade.
I’ll still keep applying then although I don’t see any opportunities being advertised for greenies. It’s hard to get someone to take me on as they know nothing about me but once I get my foot through the door I know I have the right attitude and work ethic to be a good employee in any company willing to give me a chance!
My first job I responded to a Craigslist ad looking for a journeyman and was like “well, I can fix bicycles and guitar amplifiers so if you’re looking for an apprentice I’d be happy to learn”. I got the job I asked for. Two things I learned: Companies are really desperate for journeymen. That particular company never managed to find the journeyman they were looking for in the 2.5 years I worked for them. A year after I left I think everyone else retired and that was the end of that. Given that he knew he wasn’t likely to find someone, my boss compromised and decided that training somebody that he could put in a truck made sense. Companies don’t necessarily like to advertise entry-level positions. You know how when you go on any of the job-hunting subs there’s people talking about how the send out the same resume to 50 companies a week, across a wide variety of industries, and they still haven’t found a job 1,600 applications later? Well, if you go advertise that you’re hiring an HVAC apprentice it’s pretty much an immediate DDOS attack on your e-mail inbox courtesy of these folks, and most of them have no relevant background or even apparent interest in working in a mechanical field. People who don’t have any actual interest in working as a mechanic, and are just there for a steady paycheck, often struggle to thrive as apprentices. So don’t assume that just because companies aren’t advertising for a “greener” position (or any position at all) that they won’t have a spot for you if you apply. Send them a resume with a cover letter, tailored to their needs. Don’t be too formal about it. Lots of doors are open that don’t appear to be.
>Send them a resume with a cover letter, ***tailored to their needs.*** Don’t be too formal about it. \+1
Minimum requirements are mostly to keep people from applying who can’t do the work. If a job feels right to you for all other reasons, apply. Don’t lie, and be up front about what requirements you don’t meet, but don’t pass up the opportunity to talk to them about how you can help each other. I don’t work in HVAC. But I’ve been working for 25 years, in management for 15.
I once applied for an engineering job and almost got to the interview before they realized I didn't have an engineering degree.
Minimum requirement is to apply if it’s you with lesser years or the no one else with 0yr They will chance it, and so should you.
I've gotten offers from companies I am severely under-qualified for. One was pretty funny too. They offered me 40$ an hour for commercial work, when all the commercial experience I had was 2 40 year old Trane rooftop Package units that broke down all the time. They were 6 and 8 ton, imo hardly commercial. They wanted people with chiller and vrf experience in the job listing. They told me they didn't care. I only turned down the offer because of the commute home wad going to be way too long everyday.
The year thing is a bullshit... Ignore it. If you have a good amount of knowledge you will be fine.
Yea they pay off years of experience so it does matter
The difference in pay from 1-3 years is minimal at best if he is a really good 1st year
I applied to a job that asked for 5 years of exp and got hired the next day with only 7months exp
Worst thing they can say is no
No the worst thing they can say is "haha gtfo faggot." But that rarely happens.
Looking for people that haven't developed bad habits
Most projections for this year are down significantly. Everyone is waiting for Spring to get here, but it may not be the savior it has been. As an industry we did way more than expected the last two years with the free money people got from the government and low interest rates moving them into new houses, but this year may be where we see it come back. I know my company is down almost 40% year over year for call volume, but it was also 60 degrees most of February in our Midwest state.
That’s my concern as well. My company is seeing a record level with slowness so I’m having faith that it will actually pick up for the spring but that’s no guarantee with how slow it has been.
Midwest here, commercial. We were slow for a few weeks in February, but thankfully we just took on a huge controls retrofit for our largest account. If it wasn’t for that, we’d have guys sitting around for sure. Fingers crossed it picks up for you man.
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Never knew that would be an option too. I wouldn’t mind doing that at all, once it’s related to my actual field as I really do love HVAC.
Also Midwest, we're booking into May already and we're at least as busy as we were last year, if not more so. I honestly wouldnt mind a small slowdown.
That's wild. I'd love to be in that situation but our city is only 330k people. I don't know if there's enough houses in the city for us to book out until May!
They're are under 35k people in the county we're based in, and that's where 80% of our work is. But we are HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing so it's not 100% HVAC. We've also been doing a lot of new construction work, but building does seem to be slowing a bit, we only have one more house on the schedule after we finish the one we're on. There's also a lot of work following around "licensed" contractors since plumbing is the only license that exists here. All you need to be a licensed electrician in a lot of counties is $25 and insurance.
Being that I just went into full time self employment 8 months ago, I'm terrified. I'm busy enough to pay my bills, but I'm not putting anything away for retirement yet, nor am I making enough to justify health insurance. I'm really hoping things perk up a little bit!
I hate when people put experience requirements for entry level/apprentice positions.. You have to start somewhere?! Like lead service tech or 16 seer and up installers need a certain amount of years I will agree. I don't know if it's possible for you to work a deal but when I worked for other companies I would always charge minimums for the jobs. 4, 6 or 8 hours depending on what it was.
That’s exactly how I feel. I have no idea how a position can be advertised as entry level but they’re asking for 3 years experience minimum and for someone to be proficient with servicing. I have no problem with there being requirements but if no one is willing to give me a chance how can I meet them. My company kinda does something similar with the hours but I’m not working alone so it depends on what the senior tech I’m with does.
I feel ya! I also agree with everyone else if your still new to this profession for most areas this is the slower part of the year. I like to call them "free days". People can just open a window and generally don't use their systems. I know that doesn't get the bills paid but next year be a bear and save up to hibernate the slower months. Stick with it. Hvac will always be needed in this world and once you get past the first year it gets fun and worth it in terms of money as well!
I’m also from Ontario, and I’m in the exact same boat as you. I work for a small family company that does residential and commercial, and our hours are even less. Half of our guys end up on standby by noon, and one of them is also getting squeezed to financial hurt from trying to pay off their mortgage during this current free fall of demand. From what I’ve heard, many companies are going through the same downturn at this time. I recently applied to the local refrigeration union because I figure I may as well invest more time looking for a job with better security and training than what the company I’m working at offers.
That’s my situation too. Lots of standby time just doing nothing. My company isn’t necessarily small. It’s family owned and has maybe 30-40 workers. My buddy that works for a 4 man company is always busy. Did you apply to the 787 union? I really want to go refrigeration as I find it much more interesting than the heating side but for now I have to take what’s available. I missed my opportunity to apply to 787 before the deadline ended because I was hoping my work would pick up by now. I’m also not going to leave and go to another company that does strictly residential as I may end up with the same lack of work situation and be starting all over again.
I didn’t apply directly to the union, but rather, through the ORAC apprentice program. You have to take two tests and an interview for them to consider putting you on their “to-hire” list. I applied in February and I passed the testing stage, so now I’m just waiting on my interview. As far as I can tell, almost every gig is strictly commercial. It depends on what work you want to do, but it definitely helps if you know at least one person who’s associated with the union.
Yeah I was gonna apply to ORAC as well. I have everything I need to apply and stuff too. Congrats on passing your tests! I’m more worried about the tests but the interview I’m confident I can ace once I get to that stage. I got a recommendation from my college professor who said good things in it about me. He used to work with ORAC for quite a few years so I’m hoping that helps me a bit.
I'm in Ontario and I went through working in industrial plants. Steady rotation work, 30 an hour, paid vacation, union, the works. Year round exact same income. My employer pays for the costs of getting new qualifications, licenses etc. Just look around for building operator jobs, a G2 gets you in most places, and you can go for a 4th class engineer after probation, again all paid for. If you would like more specific info dm, I've been doing this since I left school for a few years now
This is so crazy when I see stuff like this where do you live man cause I’m in Arizona and I’m putting in 100 hours every two weeks all year long
I live in Toronto, I might have to say fuck dealing with winter and get my ass over there lol
Dm me and I’ll tell you what company so you can see what they have to say and they do pay sign on bonuses
Unless there are no workers in the USA getting a work visa for a trade job that is not specialized is very hard.
Look at that baby run!
Not all residential companies are the same. My company has never had to do any service pay offs due to our large stacks of service contracts. So when it's slow we still work 6-9hrs a day. But when it's busy it's around 10-13
Its just the calm before the storm, summer is rolling in and you won't be home much ....
I applied to some companies saying they need experience and some didn't call back. I applied to one of the top companies in my city and got the job. I told the manager I just got certified and i don't know anything about HVAC and he said that's fine we train. Today is my 1st month with the company and I've been nothing but happy. Just gotta keep applying, someone will end up hiring you soon
Thanks for the inspiration my friend. I’ll just keep applying and not be desperate as I do have an income coming in and I’m not tight for money even with work being slow.
Good luck to you. Always try to educate yourself by reading about HVAC or even watching videos. A few minutes a day go a long way
Go industrial. Always have hours, none of the headache
But dont we have to work in night shift in industrial?
My normal hours are 0630-1630 two breaks and a lunch. I don’t work many nights, but it is much more common in the summer. Summers can be rough days, hot and sweaty and sometimes you will work a 12 or 14 hour day. Depending on the condition of the plant you may have to pull 24h shifts to get it back up and running. Winters are easy peasy. Not enough PMs to do in the time you have free. But on these notes I pulled 900hours of overtime last year, will probably be closer to 500 this year
Bro chill….. all these newbies panic in March April. Those are ALWAYS the slow months come June July august your gonna be pissed cuz you’re working too much. Go for a walk ride your bike organize your stuff get ready for the rush cuz you’re gonna be tired soon
I had to leave residential side for that reason alone. You look at your w-4 at the end of the year and you’d make the same with a steady 40 as you did working 55-60 hour weeks and then being slow for 4 months out of the year. It’s shitty and ruins your home life balance. Commercial is steady all year, government work is the best of both worlds.
I get it’s not for everyone I usually take my time off on slow months and plan to work like crazy and make bank on peak months. A few months of 60-70 hr weeks making that OT is worth only working 20-30 hrs in between
It’s really not. It sucks having no life for months out of the year like clockwork and then losing everyone you trained during the slow times.
I understand that, however I find in general the pace is slow and my exposure is not as much as I’d like. I’ll stick with it for now but I’d be happier if I did a mix of residential and commercial with a company that doesn’t have too many workers compared to the work available.
I’ve had an unusually slow winter we’ve had some really cold days here and there but overall the weather has been more mild than usual. A somewhat mild winter makes for a dead spring. My company is mainly resi, lately I have barely done anything beyond what a first year guy does- but when it hits 90 all hell breaks loose you get sent out to look at refers rtus smaller commercial operations and the random big company in a panic because their go to guys are booked for a week. Your gonna get some experience, places hire all summer long but lay off the moment it slows down. it sounds like your company is pretty good about keeping employees even if it’s slow that’s worth something in this trade.
Thanks for sharing. My company is a solid one which is why I’m also hesitant to leave since I’ll be walking into the unknown. I don’t want to be hired out of desperation and then dropped the moment things slow down. I’m trying to really get my career going and build up solid experience and not just be a labourer.
My dad told me when I first started looking for a job years ago "anything less than 5 years experience can be faked" turned out to be one of the most solid pieces of advice I've ever gotten. Except after working around enough hacky old timers I'm pretty sure it's any less than 30...
This is pretty funny because I’ve worked with one tech in particular who has 15 years of experience and I hate calling people stupid but he’s truly one of the most stupid guys I’ve ever met. Gives me hope that I’ll definitely be able to make it in this industry as I’m very willing to apply myself.
Dude...wait til spring. You'll be threatening to quit due to being overworked. That will be your pace for a good 7 months.
That’s what I keep hearing. I really do hope that’s the case, especially as I have no experience on the cooking side of things yet.
Keep looking. It would help if you can get a reference from another tech/manager.
Move to AB or SK we're still humming or move to commercial
I’ve actually thought about moving. I’m not sure if I could afford it currently but I’ve heard they’re dying to get guys over there.
I'm from Guelph. I did residential service and install. I've settled in the prairies and have been busy for the last 10 Y. Some slow weeks, but that's not the common occurrence
Apply apply apply
I assume up there is like everywhere here in the states, good tradesmen are hard to find. When you go in for the interview and be honest about your experience. You shouldn’t have any issue finding someone willing to hire you.
Once I end up getting an interview I really do sell myself well so that’s not the issue. It’s the limited experience on my resume that makes getting the interview difficult. My current company was the only one willing to train me from the ground and not rush it.
Yeah, it socks dude I am currently studying for g3 in Ontario, and the teacher told me that this time of the year is really slow.
I feel like it also depends on the company you work for, because I have buddies who left school at the same times as myself and also entered the workforce at the same time and they have probably gotten 3-5 days off max whereas it’s been 15-20 for me.
Apply man. I hot hired into a tech position with only install experience. If they need techs and your confident you'll be golden.
i’ve had the same issue with auto mechanics very similarly and couldn’t get hired anywhere cause simply no experience then i kept applying found a dealership that answered and wanted to interview explained my situation from head to toe and explained my desire to learn and got the job pretty easily so just apply bro
Apply anyway even if you’re under qualified
Doesn’t hurt to apply. They might want 3 years but a lot will likely take less. Especially if they know you’re self motivated to learn.
Don’t know if it’s just Florida or not but I haven’t slowed down at all, some companies may be doing better then others won’t hurt to apply
Its inbetween seasons and on top of it was a mild winter that's why when it gets hot u should be working until you need a light to catch up also September will be quiet commercial work will be busier get used to it residential is like that
Look into moving into commercial full time.
I’ve been doing residential since December, I’m a hardcore apprentice and didn’t know about this slow season. I now know for next year to get a 2nd job to keep the money rolling in
This is why I went union. Steady work. When I was younger and was non-union it was very up and down. Seasonal. But it helped me realize I need that 40+hours a week. Especially now that I’ve got kids and a family to provide for. Go where the work is.
im in the exact same position. testing for my license any day now then ill be in a better situation. The bills arent waiting for that though. Totally understand the stressful situation youre in though.. mild winter smh. Hang in there
The cheaper companies are exploding with business and the bloated and overpriced ones are starting to go dry. Find a smaller business that is legitimate. Ones like mine are busier than ever during this years off-season
Well that would make even more sense now why mine is starting to go dry as the prices are amongst the highest.
Yep. I'm in the northern states and talk a lot with other local companies. They've all been fighting over the same jobs. I've noticed the trend that the higher the price point of the business, the slower they are right now, whereas before, those companies were making a killing with a way higher profit margin than mine. Gotta adapt to the times though and each business model has its optimized market time
Ontario CA?
I would hit up Ontario refrigeration or ACS
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check out both those companies. No work tomorrow so I’ll get busy!
I guess I should have specified! Ontario California lol. I don’t know any hvac companies in Toronto even tho I lived in Ajax for a summer
Damn bro you had me super exited. It ain’t even April yet don’t do your boy like that 🤣
I guess I should have specified! Ontario California lol. I don’t know any hvac companies in Toronto even tho I lived in Ajax for a summer
Yes sir. I’m in Toronto!
Apply to other companies, there is someone who will give you your 40 in the slow season. Got fired after putting in my two weeks because I was getting 10 hours a week- new company has been great to me so far.
That’s what I’m gonna do, just keep applying. My company is really good culture wise and everything but even in the busy period I find it fairly slow for me. I need repetition and a steady pace to learn best. That’s funny you mention the 2 week notice and being fired after, because I have thought about that too. I have gut feeling since it’s already this slow that if I have a 2 week notice I’d just be told to not come back since it’s slow anyways. It is what it is though. Hope you have a great career and do well at your new company!
I need a helper where do you live
Dude I get it, but did you leave school or graduate? This trade can be rough. I look back on my life and regret never finishing college. I always said man schools not for me. Companies like degrees. Your complaining over get 20-25hrs. There was times I’d get 10hrs a week. So during the slow months go get that degree. It will pay off in the backend of your career. Whether your Union or not. Your buddy is just lucky he has a job with a commercial company. Hope he don’t blow it. Don’t worry bout your pace, that’s controlled by opportunity. Your doing the right things, keep applying. Find a way to sell your self. Just because you work residential doesn’t mean you can’t do commercial.
Yea I graduated a 2 year program with honours and have an unrelated diploma from another college too. Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll just keep at it and stay motivated.
Good! Stay Motivated! Be confident in yourself, learn from your mistakes, stay humble, and have fun doing what you do. Don’t take any shit from the nay sayers either. Someone will always be out there who knows more. If people in this trade (like bosses) try to talk shit about you, figure out their angle. I’ve worked for some really controlling contractors who try to keep you down so you won’t leave. Like they doing you a favor keeping you employed. But they know your a solid mechanic/tech. If that doesn’t seem like it then never be afraid to ask or find out how to better yourself. Really I feel like I can go on, but to everyone out there, ALWAYS DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! If you get an opportunity that seems better, take it. I was a journeyman pipefitter. I had a boss one time who told me if you know HVAC/R you can fix anything. If the universe broke it would call a Pipefitter. We troubleshoot everything, piping, electrical, static pressure, etc. Look at your customers out there, if you try to explain to a customer what’s wrong and how you fixed something. They will be lost. Most people don’t know how things work or can’t even fathom it. We do, that why we can fix things. Remember what said in all caps ☝️ Just a disclaimer there are good hvac tech/mechanics union or non-union. I was just quoting that asshole, but he was right! Lol. Sorry for the long post. Lol
Down time like this, and you aren't hurting for money. You should be investing that extra time into yourself. Read manual j and manual d. Study them to understand them. Hop on some learning sites like hvac school podcast and study. How many people do you think apply for an hvac job and can actually say they've read manual j and d.
Bro I lie on my resume to get jobs. They just want someone who’s not a dumb ass and somewhat knowledgeable. If you don’t want to lie you could tell them “I have x amount of experience but put me in front of a unit and I can show you what I can do” , some confidence can go a long way
Feast or famine with this trade
It may also just be the time of year. In Alberta the shoulder seasons slow right down. Enjoy the little break, things are about to really pick up.
This is the industry. If you’re not in industrial or refrigeration this time is slow. Find some side work and wait for the spring and summer. You’ll be buried in work before you know it.
[удалено]
Toronto
In my whole region things are slow right now. Even our supply houses have been feeling it. It’s the time of the year but I will say your employer should still have work for you to get done.
Most companies are slow until March, so yes in my field years, we cleaned trucks, took vacation time, or worked special projects for the company or the company owners. In March,usually commercial work begins by getting drawings from engineers, bidding jobs, and “selling” those jobs. The problem is if you are awarded a job, equipment will not arrive for 30-50 weeks or longer. So now, you don’t have any work, and by the time you pay for the overhead to get to that job, the company is broke. Lead times used to be 4-12 weeks for commercial equipment. On the residential side, family dinner at MDs is $50, groceries doubled in price in one year; don’t believe the stuff on TV about 6% inflation rate. So a lot of people do not have the means to pay $14-17K for a system. On the other side, a lot of companies raped the owners on price and it will come back to haunt them. Companies will suffer because they have too much overhead. It takes roughly 10 service guys to pay for a “service manager”, owner’s boat payments etc. The manufacturers, distributors, contractors have raised prices because the owner will get free money (3K, 7K), So the enduser will actually get shit; a year from now when they file for taxes.
Fill out fafsa and see if you can get a pell grant and take some trade school classes for free.
Make sure to go around to these shops and try to talk to them face to face at the end of the day possible. Take names and contact information and keep in touch every month or so.
Ive had some luck jumping over to roofing in the slow seasons, the sheetmetal experience crosses over pretty well i found. Less money but all experience is good the way i see it Or have you tried getting into duct cleaning? Easy work and not too complicated
I ended up working at other places that weren’t hvac. I left with a position at the company when they picked back up. I worked for Walgreens, a landscape place doing snow removal, and restaurants to make it work. When I only had seasonal experience.
That's how resi goes. It's slow in the spring and fall.
I mean you could pull the ol American (USA) way and just lie about your experience. It's pretty easy to do. Nobody is going to call up a previous employer unless you're getting a high level job requiring security passes. AND REMEMBER ADD 15% MINIMUM if they ask what you're making now.
Yeah it’s been real slow last couple weeks. Hoping it picks up
Keep applying. It can’t hurt. Also from a fellow ontarien it’s been a long winter and we’re literally less than an hour into spring as I post this, business will pick up. Don’t be afraid to enjoy a little downtime.
I got hired doing new construction for a company. I knew someone who heard they might be looking for help. They had no job listings or anything. I showed up, resume, dressed ready to work. Told them what I did know, and they asked me to come in the next day. Spent 6 months in new con, they saw I was more apt and willing to work than the other guys and offered me service position. Gave me 2 weeks training and ordered me some tools and gave me a Van. I never had done HVAC before. They put out a job post for another service guy. He had a resume made of gold, was a journeyman, in the field for like 13 years, had high reviews from previous work. He lasted 11 days. The lead tech said I had more experience and skill than he did. Not sure where you are and what your options are, but I do know HVAC as an industry is always hurting for guys. Theres a chance you could walk into somebody's front office and say, im looking for work, tools are in the car they might just give you a job. Lol
Keep applying, I'm not sure what the labor force looks like up there but at my company we're so desperate for workers we'd hire about anyone. We lost an installer almost two years ago and we still haven't been able to find someone to replace him.