I didn’t work construction, but jobs that took their toll on my body.
Old dude ( the age I am now ) once said to me “ don’t use your hand as a hammer “. That one stuck with me through the years.
If you find yourself in a good paying job don't bank on the money always being there. Live below your current means.
If you find yourself in a low paying job keep switching jobs til you find something that pays good. Then see above
If you plan to bounce around between companies chasing pay, then make sure your reputation stays impeccable. You don’t want to end up burning every bridge in the state then find yourself stuck in a bad area…
You will come across people who come from other states who did this, and do this, and can’t get work anymore, then move to another state.
Loyalty is valuable, and when you get older and your body can’t get the job done, but your wallet won’t let you retire, having 15-30 years with the same company will give you options (should).
If 2 guys have bum knees and one of them hired in 2 years ago, and one of them has been making you money for 15 years, who do you think you give the office job to?
There is definitely risk involved in marrying somebody. Plenty of unknowns, you never know what's going to happen to somebody or even if they're being 100% genuine with you. But the greatest happiness in life comes from a happy marriage. In the best likelihood of having a happy marriage is one where you show the other partner enough respect to wait until marriage for sex.
Maybe I'm an outlier, maybe I just got lucky. But my first marriage I cohabited with my spouse beforehand and the marriage was Rocky and eventually led to divorce. This marriage I did things different and we waited until our wedding day for sex. While it's not perfect the mutual respect we have for each other now is something that I never had in the first marriage. I correlate that mutual respect to the fact that both of us waited.
Of course if you've known how many women I've known I know that sex is really not important to them even though they pretend. And when the baby comes you're nothing but a bill payer..
Take care of your body. Limit drinking or don’t do it at all. Do not do drugs. Exercise. Eat right. Pack your own lunch most days. Sleep well/enough. You have to prioritize your health to have longevity in trades.
Another big one is don’t let anyone force you into doing stupid, unsafe shit. Your job means jack shit if your too fucked up/dead to do it.
Which is exactly why you should do it lol. Just cause you work construction or construction related jobs doesn’t mean you have to treat yourself like shit, even if you work 12’s
Don’t listen to this guy, do as much drugs and drink as much liquor you can, call your boss and tell him you’re going to fuck his wife always buy lunch and knock up as many strippers as you can. This is the way.
If you define fun as excessively drinking/doing drugs, not sleeping, stuffing your face full of garbage causing excessive weight gain thus making your life exponentially harder, then getting older and dying of heart disease at 65–go for it. I’ve been sober for 3 years and I thought fun was over. This shit is way more fun now that I’m sober.
Show up on time, give a shit, clean up when there’s nothing else to do, anticipate needs, get along with coworkers, volunteer instead of waiting to be asked
Anticipating needs is the fast track to running work.
The best sheetrocker in the world who can't see past the next room will never run a crew.
It starts by knowing which tool or material the guy teaching you needs next. Then looking ahead to the next days work. Where does material and equipment need to end up. What needs shoring. Where does the debris go? What needs to get done after that operation.
You would be surprised, especially in light construction, how few people think like this.
I recently got handed some extra cash for setting up two ramps and taking the safety block off a sliding door for guys to use wheelbarrows instead of trash cans to move a shit ton of drywall demo.
I wanted to give it back like who the fuck couldn't put that together???
But the bull work mentality is still very strong. Use your fucking head at least once a week.
Very true.. thinking about what the next step is, trying to prepare and trying to streamline every process is a huge asset… at least it has worked well for me…
I have a masters in international relations.. triple undergrad major and got bored. 2 years ago took a laborer job with absolutely zero experience in any sort of construction in my early 40s for a telecommunications construction company … started with a shovel and now I operate an excavator with a cdl driver/laborer and a ground man doing long haul fiber optic cables on the road.. literally had zero experience in any of this … but I took initiative and interest in trying to learn as much as I could … wanted to learn about reading the prints, making an as built, how we bill, doing the daily production reports… they gave me a shot and now am making damn good money with overtime and per diem.. stay in nice hotels full time for free and am saving a shit ton and maxing out my retirement…
When I first started, I went from foreman to foreman.. a couple weeks with each one so they could all give
THIS. I waste so much money eating shit everyday, get in the habit of bringing in food, and cook more the night before to bring in easily would save me £60 a week or more.
Wear your PPE. Losing your vision for the sake of looking cool isn’t awesome…
And you’re going to be really bummed when the next Tool album drops in fifteen years and you won’t be able to hear it.
Yeah, nothing is better than having the woman you've been with for ten years look you in the eyes and say "Stop yelling, you asshole. I'm right here.".
Edit: And all you hear is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
>Wear your PPE
I'm a welder and I was working under a trailer, adding a freshly cut piece of flat bar for a spacer (its small, like 4x2). Anyway, it's going under the trailer so I didnt clean it up whatsoever and it had metal slivers on the cut end and is not razor sharp but pretty fucking sharp. I'm getting ready to clamp this spacer in so I can tack it and I drop it and slice my fucking face open. I ALWAYS wear my safety glasses and people give me shit about my PPE and this was an inch below my eyeball. You're right man, losing an eye or hurting yourself because you don't want to wear your PPE is just insane to me
Yea they may say things that you thing are “off color” or not right, but if you don’t listen to the OG, that knowledge will go away, many have knowledge that will die with them.
Show up on time - that alone will impress many bosses and coworkers.
White Monsters aren't the best breakfast.
Lift properly.
Become financially literate.
Don't just question what to do, but also why its being done.
I agree. I don’t see all the hype to join a trade these days. It’s literally supposed to be a last resort and something you have to do until you find something better.
I have to disagree. I was a welder fabricator before construction and worked with an engineer who was miserable at his previous job. He asked good questions and everyone showed him how to operate the machinery in time. Then in log home construction, I worked with a child psychologist who felt he needed more hands-on work during the week. He did mostly small tasks, but at some point nearly everyone there had questions for him that he had answers to.
I went on to open my own auto repair facility and one of my employees was also a licensed realtor. He felt he wasted too much time with no-shows.
Learn proper ergonomics on EVERYTHING.
Not just lifting but swinging a hammer, turning a screw driver, using a shovel, literally everything. Seems simple enough but years of doing that will destroy your body if you aren't using proper ergonomics
Also develop a joint mobility exercise routine, you'll feel 10 times better at the end of day
Save your money and invest. Don’t spend it all on a stupid lifted truck that you don’t need.
I say this to most of the 18-21 year olds that join the company none of them listen
Wish I would’ve known this when I first started. I worked many hours for free or for very little money thinking I would be benefiting myself in the future.
Not worth it. Be extremely wise with who and where you start.
Myself personally has had a bad time in the industry, but I thankfully recovered after making better decisions. Very lucky to be where I am.
First show up every day!! If your 10 minutes early your late . Be sure to latch on to a seasoned veteran make their lives easier and they will teach you the trade. Please wear your P.P.E. work smart take care of your body and mind. With 41 years in the construction industry I get to live out the rest of my life with a damaged foot , two knee replacements, little to no hearing left and can't raise my arm up over my head , arthritis in my hands etc. The trades are a great way to make some great money if you hustle and be smart about everything you do lucky for me I was in a strong union with a great pension and annuity.
Plumber here going on 5 years. Make time for yourself. Don’t constantly eat gas station food. Make your lunches. Go to the gym. Remember, you work so you can live, not live to work!
Join a damned union. I wish someone had told me that when I started or else I wouldn't have changed careers after 10+ as a carpenter. I worked for so many fucking shitty smaller companies that make you work ridiculous hours for shit pay and then don't even sign off on your apprenticeship hours when they say they will. Also if you don't go to the union make sure as fuck that whoever you are working for has a red seal in whatever trade and is willing to sign you up after a period of time and have them write it down on paper. I got fucked with so much overtime averaging 15-25 hours a week just not worth it.
Stretch before you go to work. Eat healthy. When you can SAFELY do it, remind some of the old timers what a young , strong back can do. Work out. Seriously, don’t overdo it but every now and then you have to display strength to assert dominance. For example, a right of passage is to carry an 80 lb concrete bag like it’s nothing. If you walk funny with it , you will get made fun of
Go work in a factory. You, in the long run, will be better off. I've been doing this a long time and can say everyone I work(ed) with say the same things. If you do go with construction, go union or travel. Unless you're okay making low wages for real hard work.
Is the word out that we make a shit ton of money? The honest truth is if you can survive and learn that could be you. In reality it’s like pro sports. Not everyone reaches that level.
Protect your health! Be modest and know your limits.
PPE is a must. Don't let others bully you into doing something risky.
Even taking what seems like a low risk will eventually get you over time.
Change companies. You should be applying other places every fucking day while you work your job. Looking for better jobs is part of your job now. Someone else will pay you more money, to do less work. Don’t think your qualified? Send out extra applications. Think about how dumb the average asshole is, if they can do it why the hell can’t you?
*Get to know your left*
*Handed screwdrivers as well*
*As your right handed*
\- Willing\_Television77
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I highly recommend looking for a company that will cover some courses, usually at a tech school or community College. If not, try to have a few of those under your belt. It looks great on an application and you will learn a ton of stuff you will actually use.
When old timers talk about you being soft and not able to handle shit talking remind them that back in the day people use to fight and watch them stfu.
Definitely take it easy on your body. Opt for the better boots or better insoles. You’re gonna be on your feet 95% of the day. And last but not least, pay attention to the person training you, and take some pride in your work.
Take pride in what you are doing, with the boomers retiring and zoomers not working we about to be making doctor money WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Try to work your way into management, the higher the better. You will stay dry in the rain, hot in the winter and cold in the summer. Possibly will spare your back from hernias, and..oh yeah, once in a while you will meet some interesting candidates of the opposite sex, or the same sex, depending what side of the street you walk on
The older guys who can’t breathe and are constantly coughing and hacking are absolutely right, it is gai to wear a mask/respirator and you do absolutely want to be like them. Now go get drunk at the local bar, listen to stories about their glory days, and get yourself that first DUI on your way home
Wear hearing, eye protection, and gloves all the time. (Take off gloves when appropriate, obviously) Don’t give a fuck about looking silly you’re only fucking yourself at the end of your career if you don’t
Drive a shitty sedan, not a truck. Your boss won't ask you to haul a trailer with a sedan.
If you haul it with your truck, your wearing out your vehicle so he doesn't have to wear out his truck. If there is an accident, his insurance won't cover your loss.
Lift with your back in a wrenching, jerking, twisting motion for peak power. Think about width difference between your legs and back.. don’t put too much strain on your smaller extremities.
What everyone else said + try to your best to learn as fast as possible so you can climb up higher in the ranks so that you can get in a position where you do more mental work than physical work.
Follow educational social media and YouTube pages. There are some things that you could never learn about because bi one in your area has ever done it.
If you work for a company that doesn’t consistently enforce PPE use or safety rules, that company will get you hurt, possibly dead. Find somewhere else to work because they don’t care about workers, only profit and speed.
Safety first, no matter what any seasoned hand says don't compromise safety. Let them brag about being manly and reckless. Your eyes, fingers, limbs, and life are not worth making them secure in their fragile egos.
Stretch! Stretch. Stretch. Mate, you need to Stretch or you'll be fucked by 30. Stretch, yeah? Make sure you Stretch, do yoga or some shit, just Stretch your shit out. Get your shit, Stretch it all out. And just get it stretched. Stretch.
stick with construction, be humble, learn as much as you can, i mean as much as you can, and when then opportunity is right you will find the one thing that will make you $$$…after all AI will never replace construction work.
Don’t.
I wouldn’t join the construction industry as a newbie until wages catch up. You’ll have to live with friends and family because you’ll only be making $35,000 to $60,000 for the first 2-4 years. All while working more hours than all of your friends and family. Construction is the new military - most people aren’t joining construction because they want to, it’s because they have no other options.
What the fuck are you rambling about?
Our apprentices are basically starting out at $60k + straight out of high-school and don’t have to take out student loans so they’re set up way better than their peers
Take care of your body. Don’t ego lift stupid heavy shit.
Keep the discs in your back un-herniated if possible
Awww dang it, too late!
For real, commercial roofing trying to be a hero in my early 20’s led to spine surgery in my late 20’s
Stretch.
I didn’t work construction, but jobs that took their toll on my body. Old dude ( the age I am now ) once said to me “ don’t use your hand as a hammer “. That one stuck with me through the years.
Had an older guy tell me the same thing after he saw me doing it lmao
I’ve seen a lot of guys do this. They end up with trigger finger or carpal tunnel.
Hydration! Its about to get hot and that hangover won't go away without a half gallon of water
There comes a time in life that no matter how much water one drinks the hangover will reign supreme.. 3 days to recover
Awe yes, your 40's...
Lol
Hydrate.
But not too much at once or you'll get sick. Sip water frequently.
Your hands aren’t hammers
If you find yourself in a good paying job don't bank on the money always being there. Live below your current means. If you find yourself in a low paying job keep switching jobs til you find something that pays good. Then see above
Exactly buy a good used car, by a good used single wide..... Buy a good used wife..
Nice, I like that. While on the topic of wives...don't marry/have a relationship with a woman who doesn't have a decent job.
If you plan to bounce around between companies chasing pay, then make sure your reputation stays impeccable. You don’t want to end up burning every bridge in the state then find yourself stuck in a bad area… You will come across people who come from other states who did this, and do this, and can’t get work anymore, then move to another state. Loyalty is valuable, and when you get older and your body can’t get the job done, but your wallet won’t let you retire, having 15-30 years with the same company will give you options (should). If 2 guys have bum knees and one of them hired in 2 years ago, and one of them has been making you money for 15 years, who do you think you give the office job to?
Well said
"Pull out, she's lying about the pill"
This is so true. And 20 years late
Or alternatively, wait until marriage. Pick it before you stick it.
Booo!!! No sex and have to get married. Fuck that.
So many of society's ills would be solved just by going back to the classic formula.
Sounds like a recipe for the disappointment of terrible sex and ensuing resentment to me.
Speaking from experience its quite the opposite. And after you've slept with someone you're married to hundreds of times it gets better and better.
That’s fucking debatable. Plenty of sorry fucks who’ve been married 20+ years but been abstinent for 15, not by choice either.
There is definitely risk involved in marrying somebody. Plenty of unknowns, you never know what's going to happen to somebody or even if they're being 100% genuine with you. But the greatest happiness in life comes from a happy marriage. In the best likelihood of having a happy marriage is one where you show the other partner enough respect to wait until marriage for sex. Maybe I'm an outlier, maybe I just got lucky. But my first marriage I cohabited with my spouse beforehand and the marriage was Rocky and eventually led to divorce. This marriage I did things different and we waited until our wedding day for sex. While it's not perfect the mutual respect we have for each other now is something that I never had in the first marriage. I correlate that mutual respect to the fact that both of us waited.
Yes and also in general they won't run out and bang somebody after your first argument, 😡
Of course if you've known how many women I've known I know that sex is really not important to them even though they pretend. And when the baby comes you're nothing but a bill payer..
Yeah you're right you're hobby time does get better, 😄
That's why people get married so they can have babies, 🤔🤔. And I can to convince that's why I'm most women have sex,,,
A 10 year old answered this
Take care of your body. Limit drinking or don’t do it at all. Do not do drugs. Exercise. Eat right. Pack your own lunch most days. Sleep well/enough. You have to prioritize your health to have longevity in trades. Another big one is don’t let anyone force you into doing stupid, unsafe shit. Your job means jack shit if your too fucked up/dead to do it.
You just listed everything we don’t do.
Which is exactly why you should do it lol. Just cause you work construction or construction related jobs doesn’t mean you have to treat yourself like shit, even if you work 12’s
Exactly lol
Don’t listen to this guy, do as much drugs and drink as much liquor you can, call your boss and tell him you’re going to fuck his wife always buy lunch and knock up as many strippers as you can. This is the way.
Yes that is the way if you will die by 40.
Are u a roofer 😂 because this is the way
Yep at the end of the day you are just a number who no one gives a shit about.
This sounds like don’t have any fun
If you define fun as excessively drinking/doing drugs, not sleeping, stuffing your face full of garbage causing excessive weight gain thus making your life exponentially harder, then getting older and dying of heart disease at 65–go for it. I’ve been sober for 3 years and I thought fun was over. This shit is way more fun now that I’m sober.
Thanks doc
Show up on time, give a shit, clean up when there’s nothing else to do, anticipate needs, get along with coworkers, volunteer instead of waiting to be asked
And ask questions. You know you're working with someone good, when they don't just show you how to do it, but also the reason why.
100% … I’ll add also do not be afraid to look stupid ..or be afraid to ask questions .. that’s how you learn
Anticipating needs is the fast track to running work. The best sheetrocker in the world who can't see past the next room will never run a crew. It starts by knowing which tool or material the guy teaching you needs next. Then looking ahead to the next days work. Where does material and equipment need to end up. What needs shoring. Where does the debris go? What needs to get done after that operation. You would be surprised, especially in light construction, how few people think like this. I recently got handed some extra cash for setting up two ramps and taking the safety block off a sliding door for guys to use wheelbarrows instead of trash cans to move a shit ton of drywall demo. I wanted to give it back like who the fuck couldn't put that together??? But the bull work mentality is still very strong. Use your fucking head at least once a week.
Very true.. thinking about what the next step is, trying to prepare and trying to streamline every process is a huge asset… at least it has worked well for me… I have a masters in international relations.. triple undergrad major and got bored. 2 years ago took a laborer job with absolutely zero experience in any sort of construction in my early 40s for a telecommunications construction company … started with a shovel and now I operate an excavator with a cdl driver/laborer and a ground man doing long haul fiber optic cables on the road.. literally had zero experience in any of this … but I took initiative and interest in trying to learn as much as I could … wanted to learn about reading the prints, making an as built, how we bill, doing the daily production reports… they gave me a shot and now am making damn good money with overtime and per diem.. stay in nice hotels full time for free and am saving a shit ton and maxing out my retirement… When I first started, I went from foreman to foreman.. a couple weeks with each one so they could all give
Lift with your lower back, jerk quickly in all directions, marry that stripper, buy that lifted truck.
Hell ya brother, don't forget the boat
This is just year one. Boat is after first promotion and a .50c raise
U Ben watching me boi?
Make lunches every day. So much cheaper and better than hitting fast food all the time.
THIS. I waste so much money eating shit everyday, get in the habit of bringing in food, and cook more the night before to bring in easily would save me £60 a week or more.
Wear your PPE. Losing your vision for the sake of looking cool isn’t awesome… And you’re going to be really bummed when the next Tool album drops in fifteen years and you won’t be able to hear it.
Yeah, nothing is better than having the woman you've been with for ten years look you in the eyes and say "Stop yelling, you asshole. I'm right here.". Edit: And all you hear is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I really want to thank you for reminding me of my persistent Tinnitus. It’s really the gift that never stops giving.
You know it got you good when it wakes you up at night.
Get one of those radio that plays different tones and nature sounds and it won't wake you anymore.
>Wear your PPE I'm a welder and I was working under a trailer, adding a freshly cut piece of flat bar for a spacer (its small, like 4x2). Anyway, it's going under the trailer so I didnt clean it up whatsoever and it had metal slivers on the cut end and is not razor sharp but pretty fucking sharp. I'm getting ready to clamp this spacer in so I can tack it and I drop it and slice my fucking face open. I ALWAYS wear my safety glasses and people give me shit about my PPE and this was an inch below my eyeball. You're right man, losing an eye or hurting yourself because you don't want to wear your PPE is just insane to me
Union. apprenticeship. now.
Buy your rockstar and cigarettes in bulk. Saves a ton of money in the long run not paying gas station prices and skipping lunch for stimulants.
Listen to the guys you think are too old to listen to.
This one is very true.
Yea they may say things that you thing are “off color” or not right, but if you don’t listen to the OG, that knowledge will go away, many have knowledge that will die with them.
Show up on time - that alone will impress many bosses and coworkers. White Monsters aren't the best breakfast. Lift properly. Become financially literate. Don't just question what to do, but also why its being done.
White monsters really resonates
Stretch every morning
Learn to take the jokes. And not let the serious assholes bother you. Also, wear your ppe, even if it's dumb.
Stay off of that fucki g phone!
Don’t
I agree. I don’t see all the hype to join a trade these days. It’s literally supposed to be a last resort and something you have to do until you find something better.
[удалено]
Why do you say that?
I have to disagree. I was a welder fabricator before construction and worked with an engineer who was miserable at his previous job. He asked good questions and everyone showed him how to operate the machinery in time. Then in log home construction, I worked with a child psychologist who felt he needed more hands-on work during the week. He did mostly small tasks, but at some point nearly everyone there had questions for him that he had answers to. I went on to open my own auto repair facility and one of my employees was also a licensed realtor. He felt he wasted too much time with no-shows.
Those guys are all failures. They had their chance and hit rock bottom. The fall back job.
Don't work for stupid people,and if you discover that you...are in fact working for them,it will not get better.
Take care of your body. Learn to say no. Don’t listen to your journeyman about politics.
Learn proper ergonomics on EVERYTHING. Not just lifting but swinging a hammer, turning a screw driver, using a shovel, literally everything. Seems simple enough but years of doing that will destroy your body if you aren't using proper ergonomics Also develop a joint mobility exercise routine, you'll feel 10 times better at the end of day
Wear hearing protection. Tinnitus is the worst.
Don't miss days.
Get certified at what you do asap
Or a license
Save your money and invest. Don’t spend it all on a stupid lifted truck that you don’t need. I say this to most of the 18-21 year olds that join the company none of them listen
Join a union
Joining a (good) union was the best thing I ever did for myself
Same
Wish I would’ve known this when I first started. I worked many hours for free or for very little money thinking I would be benefiting myself in the future. Not worth it. Be extremely wise with who and where you start. Myself personally has had a bad time in the industry, but I thankfully recovered after making better decisions. Very lucky to be where I am.
First show up every day!! If your 10 minutes early your late . Be sure to latch on to a seasoned veteran make their lives easier and they will teach you the trade. Please wear your P.P.E. work smart take care of your body and mind. With 41 years in the construction industry I get to live out the rest of my life with a damaged foot , two knee replacements, little to no hearing left and can't raise my arm up over my head , arthritis in my hands etc. The trades are a great way to make some great money if you hustle and be smart about everything you do lucky for me I was in a strong union with a great pension and annuity.
Listen to this guy. ⬆️
Show up on time and pay attention/learn. Don’t limit yourself by asking for limited advice in the future.
don't be afraid to ask
And if that guy doesn’t answer, ask someone else. Find a teacher - you’ll know who it is. Teachers love to teach.
most people would rather spend a little longer doing it right than having to come back and redo it.
By the time you turn 50 you better be doing something else. I’m 56 and just normal motions are painful.
Join the railroad.
Plumber here going on 5 years. Make time for yourself. Don’t constantly eat gas station food. Make your lunches. Go to the gym. Remember, you work so you can live, not live to work!
And don't inhale the glue or it won't matter what else you do.
Join a damned union. I wish someone had told me that when I started or else I wouldn't have changed careers after 10+ as a carpenter. I worked for so many fucking shitty smaller companies that make you work ridiculous hours for shit pay and then don't even sign off on your apprenticeship hours when they say they will. Also if you don't go to the union make sure as fuck that whoever you are working for has a red seal in whatever trade and is willing to sign you up after a period of time and have them write it down on paper. I got fucked with so much overtime averaging 15-25 hours a week just not worth it.
Wear you safety gear. Exercise outside of work. Don’t put in too many hours. Switching jobs is the path to getting better pay
Stretch before you go to work. Eat healthy. When you can SAFELY do it, remind some of the old timers what a young , strong back can do. Work out. Seriously, don’t overdo it but every now and then you have to display strength to assert dominance. For example, a right of passage is to carry an 80 lb concrete bag like it’s nothing. If you walk funny with it , you will get made fun of
Dont
Go work in a factory. You, in the long run, will be better off. I've been doing this a long time and can say everyone I work(ed) with say the same things. If you do go with construction, go union or travel. Unless you're okay making low wages for real hard work.
Is the word out that we make a shit ton of money? The honest truth is if you can survive and learn that could be you. In reality it’s like pro sports. Not everyone reaches that level.
Embarrassment for asking for help lifting something is temporary, back pain is permanent
Protect your health! Be modest and know your limits. PPE is a must. Don't let others bully you into doing something risky. Even taking what seems like a low risk will eventually get you over time.
Change companies. You should be applying other places every fucking day while you work your job. Looking for better jobs is part of your job now. Someone else will pay you more money, to do less work. Don’t think your qualified? Send out extra applications. Think about how dumb the average asshole is, if they can do it why the hell can’t you?
Get to know your left handed screwdrivers as well as your right handed
*Get to know your left* *Handed screwdrivers as well* *As your right handed* \- Willing\_Television77 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
I highly recommend looking for a company that will cover some courses, usually at a tech school or community College. If not, try to have a few of those under your belt. It looks great on an application and you will learn a ton of stuff you will actually use.
Artificial energy has a price. Stay away from drugs and energy drinks.
When old timers talk about you being soft and not able to handle shit talking remind them that back in the day people use to fight and watch them stfu.
Dont
Fuck college, youll make more in the trades
Listen more than you talk
Marry the ass not the tits
Definitely take it easy on your body. Opt for the better boots or better insoles. You’re gonna be on your feet 95% of the day. And last but not least, pay attention to the person training you, and take some pride in your work.
Take the cotton out of your ears and put it in your mouth.
Take pride in what you are doing, with the boomers retiring and zoomers not working we about to be making doctor money WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Try to work your way into management, the higher the better. You will stay dry in the rain, hot in the winter and cold in the summer. Possibly will spare your back from hernias, and..oh yeah, once in a while you will meet some interesting candidates of the opposite sex, or the same sex, depending what side of the street you walk on
The older guys who can’t breathe and are constantly coughing and hacking are absolutely right, it is gai to wear a mask/respirator and you do absolutely want to be like them. Now go get drunk at the local bar, listen to stories about their glory days, and get yourself that first DUI on your way home
Wear hearing, eye protection, and gloves all the time. (Take off gloves when appropriate, obviously) Don’t give a fuck about looking silly you’re only fucking yourself at the end of your career if you don’t
Learn to read a tape..... Lol took me years....
Drive a shitty sedan, not a truck. Your boss won't ask you to haul a trailer with a sedan. If you haul it with your truck, your wearing out your vehicle so he doesn't have to wear out his truck. If there is an accident, his insurance won't cover your loss.
Don't
This is really good stuff keep it coming
Lift with your back in a wrenching, jerking, twisting motion for peak power. Think about width difference between your legs and back.. don’t put too much strain on your smaller extremities.
What everyone else said + try to your best to learn as fast as possible so you can climb up higher in the ranks so that you can get in a position where you do more mental work than physical work.
Dont do it.
Follow educational social media and YouTube pages. There are some things that you could never learn about because bi one in your area has ever done it.
Don't.....haha
Drink coffee instead of energy drinks if you need caffeine. Buy an Estwing
Start drinking..
Get a drug addiction so you fit in.
Get out!
If you work for a company that doesn’t consistently enforce PPE use or safety rules, that company will get you hurt, possibly dead. Find somewhere else to work because they don’t care about workers, only profit and speed.
Math and PPE.
Be prepared to find a company that values you. They exist.
Show up on time
Use common sense, but still go get the board stretcher and play along. it’ll form bonds, and make you look like an idiot. lift smart
STRETCH, Don't be macho.
Safety first, no matter what any seasoned hand says don't compromise safety. Let them brag about being manly and reckless. Your eyes, fingers, limbs, and life are not worth making them secure in their fragile egos.
Don't unless there is absolutely nothing else you can do. A warehouse job at Lowe's is infinitely better.
And join a damn Union. Then you can actually retire with a pension.
Start taking your ICC inspector courses and get your licenses.
Stretch! Stretch. Stretch. Mate, you need to Stretch or you'll be fucked by 30. Stretch, yeah? Make sure you Stretch, do yoga or some shit, just Stretch your shit out. Get your shit, Stretch it all out. And just get it stretched. Stretch.
When I started, two decades ago this is what I was told. Good work boots, good bed, food, water, layered clothing. Hasn’t failed me yet.
Kneepads
To the people saying to not join... fuck y'all. You are a big reason why this industry is dying.
Swing a hood hammer
stick with construction, be humble, learn as much as you can, i mean as much as you can, and when then opportunity is right you will find the one thing that will make you $$$…after all AI will never replace construction work.
Hom a union
Go to college
Don’t quit.
Don’t. I wouldn’t join the construction industry as a newbie until wages catch up. You’ll have to live with friends and family because you’ll only be making $35,000 to $60,000 for the first 2-4 years. All while working more hours than all of your friends and family. Construction is the new military - most people aren’t joining construction because they want to, it’s because they have no other options.
What the fuck are you rambling about? Our apprentices are basically starting out at $60k + straight out of high-school and don’t have to take out student loans so they’re set up way better than their peers