self employment.....

[AliGage]

Ash have you spoken to your advisor about getting funding for a course in a trade skills centre. Not many on here will speak highly of them but its more a step in the right direction.
Ill even have a look for you tonight when i get home. But if your on JSA You can get it completely funded as i said to you before.

 

[Mr T]

yes mate I did actually book the course they set up for me... but I wasn't well so didn't go ages ago this was lol and my advisor said to me yesterday he will be booking it again. but even then that course is 2 weeks plastering, one week plumbing and 1 weeks tiling... the plastering and plumbing will come in handy as I can then advise plasterers and plumbers on what I need doing before I can complete a job but the one week with a bunch of dhole dossers who don't know a thing about the trade is not going to teach me what I don't already know ali (at least I think)... and that's not being big headed will actually be doing the course anyway. but now I feel I need to step up and start learning more advanced technuiqes, ways of prep etc if im comin across as not listening I am mate

 

[Colour Republic]

OK another serious question for you Mr T and try to be truthful with us and yourself...

I get on a weekly basis people calling/texting/emailing looking for work. This ranges from young lads, tradesmen out of work to also quite often people looking to emigrate or move back to England.

The type of contact more often than not is something simply like 'Got any jobs mate' <<---- really that is all some say, so you can guess what my response is, others will ask for work just to tie them over until they get back on their feet. Again these don't even get a response. Sometimes I might reply and ask for details of the type of work they've done and any pictures they might have, maybe 1 in 20 actually bother replying with the info, if they can't be bothered to even do that then they won't be bothered about actually working.

Some of the best I get are actually from people abroad, most of the time they write long emails introducing themselves, details of companies they've worked for, pictures of their work. 9 times out of 10 they are much better than the ones I get from local lads.

As for young people, again most are just a short email saying are you taking people on (sometimes even from their mothers!), some go on to say I’ve got 6 months experience but can be left alone to do a job. NO CHANCE MATE!

The best ones are the young people almost just begging for a chance, they don't talk up their own abilities, they come across and very enthusiastic, very respectful and very willing to learn. These are the ones that get a response and if they are lucky also get a trial; sometimes I might give them a week’s works just to give them experience even though I might tell them I have no long time positions for them.

The long and the short of it is. Out of maybe 50 calls/texts (don't ever text BTW)/emails maybe only one of them is worth returning their call.

And if you do email someone, don't do a mass email showing every other company in the 'to' box.

How have you contacted local companies and what exactly did you put? Surely you've got an old email saved somewhere?

This is trying to maybe help you with knowing how companies should be approached

 

[Mr T]

and there is a 4 week intense cours on tiling but when I called them they told me I wasn't elgable as I was on jsa. that is all I have managed to find to do with any sort of training anywhere near my area. and I have looked mate I really have,

 

[Pebbs]

I missed this thread, it was heated in parts, I think some people have a bad case of sun stroke. Mr T I will give you one piece of advice, and its this be patient. There is nothing worse than digging a hole for yourself by setting yourself up as a 'tradesman' when you have limited knowlege of that trade. Whilst I recognise you want to support your family and get off the benefits, you need to be 100% sure that you can deal with the majority of work that may come your way. There are very few people that are in a position to 'cherry pick' which work to take on or refuse. As someone else pointed out there is a steep learning curve to go through, and even after you have done that, there are always problems you need to be equipped to find solutions on the spot and there and then. The consequences of a job going wrong can be catastrophic, financially and reputation wise.

I think the point people are trying to make is not so much about the tax situation, its about the fact they feel you are not experienced enough to undertake work, and complete it to a high enough standard of workmanship. Accept this as advice and not as critcism, learn your trade, learn it well, and listen to those who have been doing it for a very long time. Practice makes perfect, but do not practice this trade at the expense of a paying member of the public, that is just wrong.

You are not equipped to do the job properly yet, without supervision, in time you will be. Dont run before you can walk, this is a trade where you learn something new every day, and if you want to be one of the best take advice in the way it was intended and not as anything else.

Pebbs

 

[Mr T]

yes mate I have literally found every tillers number in my local area and have called them... I even think I called sir ramic before coming onto this site. I simply and respectfully stated that I had recently been laid off (sounding enthusiastic lol) and that I was offering a free hand doing all the mukky work and in return simply wanted experience of the trade and to hopefully if all goes well learn the trade. many of them took my number and said they would get back to me one guy even offerd me a job and told me to call him back and when i tried he never answerd and i even treied off a different number lol. but believe me mate ive really tried every way to do it rite that i can. cheers

 

[Mr T]

thanksmate. i do take it as advice and i can take the criticism. cheers

 

[Colour Republic]

Ok, see I would have left out the bit about being laid off. To you you think it makes you credible I think what did he get laid off for?

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

Mr T well well well. Fair play for sticking up for yourself. I learnt tje trade by being a dogs body for 6 months and I learnt so much but probably learnt just as much on here. When I felt I was ready to go self employed it was tough. I was lucky to get 3 jobs a month but as you grow it does get better. Ive been tiling on my own for 2 years and still unfortunately tiling floors with £5 bnq tiles lol. Which to be honest is bloody hard work as they ain't the same size or flat. I would to have tje opportunity to tile some that Pro tiler does but i know 1 day it will happen. My advice is learn what you can from thosr site do as many jobs for family as you can (for free) and build a reputation before deciding to go for it. Good luck with what u decide to do

 

[Mr T]

Ok, see I would have left out the bit about being laid off. To you you think it makes you credible I think what did he get laid off for?

Ok mate cheers but just for the record it was lack of work.. And I got laid off I think 5 times last year due to the way agencies work... Go into one place of work... Work ur backside off for pennies... And get sent away with noting more than hurt pride due to the fact that your never gonna land a full time job anywhere... And then repeat the process lol.

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And I ahve been doing this since I was 18.