I need career advice

[mattyhacks71]

A little back story first.

 

18. Graduated June 2013.

 

I went to college straight out of highschool to do a shortened version of the Automotive Service Technician course. The idea is you get a bunch of experience through work experience and high school shop, and instead of 7 months the course is 7 weeks...there was like 3 hours of homework a night minimum! Anyways i got 90% in the course and 82% on the exam. After completion of the course I was on the search for an apprenticeship and came up with nothing. I took a job washing cars at the Mercedes Benz dealership in hopes that they would eventually take me on as an apprentice.

 

4 months brings us to today. I have been offered a job as an apprentice and the place i did my work experience. Real small time, 2 mechanics and the owner, mom n pop type shop in the heart of old peoplesville, really the opposite of where I am currently. I have been talking to my managers assistant lately and there is no sign lf an apprentice position comming up soon.

 

I really have no idea what to do. Either wait it out and work for the big guys or start my career right now at the small time shop.

 

If you took the time to read all that I appreciate it sincerely.

 

Matt

[ggzilla]

Most of us on Ratsun flunked our careers

 

I'd go back around town now that you have experience at Mercedes, jobs may open up now.

[RTB]

Gotta find an in with a shop. For example I worked at an awesome shop this summer. Owner races a Datsun 510. I went there to look at wheels. Turns out its a Ferrari, Porsche, Lambo, etc shop and the only one in our city. And I just offered my services. He took me on and that was one of the best summer jobs I've ever had. So don't be afraid to be bold at shops. If you have a common interest with the owner work that to your advantage.

[Komeuppance]

If the small shop pays enough to support yourself, and you have a plan to open your own shop someday, then you could learn valuable experience there.

 

Pick where you want to be in five years, and then ten years... choose the path that will lead you to those goals.

 

"Eighteen and life to go!!"

 

-Robert

[Driftease]

I would stick with Mercedes, opportunities can be great with that company. As a shop owner myself I can tell you the only way to move up there is to be persistent on asking for more training see if they will let you go to MB refresher courses to learn. Good technicians are very hard to find,it takes a lot of heart and many years of reduced income while perfecting the art. The point to that is many people give up or just cant hack it and it costs money to train you so you have to prove to them that you want it with your actions. One thing to consider would be staying off the clock and giving a hand to a tech, those things don't go unnoticed! Hang in there!

[Kirden]

If the small shop pays enough to support yourself, and you have a plan to open your own shop someday, then you could learn valuable experience there.

 

Pick where you want to be in five years, and then ten years... choose the path that will lead you to those goals.

 

"Eighteen and life to go!!"

 

-Robert

 

I agree with Komeuppance. While working at mercedes will open many doors for you if you take on all the training and learn as much as possible, it won't teach you the small business skills you would learn from the smaller shop. Things like ordering parts and materials are probably handled by supervisors or even office positions so you never learn these skills, making it a steep curve if you ever opened your own shop.

 

However, if you stick with mercedes and end up a master mechanic you will have a niche in the market and will probably make similar to what a small shop owner makes without as many headaches. It is totally up to your goals.

 

Best thing to do is write out the pros and cons you see for yourself with both decisions. Then speak with some small business owners about the responsibilities and time required to run a business. Neither path is easy, but it comes down to which one fits you best.

[kelowg]

Depends if short term

goal is job secuitry and steady pay or work experience. I went to uti for diesel tech. After 3-4 i ended up doing HVAC repair. Pay is ok and did make use of most of my training. Small time shops if they r willing to train u is awsome.

 

U get A well rounded experience 

[datrod]

Go for the small shop if it will pay the bills. Learn all you can, Be a sponge suck up all the knowledge you can.

Keep your pants pulled up, Show up on time, If they want you to mop the floors DO IT!!!!

 

I have a friend that works for Mercedes he makes well over a 100K a year. But he has been at for years.

Plus you can go anywhere and get a job. There is a car dealership in every town. And cars break down.

[john510]

Stick with the Mercedes dealer.Be patient,4 months is not a lot of time to expect promotion.You would have job security and potential for good earnings down the road.I know a younger kid that works at a Mercedes dealership.He did a UTI course i believe and was hired to do entry level work,he was patient and now is working on cars instead of being shop help.He is 23 making good money and has already bought his own house.

[EricJB]

I did the same thing. Tech school. Then parked cars at University Porsche Audi. Eventually was busting tires, oil changes, brake jobs, tune ups. Always the first guy to get laid off when it got slow. After being laid of and called back 4 times, I left.

 

In a fast paced flat rate shop, most guys wont have time to show you much. Small mom and pop shop you will more than likely get more 1 on 1. But you wont get a cool uniform that says Mercedes. Chicks dig that.

 

I would go mom and pop shop. Lots of time to move up and around later.

[Draker]

Stay at MB... inquire to see if there is any online training you can do. Ask if you can look over a tech's shoulders once in while. Thats where it starts. Eventually they might want you to start changing oil for them. Sooner or later... you are dropping trannies like a bad habbit.

[q-tip]

Does the MB dealership even offer apprenticeships? If not then its not really worth your time. If the small shop is willing to train you and you are willing to learn it would be a good opportunity to get the experience you need. And plus, high end foreign cars are a pain in the ass to work on.

 

Ultimately the decision is yours

[pondking]

 

 

And then rob that motherfucka blind

[mattyhacks71]

Seems to be a 50/50 split.

MB offers apprenticeship. They have one right now with 6 months left. They are apart of the German Auto Import Network (GAIN) here on the island, so theyre with BMW, Audi, VW, Porsche, and Mitsubishi or something random. I don't know how well the dealerships communitcate and if I would hear of an opening at another place.

 

Unlike MB, mom n pop's would be really one on one, 50 cent pay cut until after 6 months, no benefits

[EastBay521]

there is to much competition as an auto mechanic. but it seems to me like there is a shortage of DIESEL mechanics so that's where im headed. my dad tried to get me a job at Mercedes where he is a mechanic but me having just dropped out of school at the time vs. all of these other people who went to school and what not I didn't get the job. my dad eventually left and went to Tesla. anyways long story short thnk about being a diesel machanics working on semis or something. less competition and a bit more money in it

[Fat510]

There's really no demand for mechanics.

[KELMO]

I'll throw in 2 cents worth.

 

So from what I gather, your managers know that you want to be a technician...right? When you interviewed for the car wash position, was it by the service manager or the detail manager?  If it was the service manager, did you make it clear that you were interested in a technician position?  I have seen guys take a lesser job than what they wanted but not make clear in the interview what it is they are really after.  You say that you don't know how well the other dealerships communicate and if you would hear if there was an opening.....make sure you ask, and not just once.

 

Working for a dealership does have it advantages....factory training, factory SPECIAL tool supplied (usually) etc. And you can usually make a good career out of it, sometimes at the same dealership (ok, rarely, but you can make a career out of working at dealerships.)

 

Mom & Pop shops are not all that bad either.  It sounds like you will get hands on training and in that type of situation you will have a wide variety of vehicles to work on (not so much at a dealership), which could make your technician skills more marketable.

 

I started working at dealerships 30 years ago delivering parts for the parts department at a Mercedes/Audi/Porsche store.  Worked my way to the counter, got a different job at a Nissan Dealer...rinse and repeat a few times in a few different states and got a management gig.....rinse and repeat a few more times and I am now the parts manager of that first Mercedes/Audi/Porsche store that I started at.  I knew at a young age what I wanted and worked hard to get it (and yes, there is a lot of being in the right place at the right time in my story).  If you are sure you want to be a Mercedes Tech......hang in there and keep asking and helping out the techs.  If you just want to be the best Technician you can, start at the mom & pop deal and learn as much as you can.

[RTB]

There's really no demand for mechanics.

There's always a demand for good mechanics. But you have to do something that makes you stand out.

[Draker]

I have a degree in automotive technology... but I don't do it anymore for a reason. It's an easy field to get into... but you will be a broke ass mofo for the first few years. Just how it is... unless you are hourly.

 

Stay with MB if you are going to stay in the field. Be patient and work your way up. 

[HRH]

Depending on finances, I'd say take the small shop over being destitute.  You won't make as much, you won't have as much prestige, but you will have the opportunity to fine-tune your skills.  When the right job at a more lucrative dealer opens up, you might have a year of work experience on your resume instead of just school.  That will put you way ahead of the guy who just got out of school.

[flatcat19]

Stay at Mercedes. 

 

An in at the dealer is huge. Stepping away to a Mom and Pa shop will more than likely slow your career. 

Once in at a dealer-you can rise very quickly if you just put the extra effort in. 

 

 

Washing cars sucks. When free time swings around, go empty garbage cans in the shop. Grab a mop and clean the shop foreman's stall. Clean the tool room. 

Do anything you can to show the service manager and the foreman that you're willing to care for the shop. 

[cdub42]

Stay at Mercedes. 

 

An in at the dealer is huge. Stepping away to a Mom and Pa shop will more than likely slow your career. 

Once in at a dealer-you can rise very quickly if you just put the extra effort in. 

 

 

Washing cars sucks. When free time swings around, go empty garbage cans in the shop. Grab a mop and clean the shop foreman's stall. Clean the tool room. 

Do anything you can to show the service manager and the foreman that you're willing to care for the shop. 

X2

 

i started my career in aviation as a janitor. kept the place immaculately spotless and constantly asked for more work. then more. after a while they had me doing so much other stuff that they hired a new janitor to fill my spot. fast forward a few years and I'm now building spaceships.  my years of doing the grunt work and jobs no one else wanted gave me invaluable experience that i can leverage to have employers seek me out instead of the other way around. we all gotta dig our ditches and pay our dues. id stick with the place that will in the long run offer you better career experience and resume candy. working as a mech at a merc dealership will take you farther in life than being a wrench monkey at ma and pa's service shop. 

[Z-train]

Dealer-no real choice at all.It'll also give you other avenues when you realize how badly wrenching beats the shit out of you.

[Z chopper]

drive up to a Nissan dealership in your 510 and hand in an application. making sure the service manager can see your 510

[flatcat19]

drive up to a Nissan dealership in your 510 and hand in an application. making sure the service manager can see your 510

 

Most Nissan employees will give zero shits aboot a Datsun. 

 

Only the old school techs, maybe a parts guy, will even turn their head its way.