Hello,

[Jeff Tanner]

Hi Doug,
Welcome to CAUT!

You've already gotten a lot of great advice.  But I'd also like to point
you to some previous discussions found the the archives which really
address the fine points of CAUT expectations and guidelines for a
successful career.

The original Jim Coleman post Avery alluded to can be found on the CAUT web
site.

http://www.mursuky.edu/caut.php/homepage.htm

Take the link to "CAUT Newsletter", then "February '97", then "Wisdom".


There is also a great thread in the pianotech archives from earlier this
year which begins somewhere around March 23, 2001, and runs through around
March 26.  It got started on a thread entitled "It Doesn't Matter".  I've
gone backwards some from that date but didn't find what that thread evolved
from.  The title of the thread evolves somewhat during the discussion.  But
there is some great advice throughout that thread, particularly from Ron
Nossaman, Newton Hunt and Michael Jorgensen.  I've actually copied that
thread to a Word file so that I can put my hands on it any time I need it.

Like others have said, tuning rotation will depend largely upon your
workload among other factors which you did not reveal to us.  The CAUT
Guidelines can also give you some insight into how to service your
inventory.  No two situations are alike and it would be difficult to just
say "do it this way."  Read all the advice and make your own judgements
based on the task before you.  You'll enjoy the work more when you make it
a reflection of yourself and your capabilities.

If this is your first exposure to institutional work then some insight from
my own experience might also be of benefit:

Pace yourself so you don't burn out.  If you're like most of us, you'll
probably have to rely on outside work for supplemental income just to
survive, so you'll need some energy reserves.  Keep in mind that your work
will last only a few days in the institutional setting and don't let that
frustrate you.  At times, it can be like attempting to climb Mt. Everest
while standing in quicksand.  Don't try to be superman (unless you've got a
clause in your contract which rewards you for being superman) because
institutional pianos can be like Kryptonite.  You can only do what you can
do and you can't win the fight with Mother Nature, but you can learn some
tricks to make it into the late rounds.  Keep detailed records of your work
and of climate readings for each instrument every time you see each one.
The hours you are expected to be there can be used to your benefit.  Don't
give'em the idea you'll work for free, because you're there to earn a
living, and you're probably already underpaid for the hours you're supposed
to be there.  Here, weekend and evening work is overtime, which is rewarded
at 1.5 times in comp time, so weekend and evening work is viewed as being
inefficient.  Therefore, we avoid it except in very rare cases.  If they
promise you a raise, do your best to hold them to it.

This is a wonderful setting in which to work as long as you keep it in
perspective.

I wish you the best in this new adventure!
Jeff


>Hello,
> I recently took a position at a University. This is my first
>University job and am open to any suggestions to help me with setting
>up a tuning rotation for the schools pianos.
>Thank you,
>Doug Atkins, RPT
>Cedarville University
>atkinsd@cedarville.edu
>937.766.7566
>