Best approach for acquiring new business.

[Paul T Williams]

Hey Shawn,

The figure they show is usually what they mean, not "commenserate with 
experience". They will offer the job at the rate they offer!   What you 
have to do is sell them on your dollar figure and close the deal on why 
you are worth more than  so and so..and what you can offer as a benefit to 
the university.  When offered, state your entry level you're comfortable 
with.  They'll either take it or leave it.   That's a hard row to 
hoe....Once you're in, however, it's really hard to get more than the 
usual raise!  I'm learning that the hard way, but at least I started at a 
decent start. I should have asked for more....

Paul




"Shawn Brock" <shawnbrock at fuse.net> 
Sent by: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
10/21/2008 12:46 PM
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Paul,
 
I agree with you 100 percent on pretty much everything you said.  I am not 
knocking CAUT workers at all.  Anyone can see the benefits of those 
positions, however some of those jobs are just hideous!  Picture this, I 
was asked to apply for a university job here in the Midwest.  The school 
has 100 pianos and the advertised pay range was one of the lowest that 
CAUT workers have witnessed in the past 8 years.  The Director of the 
Music Department swore to me that they had to advertise the lowest offered 
pay amount because of some state regulations.  So dumb me goes down and 
takes the Civil Service exam, works on 2 badly neglected instruments and 
goes through the interview process only to find out that the pay offered 
is as exactly the amount advertised.  So I had 2 trips totaling 1400 
miles, basically 4 days of lost work not to even speak of my fuel, food 
and lodging costs.  All of this just to find out the University had more 
or less lied about the hole thing.  All of my time and hopes were wasted 
on a job that would have paid just shy of $28000 per year.  I didn't spend 
all this time studying, apprenticing, going to school to gain the 
necessary knowledge and skills that would make me more employable, 
studying for and passing the RPT exams and constantly trying to better my 
self as a tuner and technician to take an almost poverty level job.  A 
short time into my apprenticeship I asked my mentor what I had to do to 
get one of these university positions.  His reply was that I needed to go 
to school.  He said that would give me more valuable experience in a short 
time than anything else and make me more employable.  So that's what I 
did.  While in school I asked the same question to my instructors and 
other members of the PTG, the answer was to get my RPT.  So I did that and 
while I'm ecstatic to be an RPT who's graduated from an accredited piano 
technology institution I can't say that it has helped me a hole lot on the 
employment front.  So, here I am making more money than a lot of the CAUT 
folks but I have a lot more expenses to go with it.
 
Regards,
 Shawn Brock, RPT
513-316-0563
www.shawnbrock.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Paul T Williams 
To: Pianotech List 
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:53 PM
Subject: Re: Best approach for acquiring new business.


Shawn, 

There is a very good reason I took a CAUT job. It's the now lack of 
driving 50K miles a year, having full benefits, a 401K, all the insurance, 
driving only 5 miles to work, getting to work on what really needs work 
without having to "sell" something, nobody looks over me, I have full 
reign on the pianos and I say what is to be done!!   I spent 15 years in 
the Pacific NW  living on an island with 4 RPT's and a couple of 
joker"tooners" who got most of the low-end business, but good 
money....also worked among the most awesome nationally known techs who got 
all the best of the best...so I had to scrape up the in-between.  I don't 
know your area's business, but don't knock the CAUT position.  It's very 
nice...much over the $35K and when you figure in the benefits, works well 
into the 55-60K range or more. I know I deserve more for the 130 pianos I 
care for, but there is some sort of peace I get for getting to "play 
around" with what I've got to work with....I want damn good money, too, 
but right now, in the current downslide of the economy, I'm really 
greatful for what I have...  In the Seattle area, whenever Boeing had a 
strike, I suffered, immediately, as well (so supports the middle of the 
road piano customers I'm talking about) . 

Price yourself accordingly and with proper follow-up, you'll make 
enough...Just good luck with health insurance, business insurance, 
retirement package, travel expenses, and the like.... 

Paul 
  






"Shawn Brock" <shawnbrock at fuse.net> 
Sent by: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org 
10/20/2008 03:24 PM 

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Wem and all, 
  
.  Making a decent living is all fine and well but I want more than 
decent!  I want damn good!  I'm to the point in my business where I would 
not think of abandoning it for some $35000 university gig.  Its funny to 
think that a college job was all I ever wanted but now I am seeing the 
down side to that life.   
 




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