Experience

denick

When does your "experience" in the construction business begin?

When you state on a card or advertisement "20 years experience" Should that be professional experience? Over the age of 18? When you were at a certain level of experience? Does part time work apply?

What is the measure for people trying to do it right?

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

Gordo

IMO, all experience should apply from the first time you turn a screw for your boss' company till your present day situation.

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Looks like some pros were here.

Debookkeeper

I agree with Gordo... I should go by the the first year you started doing work in your field

Mike Finley

If we had 6 guys on the payroll with 10 years each we would have 60 years of experience.

maj

We call that "combined experience".

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IHI

yup, and the word combined escapes the minds when folsk glance over things so they see 60 yrs experience, but your still valid and honest by wording combined experience. Either way so long as you know wtf's going on the yrs of experience do not usually make or break a job...just gives it a "sparkley factor"

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reveivl

Count it from whenever you like, it's all bs anyway. "I've got fourty years experience mowing my lawn." Not really, you've got about a weeks experience and fourty years of practice.

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dayspring

First time you hit your thumb

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DaveH

I was born into a contracting family. When I tell people I have 30 years experience they freak when they see I'm only 39. At 9 I was on the site pulling nails, toting boards, and sweeping floors. I hit my finger the first time with a hammer when I was 5....Hmmmm 34 years exp...

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rino1494

I always laugh when I see people advertise like that.

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Tscarborough

In the office, we have 4 guys with a combined 135 years of experience, and 3 of them are under 50.

Double-A

Depends. Some days, when a new situation comes up that I've never seen or heard of before, I feel like a new born pup.

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denick

I asked the question because I was asked on a call to look at new work "if I had been doing this a while?"

At 8 years old I dug my first water line on a backhoe during spring vacation and worked my school summer vacation that year carrying stone chips from the stone cutting tables to the stone setters and anything else that needed doing.

Should I have said 45 years? Should my business card and advertising say that?

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

Tscarborough

Your experience begins when you are paid to do it, says I.

denick

I made $ 168.00 that year

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

Mike Finley

Naw, cause then you would have to get new business cards every year.

Just do it like McDonald's, does anybody remember when they actually were keeping count of how many served? I remember growing up and seeing their signs periodically change, they would say "40 million served" then months later they would say "41 million served", now they just say "billions and billions served"

You should do the same, just put on your business cards "Tons of experience" - "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies!"

PipeGuy

personally, it impresses me when i see a card or sign that points out 'serving blah-blah-blah since 1947" or something there abouts. I take stock in 'companies' that have longevity more so than I do in individuals with experience.

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Double-A

So print up your cards to read;

Hole-y Tear-er since 1953.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006