09 Oct 2007, 8:03 pm
09 Oct 2007, 11:45 pm
Take it,
Sounds good to me although I'm not a locksmith I enjoy mechanical projects and since my school days pretty handy with locks 
You will find the skill of being able to make pieces of metal fit together although underestimated quite rare and always in demand.
12 Oct 2007, 12:20 am
wsmac
Veteran
Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Age: 64
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,888
Location: Humboldt County California
12 Oct 2007, 12:32 am
Requires some people skills.
Sometimes you deal with frantic people locked out of their homes/cars.
Sometimes you are installing locksets for homeowners who are standing over you watching everything you do.
Other times, you are working in the shop dealing with all those little pins and springs 
Check with the outfit you might be apprenticing with to see how much customer interaction you may be required to do.
Do they bill or do you have to take payment at the time of service? Will that bother you to address the issue of the charges directly with the customer?
Will you be working with a partner once you are familiar with the business?
Will you be able to work with a partner?
Is this a large firm (several vans, large clients as well as small clients - Office buildings vs homeowner).
Will you be on-call sometimes? Is this for 24 hrs?
14 Oct 2007, 5:36 pm
Sometimes you deal with frantic people locked out of their homes/cars.
Sometimes you are installing locksets for homeowners who are standing over you watching everything you do.
Other times, you are working in the shop dealing with all those little pins and springs
Check with the outfit you might be apprenticing with to see how much customer interaction you may be required to do.
Do they bill or do you have to take payment at the time of service? Will that bother you to address the issue of the charges directly with the customer?
Will you be working with a partner once you are familiar with the business?
Will you be able to work with a partner?
Is this a large firm (several vans, large clients as well as small clients - Office buildings vs homeowner).
Will you be on-call sometimes? Is this for 24 hrs?
Hey wsmac,
Here's what I know about the firm so far:
They are one of the bigger locksmithing firms in my area and they are looking to hire at least 2 more people. I have af helping out with a little bit of string-pulling. The job does have a customer service aspect about it, although nowhere near as extensive as anything in the service industry -for example, the restaurant business.
I'm not sure what their billing arrangements are; I think they have their own department for that. The job would begin with me shadowing with a partner until I "learn all the ropes" and then I'd be going to the job sites by myself. In the long run, I'd also become a certified Locksmith. I hear this line of work is recession-proof, now how's that for job security!
Most of their clientelle are government, business, and institutional, and yes, there are some dealings with homeowners. Weekends on call are on a rotational basis among the employees, that is there will be an on-call weekend about every 6 weeks.
Thank-you for bringing all those possibilities to my attention. An interview will be arranged yet and they'll be subject to my own Q's when I get there.
There is definitely an element of excitement about contemplating this new career endeavor. The position will be a full time that would allow me to leave the Disability plan that I'm currently subsisting on.
14 Oct 2007, 5:52 pm
It would be a cool feeling to walk down the street, knowing you could enter any of the properties, if you were so inclined 
wsmac
Veteran
Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Age: 64
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,888
Location: Humboldt County California
14 Oct 2007, 11:24 pm
20 Oct 2007, 4:25 pm
LOL psych
You can call the Gatekeeper
23 Oct 2007, 10:19 am
31 Oct 2007, 11:07 pm
01 Nov 2007, 3:33 pm
Now I'm thinking of becoming a locksmith. I want access! I love urban exploration!
28 Jan 2008, 11:45 am
