I'm not looking right now, thanks for the compliment though!

Not here to create enemies. I apologize to all

amsinc, no problem. And I really was just joking around - wasn't trying to sabotage your thread. Peace.

Dear amsinc:
Maybe one of the reasons that so many people made wise-ass remarks when they saw your post was because they are so fed up trying to hire good techs that their immediate respose was to say "Good Luck!" with sarcasim. Hiring good technicians is the hardest part of my job as a businessman. Here in California, many technicians are looking for an income higher than the amount that they can produce in revenue for the company. It takes years and tens of thousands of dollars for us to train a technician to our standards. They always tout experience way beyond their actual skill level when they're hired. Some are expecting a starting income of $75K or more, with elaborate benefits such as several weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick time, pay for "all" holidays (like Halloween, Octoberfest, Al Sharpton's birthday, and their own birthday), a generous retirement, full medical for their entire family, a new company truck that they can drive home at night, and a boss that compliments them on how good they are on a regular basis with a bonus to back it up. This "super-tech" usually can't do much of anything without the boss wiping his ass for him for the first couple of years. After spending a fortune training him over a period of a two or three years, he might be worth the wage you originally hired him at. However, now that he is trained, he will go out and start his own A/V business with your client list. I have trained over 50 techs in the last 20 years, many of which are now competing with me. So if some of us make jokes when we hear of someone else trying to hire a good technician, it's because laughing at the problem is the only way we can maintain some small measure of sanity. Some of us have just maintained a little less than others--that's all.

Then theres always the problem that once you invest all of your time and money in their training, CEDIA certification and all expenses paid trips to the EXPO and regionals... that some f--k from your competition shows up on your jobsite trying to lure them away because they are now so attractive. This then drives up your money and benefits package to keep them onboard. Thankfully I have guys that are for now, with me and do a fantastic job... I could not possibly run my business without them and their efforts (no you can't have them!). Good luck finding similar individuals... again, I found car guys that wanted to move on and it has worked well.

Wait,,Wait,, I am writing this down!

Don't think I'm ready to go to Michigan...

But hey Stew.. For 75k ot start I'd love to go to San Diego.

But only if I can have a day off for Boxing Day.

This was a really fun post to read lots of good humor in it! In my business I have no full time employees I just pay them cash per job and for them and that works great. What happens if they are busy..well I switch to plan B either way always gets done the right way even if I have to get in the trenches myself. The fact is from where I sit I would rather hire an enthusiast with little or no experience and bring him along working beside me. Now..will he leave eventually...probably..do I care...nope! I will tell you one thing don't ever hire an alarm installer...what hacks!

Hey, I started out as an alarm installer!:) I'll tell you when the alarm industry went down hill when all that crap went wireless. It took out all of the skill. I got out when everything went wireless because there was no money to be made by small independents anymore. Thanks to ADT.