Work in the Business? Any Advice?

Temp-to-hire is more and more common these days, and has its advantages for both parties. I spent over 20 years in marketing before changing careers after 9/11. During that time I landed three great full-time permanent positions by starting as a temp (contractor). If you're good, the company will notice you and find a way to bring you in.

Exactly, temp positions usually result in permanent hires if the employee expresses a desire to stay and is a valued employee. Like I said earlier, there's a lot of turnover in grunt work manufacturing, so there's no advantage from SIG's point of view to hiring full timers.
 
That's fair. I've never thought about it like that. Although if you go online there is unfortunately a lot of not so great reviews from past employees and I know 2 people personally who work/worked for them. One woman I know says it was a shit show and that management was a disaster (what else is new) etc. But the other person I know still works there but says it "could use some serious improvements". He's also the type of guy to take little action and would rather be slightly uncomfortable somewhere if it means he doesn't have to change scenery so.
 
One of the issue with getting hired into a new career is lack of experience. Even so called entry level jobs want you to know something. This is because teaching you is a major expense for a company and once they've done that you may take that knowledge and go elsewhere. So they want you to have something to start with.

Don't dismiss starting as a hobby. That plus some training is good experience and shows you know what you're getting into. I started with computers in high school and as a hobby, then helping people I knew. It wasn't until I hurt my back working as a mechanic that I changed careers. I took a couple classes to add some formal training and walked into a new career in about a year.
 
That's fair. I've never thought about it like that. Although if you go online there is unfortunately a lot of not so great reviews from past employees and I know 2 people personally who work/worked for them. One woman I know says it was a shit show and that management was a disaster (what else is new) etc. But the other person I know still works there but says it "could use some serious improvements". He's also the type of guy to take little action and would rather be slightly uncomfortable somewhere if it means he doesn't have to change scenery so.

I worked three manufacturing gigs and this describes all of them exactly. Again, this is what you're getting into if you want to enter the gun industry via grunt work manufacturing. Which is why its better to have a skill gained through some form of education. To sidestep being a cog in the machine.
 
I worked three manufacturing gigs and this describes all of them exactly. Again, this is what you're getting into if you want to enter the gun industry via grunt work manufacturing. Which is why its better to have a skill gained through some form of education. To sidestep being a cog in the machine.

That I can definitely see. So I am going to keep an open ear and cast lines where I see fit. In the meantime however I may just scale back hours and devote some time to education. Seems the only viable option with any allowance of reasonable expectation upon completion.
 
Reached out to Sig.

They indicated that they do assembly positions (and more I'm sure) through a staffing agency on a tenp-to-hire basis. That's not me. The hunt continues.
i interviewed at sig 15 years ago for an assembly/test range supervisor. everyone at that time, the assemblers and test range, were 18 year old kids. no jobs in the area so if you didn't go on to college it was your only option, working at sig. the older guys were working as smiths or prototype gunsmiths/tool makers. also in the police return area. and of course management.

i did get a super tour of the facility. this was the time they were just introducing their 1911 to the world. the engineers were still working on it in the custom shop area. i was allowed to shoot it also. great fun for the gun geek. my problem was i would have had to commute until i sold the house if i accepted.
 
i interviewed at sig 15 years ago for an assembly/test range supervisor. everyone at that time, the assemblers and test range, were 18 year old kids. no jobs in the area so if you didn't go on to college it was your only option, working at sig. the older guys were working as smiths or prototype gunsmiths/tool makers. also in the police return area. and of course management.

i did get a super tour of the facility. this was the time they were just introducing their 1911 to the world. the engineers were still working on it in the custom shop area. i was allowed to shoot it also. great fun for the gun geek. my problem was i would have had to commute until i sold the house if i accepted.

I would have a pretty good size commute as well if I stayed where I am.
 
No, it wouldn't. I was only going to go for it if it seemed a good enough opportunity. At which point I would've considered moving more towards the seacoast.
when i was up there assembly jobs were $10/hr. so i guess they'd be moving into that $15 range soon if they hadn't migrated there by now. but hey, they went through a giant management overhaul right when i went up so maybe things got better pay wise.
 
I'm currently on the hunt. My current place is owned by a larger company, and they're moving production out of state. [sad]

Fortunately, I have time, so I don't have to panic, and I can try and find a good fit. I'm a Materials Handler (Shipping/Receiving, inventory, etc.). I was very lucky that the place took me on, with no real history of it, but trusted that my broad experience in many industries would translate. I also had an "in," in that one of the people involved in the hiring knew me slightly. As noted above, ALL is sales, as you have to sell yourself.


Now, from what I've seen, 99% of the places that are hiring are looking for experience, for anything above "human robot" status. This will make breaking into a new industry tough, especially these days. They want you with a given skillset, that will require tweaking to the company's details, as opposed to training someone from scratch.

OP: I understand that you may not want to be a Register Ranger, but working the counter at a LGS (or even a chain) will give you some industry-relevant experience to put on your resume.

Oh, If anyone is in need of an experienced shipper/receiver in the MetroWest area, with a background in some tech stuff, PM me! [laugh]
 
If you want to see if you have natural mechanical skills, and you have a new interest in AKs, try building a few parts kits. Attention to detail is a must. Most guys would have a problem and know shortly after beginning if it’s for them.
 
Hey. So I was offered 2 jobs related to firearms. One was with Sig, the other with Manch Firing Line. I didn't like the temp to hire thing with Sig, so I accepted a job at MFL. It didn't work out. To keep a very long story very short, they were dishonest about my pay rate and let me work an entire shift before coming out with the truth, so to speak. It was very unprofessional and disheartening since I was stoked to be there. But alas, I could not live the way I want to on what they wanted to pay, so I left.

For now, as much as I want to work in the biz, I'm making good money right now as a delivery driver at a buddies restaurant and am going to stay based on money alone.

Sure, it would be nice to work around firearms. But if that means not even being able to afford them, or ammo or time at the range or anything else, then it's pointless.
 
So for almost all of my professional life I've either been a cook (currently), or worked landscaping. I'm 29 and I want to make a change and work in the firearms industry. I'm not sure what aspect, I just want to get my foot in the door basically any way I can. Only exception would be ringing people out at a cash register, I'd like to at least work, WITH firearms or assembly or something.

I'm in NH. I've already sent applications and resumes to all the usual suspects in my state. I'm a realistic guy so I don't think I'm going to start entry level for great money and that's okay. So I was just wondering if anyone on here with more experience than me had any advice or tips?
If you can, attend the Pennsylvania gunsmithing school. Graduate from there and the possibilities are endless. Two of the Alabama FFLs that I have done business with are alumni.
 
I had a few minutes so I looked at Thomson Center, Smith and Wesson and did some random searches.

Looks like they all need a few CNC operators.

With the economy beigh shitty and schools dying to get people, you might be able to negotiate a good price for training.

Or get a small CNC and teach yourself. It is full of videos online and quite a few people here on NES that I am sure would love to give you a hand and teach you a few things.
 
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Depending on what it was and if it's still available you may want to reconsider the temp to hire, it's not an uncommon way for companies to try before they buy. BUT to make sure it's definitely a "to hire" job, get them to put it in writing how it will be temp before bringing you on full time, assuming you are still there. And if the temp is an unbenefited job, like a contractor, the hourly rate should actually be higher that what you'd get full time.

Delivery might seem good now, but as the world opens back up that will drop some, and I'm guessing both the pay and position growth potential are close to zero. So if you stay, use that time to educate yourself for your next position.
 
I don't know, this place I'm at is always jammin. And, I mean, in NH everything is open basically. The biggest issue for me getting further education, is I unfortunately dropped out of high school. Once upon a time I thought I had the world figured out. 😂
You don't need a highschool diploma to go to college or a trade school.
If you're in MA, completing you first year at any college, night school, doesn't matter. Entitles you to that label of high school graduate, if it means that much to you.
It sounds like you're still a young guy, ask yourself this, in 5 years at your current employer where will you be? What will you growth potential be then? What will you have learned that will help you in the future? If after 5 years you're still in a position that someone straight out of highschool can do, you need to think about what you are doing. Some are happy just going along at the same job, with the same pay, I never was.
 
Few questions:

(1) What's your education level?
(2) What do you generally see yourself doing within the gun industry?
(3) What are your skills, hobbies, knacks, etc. outside of guns? Writing, social media (yes, this is a thing, some people have a knack for getting others' attention), working with your hands?
(4) Where do you want to be in twenty years?

(5) do you own a Glock ?
 
... I was offered 2 jobs related to firearms. One was with Sig, the other with Manch Firing Line. I didn't like the temp to hire thing with Sig, so I accepted a job at MFL.
Let's say there's two types of "Temp to Hire" jobs out there:
  1. The Google kind; who lie through their teeth to contractors that it's a definite path to a permanent position, but treat them like dirt, and virtually never hire.
  2. The kind where a company who uses the temp position to evaluate the prospect's work, and then hires them as fast as they can if there's a permanent slot to fill.
No one who is not desperate for cash should consider the first type.

Did you reject the Sig offer because they did not guarantee a full-time hire?
No Community College or voc-ed is going to guarantee a diploma.
No economy is going to guarantee a no-layoff job.
=====

There's plenty of nuggets of good career advice in this thread,
although it's kind of long on,
"(stop working and?) get some degree/training;
then use the education to get some dynamite job somewhere";
and it's short on,
"get an entry-level job with a good employer in your chosen field
who will pay for a degree/training,
then leverage your education for a dynamite promotion".

And the advice is all over the map. So who to follow?

I hear good things about this career-advice book: The Proximity Principle.
I hear it teaches at least these two things:
  1. A process to figure out what you want to do with your life.
  2. How to leverage all of the people you know to break through the Personnel firewall and be the interviewee that gets the job. All of my jobs were with companies where an acquaintance laid my resume on the hiring manager's desk.
I'm not even saying you should piss away $16 on some self-help book.
Just borrow it on interlibrary loan, read it, and follow instructions.

Delivery driver is a gold mine right now.
And when there's slow times, Read The Book.


And remember,
don't fixate on what you want to "be" -
many jobs are nothing like what people imagine -
figure out what you want to do.


Hope this helps.
 
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Let's say there's two types of "Temp to Hire" jobs out there:
  1. The Google kind; who lie through their teeth to contractors that it's a definite path to a permanent position, but treat like dirt, and virtually never hire.
  2. The kind where a company who uses the temp position to evaluate the prospect's work, and then hires them as fast as they can if there's a permanent slot to fill.
No one who is not desperate for cash should consider the first type.

Did you reject the Sig offer because they did not guarantee a full-time hire?
No Community College or voc-ed is going to guarantee a diploma.
No economy is going to guarantee a no-layoff job.
=====

There's plenty of nuggets of good career advice in this thread,
although it's kind of long on,
"(stop working and?) get some degree/training;
then use the education to get some dynamite job somewhere";
and it's short on,
"get an entry-level job with a good employer in your chosen field
who will pay for a degree/training,
then leverage your education for a dynamite promotion".

And the advice is all over the map. So who to follow?

I hear good things about this career-advice book: The Proximity Principle.
I hear it teaches at least these two things:
  1. A process to figure out what you want to do with your life.
  2. How to leverage all of the people you know to break through the Personnel firewall and be the interviewee that gets the job. All of my jobs were with companies where an acquaintance laid my resume on the hiring manager's desk.
I'm not even saying you should piss away $16 on some self-help book.
Just borrow it on interlibrary loan, read it, and follow instructions.

Delivery driver is a gold mine right now.
And when there's slow times, Read The Book.


And remember,
don't fixate on what you want to "be" -
many jobs are nothing like what people imagine -
figure out what you want to do.


Hope this helps.
I have to admit I have little frame of reference here, what does a deliver driver make now days? Entry level and with 5 years experience?
 
I have to admit I have little frame of reference here, what does a deliver driver make now days? Entry level and with 5 years experience?
Me neither.

But with the pandemic there's abnormal demand.
And I think even normally it's a market where
larger businesses have a lot of employee turnover.

So it's alleged to be easy to find a job (or several).
And if business is good, you can put in a lot of hours.

Compensation? Gratuities may be key.
 
Me neither.

But with the pandemic there's abnormal demand.
And I think even normally it's a market where
larger businesses have a lot of employee turnover.

So it's alleged to be easy to find a job (or several).
And if business is good, you can put in a lot of hours.

Compensation? Gratuities may be key.
As I said before, it's probably good right now, for what it is, but that won't last. But it has no growth potential from a position or pay standpoint, and doesn't offer much for transferable skills/experience. So sure, do it for now if you're having fun, but use your time to educate yourself for the next job. Unlike an entry job that has growth potential, you aren't picking up any experience/knowledge.
 
So sure, do it for now if you're having fun, but use your time to educate yourself for the next job. Unlike an entry job that has growth potential, you aren't picking up any experience/knowledge.
Absolutely positively no contest.

I'm saying that it's been called a really good way to pile up cash
when things go pear-shaped. And I'm not saying that
Einstein studied in between the dinner and Game of the Week rush,
but there may be slack time that one can use to hit the books.
 
Stream of consciousness thoughts
  • Working at a big name (Sig, S&W, Ruger, etc.) gun company in manufacturing is a low wage dead end. You are a cog, not an individual with unique skills, are easily replaced or laid off, and will not pick up a lot of new skills.
  • Working a boutique firm can provide much more flexibility, but getting hired with no track record and not knowing someone on the inside is probably not going to happen.
  • Consider sales. Obviously, it would be nice to the the regional civilian sale rep for one of the biggies, and drive around to gun shops making sure the dealers are happy, shoving new products, down their throat, etc. But, that probably won't happen without experience.
  • Consider working for a distributor. Hard work, spending your day on the phone calling dealers and/or taking orders, but you will get to know some players and build up a name. Its going to be primarily commission based, so the employer may not be as hung up on experience as some other positions. I'm thinking of places like Camfor in central MA.
  • Decide how bad you want it. Are you willing to relocate anywhere in the US if you can get a job offer? You probably aren't going to get a relocation package, but if you had a chance at Wilsons in Arkansaw would you move??
  • Beware the agency effect. Money and an upward path is going to be harder at a smallish place where every additional dollar you earn reduces the CEOs pay by a dollar. I'm thinking of the "owned by one person" companies where employees are literally paid out of the president's pocket.
 
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How’s your restaurant delivery gig going, OP? Must be busy amid COVID and the holidays.
 
There isn't a lot to learn working at a manufacturer.

It's just like any other manufacturer, except they produce something you are interested in. It's menial labor that doesn't pay much because all you do is put parts together which doesn't take any skill and can be taught to a new arrival to the US in 20 minutes. I deliver to manufacturers of various products all the time.

Working at a gun store..I'm sure you have seen who works at gun stores, they are either retired or a part time job and are most likely giving their paycheck up every month for a gun at wholesale. There are very small margins on new guns..

When I first got into guns all I wanted to do was make a living doing something with guns..being a paid assassin was kinda hard to get into so I looked into other things. Manufacturers of ANYTHING don't pay shit unless you are designing them with CAD or something.
^^^^^^^Truth, bingo!!! ^^^^^^^^
 
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