"And now I have an entry-level mid 30s employee that is very enthusiastic about learning surveying and the hardest worker I have ever had and has a great attitude."
Perhaps removing the has-been chief is an opportunity for your enthusiastic new employee to grow.?ÿ You teach him the office side on the non-field days, he becomes more capable, you work a little less.?ÿ It could be a good thing.
Ken
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That is exactly my plan.?ÿ He just started his survey 1 class at the local community college and is eager to learn.?ÿ And I am eager to teach.
Thanks fellows for your support.?ÿ I've struggled with letting my PC go for a while.?ÿ But it's time to move on and get rid of the stress.
This kind of thing is what keeps me up at nights.
If the new guy is as good as you say, he will fill the shoes quickly especially with your mentoring and the business will run with values you instill not a grumpy PC's.?ÿ ?ÿOn a side note, I recently watched a speaker speaking on board actions of professional surveyors and he said the majority actions seemed to be against older surveyors for some reason.?ÿ ?ÿGood luck!?ÿ Jp?ÿ
Ron,
If the extra long hours are a burden for you, is it possible to farm a few jobs out, until you new guy picks up a few more skills? Do not try to put in 5 days with the new guy in the field and then cover all the office work to boot. Shorten your field day or put yourself on a 3 or 4 day field schedule and have the new guy at your side as you compute.
Are you covering the community college fees? One of the easiest skills to teach is to have him connect the dots immediately after the field work. Field to finish methods help, but still doing the connect the dots teaches him to understand and improve the field work path. Understanding he has to attend classes, carefully include some overtime. With minimum time of instruction you can have him inputting deed and map information into a data collector or into CAD files and setting up survey plats. At this point do not do something yourself because you can do it faster, if he is investing his time in class you match that investment with your time. He does need?ÿto know and learn everything tomorrow but he needs to know how he can help you tomorrow.
Paul in PA
Paul,
With my current work load I am going to have to put in the extra hours at night.?ÿ But my plan is to go back to my roots.?ÿ Work a few days in the field and a few in the office once I get through the back log. The one thing my old pc excelled at was field to finish coding.?ÿ And I forced him to give my traniee the DC to input the codes. And learn what they mean and why we locate the item.?ÿ In his three months he can set up the robot, set up the DC, set up the gps.
The last few days I've worked with him he has run the pole and dc, on topo and stake out.?ÿ To quite honest he handles the pole for stakeout much better than I do.?ÿ I was dancing with that thing for a few minutes and finally said here you take it.?ÿ And he did one hell of a job.
So far this week, trainee has by my side with research, field stakeout calcs, topo and boundary location.?ÿ He is allowed to ask a question, mess up and try to fix with being berated.?ÿ And he's coming back to the happy guy he was when I hired him.
I plan on the days we are in the office, teaching him cad.?ÿ Labeling to start, I'll do the calcs and line work until he's up to speed a little with cad operation.
In regards to his class, yes I paid for it upfront, bought his books, and a new HP35s.?ÿ My goal for him is to be my future and to train any youngster willing to work and learn.
I think in the long run it will all work out.?ÿ Hell just the time I will save from having to do all the job research and calcs upfront so old pc could do the job will help me tremendously.
Thanks again guys, your input is greatly appreciated.
Wow! That scared me - thanks for the pictures - I had never heard of a lead hub before. They're just lead & tack here. ?ÿ ??ÿ
Well, it's done.?ÿ Wasn't taken very well.?ÿ But a weight has been lifted.
Or, perhaps,?ÿ"It's better the devil you know ..."
That's does raise a valid point. What if, and fast forward two years down the line:
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New Guy that Ron put through school> ?ÿ"Hey Registered, I appreciate the amazing opportunity you've given me, but I've changed my major, and want to focus on becoming a knesiologist" ?ÿ
Well, he had 2 good yrs from the guy, unlike his predecessor.
?ÿ"Give 'em enough rope, and they'll hang themselves."
We all had to learn from someone else through a variety of experiences.
Williwaw,
You might consider rephrasing the 'older guy' thing. The average age of a PLS in our state is now 58. That makes me a 'younger guy'. Don't shatter my illusion;^)
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