falling in love too quick with your niche/job

[ashtree]

Just a couple questions and seeking some input on a couple things. While in trade last year for HVAC, one of my instructors explained to get into a field with an open mind, get out get a job, get some experience, and find out where you want to be interms of career and what challenges/motivates you.

Being 30 when I first got into training for HVAC program, then moving on to Industrial Tech for Maintenance Mechanic type trade program, really excited just to be doing something I enjoyed and could hold me down financially. The idea was to get into a HVAC company grunt, or industrial warehousing and learn commercial work HVAC/Maintenance etc..

Well right out of school got picked up by a long standing fireplace shop in town and its been almost 7 months and I have come to love 99% of the job, work, and environment. Pretty much sold on learning everything I can about this niche of the heating side and see a longterm future in it. I understand its a previlege to work and work in something you love is few and far between fresh out of trade.

Most of us have heard the saying "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." Well I literally can work 24 hours straight if they let me, its fun, its challenging, I just can't get enough of it. My questions are: Have you guys been in this situation when you first got into the industry where you found the path? I understand you have to justify your existence everyday and work hard and you can be laid off or fired things change but I can really see myself doing this for many years.

So the questions: Would you go all in and have you on a job you just got or do you play it close to the vest sponge up and be ready for next opportunity? Is putting all your chips in a bad thing when it comes to your professional career? I really feel no matter what your doing shining shoes, raking leaves, whatever do your best you can at it or strive for it. But it this situation early on in your career maybe getting too attached may lead to you missing some other opportunities in our industry? Being a chimney sweep seems pretty cool to me, doing the pellet service/Gas service and repairs is just the icing on the cake but in California the one thing you can bet on is restrictions wood burning is very very bad word and they have cut the burn days in half seems like everyother year, may be wood burning products may be an fading industry at least here which would greatly affect the career/job future? Just thinking out loud and asking for input. Apologize for the poor grammar and puncuation you guys have a cool weekend.

[ashtree]

Was told by one of my trade instructors that this field is so dynamic you could be in a coldstorage trouble shooting one hour, crawling around in a attic sweating it up the next. I just wanted to get in the field and did my best to find a way in the AC/Heating field. I believe I found a awesome little niche of the heating field and am all in. Over the last week quelled alot of concerns I had with doubling down, was going to invest quite a bit more money and time in training in other aspects of the industry while vetting on some current home and hearth stuff as well but now going to go fully towards many of the chimney, fireplace, pellet stove certifications, and education. Its become an obsession at the very least dreaming about system operation stuff and could really see myself at 50-60 doing some work in this field. Have a cool one guys.

[dogheads]

Hey ashtree nice to hear a from a local, I to would be concerned about the many restrictions here in the valley but I'm curios what you do in the summer with the heat we get here seems like you would be missing some opertunity to supplement your income only doing fireplaces. However I do know that a lot of contractors in the area don't do them. Winters probably good and it sounds like your all in in that arena but what do you do come summer I've been considering getting more education in fireplaces but wondering how lucrative it is here?

[ashtree]

DH,

Its cool to finally hear from a valley native on the boards, great that your out putting in some work on these fireboxes. Was just in Hanford a couple weeks ago working on a D-40 seabrook. In the summer we do alot of service and chimney sweeps, we preach system preventative maintenance and giving a discount to customers in the spring and summer helps keep business steady along with maintaining the units the shop has installed over the last 1-40 years openfire places, wood stoves, pellet, and gas systems. Lucrative not really sure if its that lucrative in terms of profit per call etc.. but the money is out here and being able to go get it and keep it is the issue. My boss is old school and busts his butt along side me and does everthing he can to please customers. So the old man has been training me the last couple months and motivated me to keep the tradition going of good service and good troubleshooting as well as tech verification. Hearthman has the leads to education, scour the posts on this board and you'll find some good avenues, the only thing is finding someone in your area to teach you the skills pertaining, and its hard interms of training and education because in our area its such a small niche. If your ever in town shoot me a message, if you need help on a system or questions likewise. Have a cool one.

[estherhead]

Passion is a good thing. Putting all your eggs in one basket is not a negative. Do what you love. If it dries up in the years to come, you can worry about finding a new passion then.

[darthvader]

Hey Ash I am glad to see you still enjoying your job, keep at. If you love your job it's worth investing time and money into education. If the business ever dries up, it's not a big switch to learning AC systems. You will have half the business down, good customer relations! As for me I think I am going to get out of the hearth business and get into mechanics. The customer relations are too draining for me, I am always the go to guy to make a angry customer happy.

[ashtree]

Thanks Guys. I am starting to find that there isn't a large amount of techs that work in my area that run full service gas valve change outs, blowers, boards, switches, installs etc.. so starting to dabble in it more. Appreciate the input. Have to say guys I love this niche of a field and want to absorb as much from my boss as possible because (sorry if I sound corny but) he a pretty good damn boss and has opened my eyes to the trade were in and trained me pretty well on servicing, customer service, and how to handle situations in business. If I could be an ounce of what this guy is interms of the hearth and home area I will be doing pretty well, so that being said I someday want to run my own service business with just a little tweak on things. I have the trade college background in A/C, so probably will do a little of both in 4-5 years depending on what the boss does. He has ran his business over 25 years and plan to stay on as long as he needs me/or he retires etc.. I am pretty loyal and will honor my commitment to the shop and would like to follow in the footsteps so to speak. Something about the smell of soot in the morning really does it for me. So as of right now work on pellets, gas systems, wood systems, and spas. The spa stuff starting to dig it, working with large spa packs and motors, heaters is pretty cool. My boss and office staff are trying to get into mini splits which would be awesome, I still love working on A/C's still learning as well taking classes after work 50 miles outta town to get superb training N.A.T.E as well as other sweet HVAC classes, still a newbie and will feel that way until I get 4-5 more seasons under the belt and as of right now but doing what I can do to stay in touch with the A/C side. I know we can't get rich doing this but hoping if I keep myself focused is that I can make a life outta this. I come from pretty meager beginnings and making a better life for myself/family utilizing the skills is very important. Input forprofit college commercial haha, Have a cool one guys.

[ashtree]

still love the job and will update. This trade is amazing.