How to break into a CNC Machinist's position?
January 26, 2013 11:43 PM Subscribe
My Step-Daughter's Father graduated in December from a technical school in Tacoma with an associate's degree in CNC machining. He learned the lathes, multi-head machining, how to build sets and a bunch of other things as well. He also learned some of the software (Solid Works I think, and another one as well) and some of the other programming aspects of CNC milling. He's learned a ton and it would seem to me that someplace would find his knowledge valuable.
Thing is, he's really struggling to get any bites on job leads. He's applied to dozens of places but he either gets an immediate rejection or no call back.
What does he need to do to improve his chances of landing an interview somewhere? Are there key phrases that he needs to put on his resume, or something like that? He's getting really frustrated and down on himself and it sucks to watch him get nothing but rejection. He put a ton of effort into this program and now he feels like it was a big waste of time.
Thanks!
Thing is, he's really struggling to get any bites on job leads. He's applied to dozens of places but he either gets an immediate rejection or no call back.
What does he need to do to improve his chances of landing an interview somewhere? Are there key phrases that he needs to put on his resume, or something like that? He's getting really frustrated and down on himself and it sucks to watch him get nothing but rejection. He put a ton of effort into this program and now he feels like it was a big waste of time.
Thanks!
It was definitely not a waste -- those are very valuable skills. What sorts of jobs is he applying for? In my mind, there are two tribes of CNC machining he could look into (and I am going to hugely over-generalize here):
1. There is the technical/output side: Think industrial setting. More hard-core metalworking and machining work. Less about working on what could be made, and more precisely producing what is needed. Think high-tech factories. Think engineers.
2. And then there is the more design-driven side. Think furniture. Think small-batch. Think limited run products. Think design-build architecture firms. More emphasis on the capabilities of the technology, and what could be possible. Think of architects and artists.
Both worlds are looking for people with these same skills, but the way you would present to them would be very different. The latter would want to see a portfolio of work or firms you have worked with. The former might be more interested in the more technical aspects of your training.
I would imagine he may be focusing on the first group now (say, looking at a huge place like Boeing), but maybe overlooking the second as an entire world looking for these types of skills (say, looking for small design build or fabrication companies).
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 12:19 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
1. There is the technical/output side: Think industrial setting. More hard-core metalworking and machining work. Less about working on what could be made, and more precisely producing what is needed. Think high-tech factories. Think engineers.
2. And then there is the more design-driven side. Think furniture. Think small-batch. Think limited run products. Think design-build architecture firms. More emphasis on the capabilities of the technology, and what could be possible. Think of architects and artists.
Both worlds are looking for people with these same skills, but the way you would present to them would be very different. The latter would want to see a portfolio of work or firms you have worked with. The former might be more interested in the more technical aspects of your training.
I would imagine he may be focusing on the first group now (say, looking at a huge place like Boeing), but maybe overlooking the second as an entire world looking for these types of skills (say, looking for small design build or fabrication companies).
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 12:19 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, and as someone who works and hires in the latter world (though nowhere near where he is located), feel free to MeMail his resume or portfolio or whatever he uses to apply to a typical job (if he is comfortable with that) and I can let you know if I have any comments or ideas.
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 12:24 AM on January 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 12:24 AM on January 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
I know zero about his field, but I can tell you how I got a job as a new grad in a currently extremely crappy hiring environment for my non-related but also basically working-class type, trade-based job:
I walked into every single institution in the area, wearing nice clothes, and carrying 5 copies of my resume, with a very well written cover letter, and I asked to speak to the supervisor.
9 times out of 10 no one would even talk to me. But now and then they did. And one person was nice enough to give me her card and some words of encouragement.
When, several months later, an opening appeared in her organization, I applied and then wrote her personally and asked what she'd suggest I do to increase my chances.
This got me an interview, and then a job. I believe similar principles would apply in every field.
It's really hard to be persistent and outgoing like that, but I think it works.
posted by latkes at 2:29 AM on January 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
I walked into every single institution in the area, wearing nice clothes, and carrying 5 copies of my resume, with a very well written cover letter, and I asked to speak to the supervisor.
9 times out of 10 no one would even talk to me. But now and then they did. And one person was nice enough to give me her card and some words of encouragement.
When, several months later, an opening appeared in her organization, I applied and then wrote her personally and asked what she'd suggest I do to increase my chances.
This got me an interview, and then a job. I believe similar principles would apply in every field.
It's really hard to be persistent and outgoing like that, but I think it works.
posted by latkes at 2:29 AM on January 27, 2013 [5 favorites]
I am not a CNC machinist and my perspective on this may be rather narrow or skewed, but I have worked fairly closely with machinists at times. One thing that occurs to me is that it's only fairly recently (in the grand sweep of industrial history) that machinists have learned part of their trade in college classes. Even now, some newbies still start out as resume-free, low-skill apprentices and learn on the job. Very many older business owners started out that way. There's also a bit of blue-collar machismo in many shop cultures, with subtle dick-measuring based on ability to get work done quickly and/or work in unpleasant conditions. So I think it's probably possible to turn off some business owners by overemphasizing the community college stuff. It might help if he looks for ways to signal that he's not completely unprepared for a real shop culture and environment. It would be worth casually mentioning some bit of actual work experience in an environment that might have been least vaguely similar to that in the shop where he's applying.
posted by jon1270 at 2:59 AM on January 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by jon1270 at 2:59 AM on January 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
He keep up with fellow students? Most jobs come from networking. I say this as a former CNC operator in the Seattle area.
posted by codswallop at 3:15 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by codswallop at 3:15 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
I walked into every single institution in the area, wearing nice clothes, and carrying 5 copies of my resume, with a very well written cover letter, and I asked to speak to the supervisor.
9 times out of 10 no one would even talk to me. But now and then they did. ...
It's really hard to be persistent and outgoing like that, but I think it works.
posted by latkes at 4:29 AM on January 27
I had TONS of credits in a classroom with extremely "real" work-like conditions, mainframe computer programmer. But I did not have a degree, and did not have on the job experience, and no one would look at me, no matter what.
HR immediately tossed anything because I didn't have a degree. HR exists to keep HR open, and hiring HR people, and keeping everyone away from the company. They'd hire someone with only three credit hours "programming related" experience if they had the degree, I had over thirty hours, almost half of that directly on the mainframe, no matter.
A head-hunter I spoke with told me that he would not help me, because the chances of my actually getting placed anywhere for any reason were nil, much less if someone had to pay his finder commission on top of hiring me. But he spent about twenty minutes on the phone with me, giving me the low-down, what he would do in my shoes. It was a huge gift.
He said sure, try HR, but expect absolutely nothing. He said sure, apply to positions listed in the newspaper, but expect absolutely nothing. He said to try these things because hey, sometimes miracles occur, sometimes the check really is in the mail, right? But expect nothing.
He said to contact every company in Houston, go down the list of businesses in the phone book, ask the telephone operator to speak to their computer room. Most operators would not put me through -- most companies didn't even have a computer room, they're like wtf -- but you never know. Once through to the computer room, ask whoever answered the phone if the know who is in charge of hiring programmers, who would they speak to, was there a name they could give me. Mostly I got hung up on, a few said good luck then rang off, more than a few were pretty much brain-dead -- we're talking operators here, remember.
It took months, uphill the whole damn way, closed doors, mostly slammed. And then one day ... You know the rest. I spoke to an operator willing to help, and able to help, too, gave me the right name and even a direct number -- completely bypassing the pricks in HR -- and I was interviewed and hired shortly after, bang bang bang, a huge bank in downtown Houston.
It was not supposed to happen.
It was impossible that it would ever happen. Seeking gold in barrels of junk. Early 1990s Houston was a rough hiring market. Everyone who knew anything said it'd never, ever happen.
It happened.
Tell your friend to open the phone book, and wish him good luck. Tell him I said hello.
posted by dancestoblue at 6:14 AM on January 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
9 times out of 10 no one would even talk to me. But now and then they did. ...
It's really hard to be persistent and outgoing like that, but I think it works.
posted by latkes at 4:29 AM on January 27
I had TONS of credits in a classroom with extremely "real" work-like conditions, mainframe computer programmer. But I did not have a degree, and did not have on the job experience, and no one would look at me, no matter what.
HR immediately tossed anything because I didn't have a degree. HR exists to keep HR open, and hiring HR people, and keeping everyone away from the company. They'd hire someone with only three credit hours "programming related" experience if they had the degree, I had over thirty hours, almost half of that directly on the mainframe, no matter.
A head-hunter I spoke with told me that he would not help me, because the chances of my actually getting placed anywhere for any reason were nil, much less if someone had to pay his finder commission on top of hiring me. But he spent about twenty minutes on the phone with me, giving me the low-down, what he would do in my shoes. It was a huge gift.
He said sure, try HR, but expect absolutely nothing. He said sure, apply to positions listed in the newspaper, but expect absolutely nothing. He said to try these things because hey, sometimes miracles occur, sometimes the check really is in the mail, right? But expect nothing.
He said to contact every company in Houston, go down the list of businesses in the phone book, ask the telephone operator to speak to their computer room. Most operators would not put me through -- most companies didn't even have a computer room, they're like wtf -- but you never know. Once through to the computer room, ask whoever answered the phone if the know who is in charge of hiring programmers, who would they speak to, was there a name they could give me. Mostly I got hung up on, a few said good luck then rang off, more than a few were pretty much brain-dead -- we're talking operators here, remember.
It took months, uphill the whole damn way, closed doors, mostly slammed. And then one day ... You know the rest. I spoke to an operator willing to help, and able to help, too, gave me the right name and even a direct number -- completely bypassing the pricks in HR -- and I was interviewed and hired shortly after, bang bang bang, a huge bank in downtown Houston.
It was not supposed to happen.
It was impossible that it would ever happen. Seeking gold in barrels of junk. Early 1990s Houston was a rough hiring market. Everyone who knew anything said it'd never, ever happen.
It happened.
Tell your friend to open the phone book, and wish him good luck. Tell him I said hello.
posted by dancestoblue at 6:14 AM on January 27, 2013 [4 favorites]
My factory has a policy to only hire through temp agencies, so I would sign up with as many of those as he can.
posted by Fig at 7:03 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Fig at 7:03 AM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is a "yes and..." type of answer (i.e. in addition to many of the answers already given): also get in touch with your instructors at the technical college, especially the ones who do hand-on training. Chances are that they know people in the industry, and might be able to offer suggestions or even people to directly contact. They might also know of alternate ways that other students have gotten employment.
posted by 1367 at 11:59 AM on January 27, 2013
posted by 1367 at 11:59 AM on January 27, 2013
The good news is that every machine shop I work with is busting at the seams. Nobody is running single shifts, and some are running three. My company is grudgingly using less-favored shops, and sending some work to the Midwest or Canada.
I agree that machine shops can be a little insular. Lots of those guys have been nursing along old machines for decades.
Be willing to work late, or early. Most machine shop shifts start no later than 0600.
Have him get in touch with the regional factory reps for the CNC brand he's most familiar with (Fanuc ?) and they'll know which shops have bought new, or are having trouble with theirs, or are at capacity.
If he goes cold-calling, aim for halfway between "interview-ready" and "work-ready". Have on steel-toes and a set of good safety glasses in your pocket. Nothing makes you look more ill-prepared than wingtips and the giant visitor glasses.
I have't working in manufacturing in Tacoma for a long time, but I would go down on the tideflats to Globe Manufacturing to see what they're up to, and pay a visit to MetalTech up in Sumner, who I know have put in several new machines this year. Be willing to make the commute up to the South Park/Georgetown area to see GearWorks or Machinists Inc. Get a resume in at the Boeing Frederickson plant.
posted by Kakkerlak at 12:34 PM on January 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
I agree that machine shops can be a little insular. Lots of those guys have been nursing along old machines for decades.
Be willing to work late, or early. Most machine shop shifts start no later than 0600.
Have him get in touch with the regional factory reps for the CNC brand he's most familiar with (Fanuc ?) and they'll know which shops have bought new, or are having trouble with theirs, or are at capacity.
If he goes cold-calling, aim for halfway between "interview-ready" and "work-ready". Have on steel-toes and a set of good safety glasses in your pocket. Nothing makes you look more ill-prepared than wingtips and the giant visitor glasses.
I have't working in manufacturing in Tacoma for a long time, but I would go down on the tideflats to Globe Manufacturing to see what they're up to, and pay a visit to MetalTech up in Sumner, who I know have put in several new machines this year. Be willing to make the commute up to the South Park/Georgetown area to see GearWorks or Machinists Inc. Get a resume in at the Boeing Frederickson plant.
posted by Kakkerlak at 12:34 PM on January 27, 2013 [3 favorites]
He can try to put up a resume and look through the want ads at: http://www.practicalmachinist.com
Lots of business owners on the forums at that site, they can also give some advice.
posted by 445supermag at 3:41 PM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Lots of business owners on the forums at that site, they can also give some advice.
posted by 445supermag at 3:41 PM on January 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Get him down to Fablab, $130 for a 1 month membership, or as little as $15 for a class. I'm not sure it'll result in employment, but he'll meet people, keep his skills up, etc. If his only experience is in one shop at school, learning his way around another shop will really validate his learning and give him confidence. Also Makerhaus
posted by at at 12:42 AM on January 29, 2013
posted by at at 12:42 AM on January 29, 2013
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posted by oceanjesse at 11:50 PM on January 26, 2013