jack of all trades master of none

Anonymous-0 · May 26, 2011

i tried to get a job at a local parts store yesterday they said i dont have enough computer skills which i do agree but i have been fixing buying parts and seal gaskets etc for many years right now they have the people with the computer skills but dont have a clue what they are selling. Now heres my point they will never learn what they are selling but i would be able to learn the computer! which person would you guyslike to have behind the counter selling you parts? I dont understand the world today is a person like me becoming extinct? I have been in business for myself since i was 18 and now am 43 i dont want to be in business anymore at least not in the const. i thought i would get a job and get some kind of pension happening while i was still fairly young but i dont think that is going to work. please give me some feed back on this i could sure use some suggestions

Deere Scotty · May 26, 2011

Give me the PARTS Experienced Person Always!!! Your story is a real shame; but not suprising.

Scotty

bobs old iron · May 26, 2011

i know where you are going, trying to get a driving job after being off for almost 2 yrs, they tell me need verified driving past year. told them with every driver out of a job because of economy, where is any one been driving." duh"

Bob · May 26, 2011

Lyle, you might just as well get a job stocking shelves at the local WaldoWorld as sell parts at an chain autoparts store. It would pay the same, if not better, with less stress.

My son with tech school behind him and a number of years of experience and several ASE certifications (not to mention being GOOD at finding parts) is just an entry-level "number" at the O'REALLY's he works at, while others with no people or parts skills get the same pay. SAD!

Anonymous-0 · May 26, 2011

i would have no problem getting a truck driving job up here but i had a back operation a few years ago and i have to keep moving or i become a rusty old tractor and sieze up i cant sit in my trucks for more than a couple of hours and plus im sick of all the bs you have to go through when driving up here i feel like a criminal every time i jump behind the wheel

bison · May 27, 2011

Sorry bud, all they want today is puter geeks,no other knowledge required.
A part is only known by its number today.

Having some one around that knows the name and number is just too confusing.LOL

Anonymous-0 · May 27, 2011

There has to be another reason other than you don't have the computer experience. They can teach you that in a matter of a couple of hours or less.

mEl · May 27, 2011

BOBS, Move to NE Penna. There are dozens of ads daily looking for class A CDL with tanker endorsement as we are in the Marcellus Shale region of natural Gas development and Millions of Gallons of water are being transported via tanker daily for Hydrofracking the Natural Gas wells. Literally hundreds of tankers daily are running the highways one right after another. Jobs driving are not an issue for drivers here. mEl

NEKS · May 27, 2011

I hear you. I don"t buy at the NAPA store here because they have young kids working behind counter and it changes every week. If they can"t find what you need on the computer, its we can"t help you. The other parts store the owner and his employee has been there over thirty years.
You know they want to help you when they reach under the counter and pull out a well worn book to cross part numbers.

Dave in GA · May 27, 2011

A few weeks ago I went to Advance Auto to get a headlight for my 1971 International pickup. When I told the guy at the counter what I wanted, he needed to look the part up on the computer but he hesitated and looked completely confused. Then he asked me, "Who makes Internationals anyway?" I told him that International does. His computer didn"t show any headlights for a 1971, not even anything that could be ordered. Just then another nearby employee who overheard the conversation disappeared and came back with a headlight that I bought and installed on the truck, and it was the right one. The point of this is that parts people who know their parts are invaluable. They can find what you need even when the computers are down. The best auto parts countermen that I"ve dealt with had been mecahnics for many years. They had no use for computers and were annoyed when having to use them. Andy at Lawrenceville Auto Parts was the best in the business.

It"s reality that people who get jobs at parts stores today will need to learn the company"s computer software, but they"re easy to learn. It just takes some time to get comfortable and proficient at doing returns and other oddball transactions.

RLA · May 27, 2011

I"ve worked behind the counter of a new auto
dealer for 36 years. Started on parts books
& those still are my favorites to work out of.
Then came the fiche machines, nice not having
all those books out But very hard on the eyes.
Then the Putors. much better than fiche. In my
position I want a person with mechanical skills
. I can teach him/her the Putor part, it"s a
program I still key wrong keys but so what?

Anonymous-0 · May 27, 2011

I went into O'Reillys the other day and before I could walk right to the part I needed on the shelf there was an employee wanting to look it up on the confuser. Being in a bit of bad humor I says go ahead. Told him what I needed and the confuser told him there was no such part. I walked over to the shelf, pulled out the spark plug I needed for my lawn tractor and just looked at him.

Georgetown · May 27, 2011

A substantial lack of English Comp skills wouldn"t have had anything to do with it, would it?

ericlb · May 27, 2011

i worked in a parts store for a decade, until a new 'superstore' put it out of business, by far the best counterman were the ones who had been mechanics before something happened that drove them" in the house" it agravates me these days to go into a parts store for something a little unusual and have to deal with a pimple faced kid behind the counter who doesnt know a chevy from a peterbilt, and has no intention of learning either, he;s just there to put in his 8 and get a check,we had guys in our store that could go back and get the correct part off the shelf just by the customer telling them what they wanted, its a shame now, i actualy stood in line behind a man who only wanted a oil filter for a 65 mustang, the kid fumbled with his computer awhile then told the man he would have to order it, as his computer only showed mustangs back to 1970, i blew a cork and told the kid to go back and get a @#$! 85515 oil filter and sell it to the man! i told the kid that part of being a counterman is knowing the simple stuff part numbers in his head, ford used 1 oil filter from 60, to 79' if its a spin on filter thats the one, unless there working on a medium duty truck and want a 2 quart filter,

Anonymous-0 · May 27, 2011

Comp. skills did not Stop Bush or Palin.

mkirsch · May 27, 2011

Well, I ain't so impressed with the old timer parts guys either...

I went to NAPA for some dust seals for the hubs on my utility trailer. Brought along my last brand new spare seal to cross-reference, measure, etc..

It's a standard seal used on pretty much every 5-bolt trailer and camper axle ever made. Millions on the road. Surely NAPA has them.

Old timer looks at it and growls, "Ain't got no number on it. I can't cross reference it. Can't help you."

There was a second NAPA on my way home so I stopped there. Got another old timer. He couldn't cross reference it either, so he started bringing out boxes of seals and comparing them by hand...

After 20 minutes of that with no luck, he goes to the kid, "Hey I don't know how to cross this seal." The kid pulls the master seal BOOK off the shelf and says, "What's the diameter?" In 30 seconds the kid had the seal cross-referenced and four new seals on the counter.

DeltaRed · May 27, 2011

Lyle,you get a job and the employer will consider you a thief,liar,idiot,lazy bum.etc.,and treat you as such.You will be happier continueing to work for yourself.Poorer but happier.

Georgetown · May 27, 2011

Please document examples of your accusation. Mine already has been documented.

GeneMO · May 27, 2011

Except at our NAPA store. They young kid, actually a classmate of my 32 year old son,is a farm kid who happens to like old tractors, and has a BS degree in Agriculture.

I went in the other day and said "Matt, I need a head gasket, pan gasket and manifold gasket for an M Farmall" He looked in a book, made a few notes and my gaskets were in in a few days.

Gene

Allan in NE · May 27, 2011

I always get amused at the "ASE Certification" thing.

'Bout the same as touting a high degree of expertise in pulling toilet paper off the roll.

Ever taken those "tests"? One could phone in the answers. Pre-entry level at best. :>)

Allan

Inno · May 27, 2011

I'm not that old (almost 38) and it frustrates me to no end trying to buy "standard" parts. I went in to Canadian Tire sometime last year looking for a solenoid for my MF 202. So I said to the early 20 something guy behind the counter "I would like a Ford solenoid"..........I was greeted by a blank stare. I explained what it was, what I wanted it for and still nothing.......so I went about it a different way. "I'd like a starter solenoid for a 1977 Ford F-150". I answered all his questions about engine size 4x4 etc. and low and behold he brought me out a Ford solenoid!!! Imagine that!
Recently one of the guys I work with went in looking for a replacement washer for the oil pan plug. Guy at the counter told him no they just have the plug for somewhere around $16. As they were looking at the plugs on the shelf he noticed that right next to the plugs they had little packages of replacement washers, 2 for $2 or so..........good product knowledge. No computer can fix stupid!

kyhayman · May 27, 2011

Most parts stores dont want the 'find it' business. They want to move the maximum amount of plug and play parts for late model cars in the minimum amount of time. If a ten dollar an hour employee spends 20 minutes matching up a 10 dollar part which carries a standard 33 percent markup the business is losing money on that customer.

Now Im all for customer service, even at a loss on occassion but most parts houses dont want our business. Thats one reason I've gone back to just getting dealer parts. When Napa wants double what NH or Deere does for the same filter I can tell where Im not wanted.

showcrop · May 27, 2011

Lyle, I know that construction is very slow, but most places there is still some work going on. I notice that there are still a lot of people with money to hire work done and the people that seek these people out continue to do well. how about looking up contractors that aren't equipped to excavate and solicit work with them?

Blackhole49 · May 27, 2011

If he has your people skills, I"m not supprised.

John730D · May 27, 2011

Or um, let's see now, oh yea, ah ,what was the question, Chimp in White house.

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