The Bakken Adventure: One Man's Story from Rags to... (Minot: employment, buy)

[beenthere1cB4]

hope the change of scenery and different pace works for you. After a while you will blend in and feel like a local too. If you've never had give the smoked cheddar cheese a try at Walmart no matter the state that smoked cheddar is great.

Take the day labor and rewrite your action plan or plan of action. Dont rush to get involved in seeking out a romantic connection all that will fall into place and if you can get your bearings and know for certain if this town is worth giving a try to stake your luck and if not then you can go on to the other town and not be worried about a lost love or troubled with having a love situation in a place where you can't earn a living and you have to choose which one to stay for or which one do you have to loose.

Wishing you all the best and that each day has a brighter horizon and a sweeter memory than the last.

[itsMeFred]

Ya know, robione, with no driving experience, you're going to continue to run into this problem. You might consider one of the other driving jobs in the area (like FedEx contractors, delivery companies, cattle pot). Whatever you can find just to get some driving time. They won't pay anywhere near what you want, but it might be an opportunity to continue to pay the bills and get some experience to move up...
Something else to look into in the area is Wolf Construction. They hire drivers and construction labor. I've heard their construction guys are making around $25 an hour... No clue what their demands are so far as experience, though.

[NickSheridan]

Hey there Robione, you might have already done so. Yet just as a reminder, don’t forget get to check out the jobs on Monster.Com. When I put in a Minot zip code (of 58703), I got 648 job hits at (2:20 PDT). When I put in a Williston zip code (of 58801), I got 139 job hits at (2:22 PDT). I did both of these searches for jobs that were within 20 miles of these 2 zip codes. So if you don’t know about these jobs, you might want to check some of them out while you are there in Minot.

Quite interestingly enough, I’m amazed at all of the jobs that are available in Minot. WOW!!! . . . In addition to seeing your AWESOME collage a few days ago of course. LOL!

Good luck to you, yet it sounds like you are still striking gold without even being there one week as of yet.

Nick

[robione]

Originally Posted by JanND

No, you'd be surprised what is useful. Especially your tech skills. Show you're well rounded.....List ALL manual and ALL equipment experience....

...Also, the computer stuff will more than likely get a grin from the secretaries....you will be remembered. We secretaries are the gate keepers ya know

Skills continued:
Computer (self-taught):

• C/C++ programming
• x86 assembler programming
• PHP (web scripting)
• basic MySQL setup and administration (web developing - backend)
• HTML 4.1/CSS 2
• Photoshop 7
• basic intranet setup

Massage Therapist (Swedish only)
Bartender

Ex-ballroom dance instructor (long ago enough to say it's not like riding a bike )

Originally Posted by itsMeFred

Ya know, robione, with no driving experience, you're going to continue to run into this problem....

I kinda figured I feel I arrived a bit late. :/ Unfortunately when everything was going crazy I was broke.... actually if I went bankrupt I'd have plenty of cash and could've made the leap to ND whenever I wanted. I have this obsession with my credit though. Oddly enough if I declared bankruptcy I'd want to be in good standing until I signed the papers and had the process underway.

I've also been reading that people are thinking this summer might be the last "boom" before everything settles down.... not that jobs would be lost. Just that companies would be in a position to better manage everything, the insane hiring would peter out, better housing situation and lower pay (i.e. supply/demand curve). Just another nail in the coffin for the zero-experience trucker.

I was considering today perhaps to go OTR for 6 months.... maybe even 3. Since ND is grassland and prairie I was told that insurance companies (maybe it's the hiring companies slipping people in under the radar) are more lenient. Even that little experience could land me a job. Of course in 6 months that could be different. On craigslist I actually saw a post for 3 months experience a couple months ago. I was like give me a break! Why not go ZERO!?!

[robione]

It was at the library.

Got to Command Center at 5:40am today. Scheduling this interview with Rain for Rent was a pain as I didn't want to skip work. So I requested it at the end of the day with SOS and that Bakken give me the sanitation spot which would give me a full day and get me out in time. All seemed well, except that Command Center wanted me at the AFB. But I could leave early... perfect.

Off we went to Minot AFB for 7:30am. Today's work was moving furniture into the dormitories. It involved a lot of sitting around. Sitting for IDs. Sitting for a safety meeting. Standing in the parking lot. Then we got to unload the trucks, 60 beds. Then more standing as all the supers had a meeting. Then we moved 24 into the 1st floor rooms and the rest into the hallway.

So during all this downtime a lot of talking occurred and I learned riggers get high-20's per hour, PowerFuels hired 2 people in a coworker's extended family with 0 experience... 1 two weeks ago! I also learned just about everyone on my crew had "something" in their background. Some so much so all are not eligible for extended base passes... potentially even to get on base at all. I must be the only squeaky-clean guy out there.... well among these people anyway.

I left at 2:00 with another coworker. We both had other potential jobs to attend to. I got to experience Popeye's at the base exchange. My coworkers had been raving about it all day. We don't have that in New England or Alaska (at least Kodiak). I need to put on weight... apparently my 30" waist is too small for my 30" pants as I was picking them up all day on the garbage truck.

Finding Rain for Rent seemed more an adventure than Fox Run. Seems like most places are poorly labeled. But before I even got there HR had called me at 10:00. (I don't answer my phone when I work... in fact I left it in my car.) She wanted to schedule the interview for Tuesday at 1:15. When I called her when I left the base it was Tuesday 4:00. I told her I was told 4pm today. She said she would make it work. Good thing. I don't plan on making a habit of leaving work early. I want to people to like me for what I do... even if it is day labor.

So I deposited my check for the day, checked the library for my laptop AC adapter, and got to Bingo-Rama about ~3:45. R4R is within an 1/8th of a mile and it took a few phone calls and building visits to pinpoint the location. Then it was the wrong one. I was directed to the correct building. I went inside and was like.... wow where are the construction workers?! Looks good but just some finishing details needed to be completed. After a call explaining I had been lost I found her... she was upstairs. 4:10

The interview was going okay. I learned a while ago to pay no attention to intuition on interviews. Basically told her what I knew of the company, which was little... only what SOS had told me as I had less power every second and had to get my app in online. Turns out SOS had painted an incorrect picture. They are a "fluid handling" company. Another company does the thermal monitoring and adjustments. Basically came down to the rotation which was a killer for me. That would be the only job I could do (as in work for only one employer, as I'm not driving) which would suck. 4 days on, optional 5th, 2 mandatory off. The days are long... 14-18 hours. I believe two weeks nights then two weeks days. It pretty much ended there. Note to self: clarify rotations ahead of time at staffing agencies.

I also see no reason to use them [agencies] any further sans the nameless one. It is the only one dealing with trucking jobs I know of. I have a "throw away" job now. I see no reason to string someone along and then leave... except those that expect it... like FedEx (at least in Williston). Apparently every driver had quit and they were happy to have anyone as long as they would stay... at $16/hr. I can work with that. Not sure if things have changed but that was in the winter. I'll change my tune if I'd be willing to embrace a non-driving position. I'll be more than happy to use any agency then.

So I went to MarketPlace and checked to see if my driving record had arrived yet. No. Went to PowerFuels... my coworkers today were helpful in locating the spot in Minot where they do hire from... near the truck stop. I started to fill out the app but it was getting after 5:30 and the manager had left. I was told to leave it on the front desk when I was done by the secretary. HA!!!! I don't think so. I will be delivering this application with copies of my resume, certs, and whatever history I have at that point nicely inserted into the packet in person.

One thing I've realized somewhat slowly is that time management is key. (Well... it is only my second day working and searching. Maybe I'm not that slow, and yesterday I had little computer time too.) There is not much time after work to dilly-dally if you want to apply at other places. No time... well I did have time (for Minot not Berthold) but did other tasks... to look into a P.O. Box. Tomorr... nope. I have to do it sometime soon though as it would make my life a lot easier.

My body is getting use to sleeping in my car now. I didn't realize how much of an adjustment it would be. I figured the hammock would prepare me. Not so. It is actually quieter at Walmart than it was in Kodiak as I slept during the day and there was a lot of traffic noise near St. Herman's Harbor (Dog Bay). I might try going w/o ear plugs one night here and see what happens. It is just a much harder surface... even with 3 out of 4 sleeping bag layers underneath me. Also it's a lot more difficult to move around and I can't stretch out so my muscles were getting tight. Seems better now though.

For those interested, my daily cycle for the foreseeable (near) future:

• Command Center for work (Start 5-5:30am Finish 3-5pm)
• run around and send apps in person / misc tasks (resume,photocopies, po box, return calls, etc) (finish 5:30 - 6:30pm)
• B&N read/write posts (~2 hrs)
• B&N apply online, find other places to apply in person, shopper online, etc (finish 9-10pm)
• if my eyes aren't shutting *sometimes* a movie... I saw "Mirror Mirror" last night. (11pm-12:10am)
• Stroll though Walmart (~15-30 minutes)
• Bed

[robione]

Originally Posted by JanND

...We secretaries are the gate keepers ya know

Any recommendations for bribes? Hand them some flowers as I ask for a driver application with a big smile?

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by robione

Any recommendations for bribes? Hand them some flowers as I ask for a driver application with a big smile?

Take a box of dough-nuts in with you. Smile and say, "I'll trade you these for an application." I've done it and it works. They'll remember you.

[WestCoastWilson]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Take a box of dough-nuts in with you. Smile and say, "I'll trade you these for an application." I've done it and it works. They'll remember you.

Oh I LOVE this!!! GREAT idea, ElkHunter!

[ElkHunter]

I was once in a position to hire another Engineer. I was in Dallas/Ft Worth area and Engineers were a dime a dozen. We run the add and within a week I had about 150 resumes setting on my desk to go through.

Because I had so many to go through the cover letters were important. I would read the cover letter and based on it, the resume would go in one of two directions. Onto another pile on my desk for further review, or, in the round file next to my desk. I remember 2 particular resume's that really got my attention.

1) Entire resume was printed on Passionate Pink paper. It went on the pile for review further.

2) Cover letter simply said, "You would be a complete idiot to not read this resume." That didn't even make it to the pile. I sat there, right then, and read that resume just to see what kind of person would be that bold. 30 minutes later I had that guy on the phone making him an offer.

[robione]

It's amazing what a little bit of properly placed cockiness can get you.