going rate for a ac engineer

[abp32]

Hi all

I have been doing commercial fridge for the last 5 years and i am getting a bit bored of it now , I am thinking of changing jobs back into ac service or install whats the going rate of pay nowadays and have things changed much in the last 5 years

[Tayters]

Don't think much has changed much in the last 5 years. Units still chock full of Foo Foo valves and flux transmodulators, keep the grey matter active. Install times seem to be getting shorter for some although job isn't any easier. Just hope he didn't get Ray Charles to do the survey.

Pay in the South would be 28k+

Good luck!
Andy.

[eggs]

Don't know if it helps but....I have been advertising for a while now and people generally seem to want 15/hr for install. I have tried 3 and fired 3 so far. They were not with paying in penny washers or 8mm nuts.
Ask for what you think you are worth, if you're not good value for money you'll be unceremoniously booted down the street like the last lot I employed.

Eggs

[Refer Rick]

Speaking as an ex-employer; workers are usually worth what you pay them. Also, these days employees are not necessarily looking for the highest salary but for a position that has a work/life balance with acceptable remuneration. I would be interested to know why you let them go? I wonder they were all sacked for incompetence, theft or not getting along with the boss?

[install monkey]

problem is most companies pay similar basic and engineers will jump for 2k more- its trying to find the hero's that can jump thru hoops and prove theyre worthy- also the right engineer might walk from a new job if they don't like the change of scenary or they realise the grass was greener where they came from.
also there are a load of jobsworths that don't cut the mustard

[eggs]

Employee 1, told me to stick my job up my arse...turns out he was happy in his job but I caught him fiddling his time sheet on a bad day..sacked.

Employee 2, all the gear and no idea...found out and foooked off.

Employee 3, enjoyed the privilege of trust and used his po pad to get materials for his weekend foreigners at my expense...sacked

Rick, I'm sure I'm just having a bad run but my explanations above are true and honest accounts. What in your opinion should I have done?

Eggs

[mikeref]

You might want to reword your advertisement Eggs. Did you place it in the local rag or through an agency?

Maybe something short and sweet.

Position available.
Qualified A/C Install and service Technician. Previous Experience and references required.

Experienced Technicians within the refrigeration industry are welcome to submit their application for consideration.
Regards, Install Monkey....ah...Eggs.

[Refer Rick]

Wow. You seem to have had a run of bad luck...my sympathies. It seems you had no choice but to sack these individuals. Is this sort of thing common in your area? Is the unemployment rate in our trade so low, that workers can blow-off potential opportunities with-out repercussions?

[abp32]

the unemployment rate in this industry is none existent from what i can tell , even really bad engineers can get job after job . Its also worth noting that they end up at the worst firms because no one will have them i always look at the turn over of staff when i go for a new job if they advertise every 6 months there is something not right , and if you are looking for a engineer and he has a new job every 10 months you know that there something wrong there as well

[Magoo]

From an employees perspective , there are a lot of shady bosses about. I have worked for several over the years. Real SOB's.

[abp32]

tell me about it

[Refer Rick]

You would think that the law of supply and demand would drive the wages and the charge out rates higher.