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Getting my foot in the door as a machinist

Leo8683

Plastic
Joined
May 3, 2015
I live on the west side of Cleveland Ohio and I have recently completed a manual machinist training program at a community college. I will be going back in a month to complete the CNC program. For the last couple of months I have been trying to get a job in a machine shop in the area but have had no luck. I'm very eager to learn and I am trying to make this my career. I don't have any work experience in the field, just hands on training. I'm willing to take a low paying position just to get the experience. So my question is what am I doing wrong and how should I go about getting my foot in the door?
 
Have you talked to your instructor?

Most community college instructors have good connections in a few machine shops.

The only other way I know is to beat the bushes, knock on doors and talk to people.

Put together a basic resume and concentrate on a good cover letter. Have several people proof read it (including your favorite instructor). Spelling errors will kill you. Make sure it is clear of clerical error or type o's.
 
Spelling errors will kill you. Make sure it is clear of clerical error or type o's.

"Typos". ;)

Seriously, that's good advice Grumpy. I'd add that it'll help us to know your age, whether you're a youngster just out of school, or an older worker changing careers - the job hunting approach can be different. If you're young, having some small parts you've made particularly nicely at school can be good to have with you when talking with a prospective company. Talk through the process you used to make them, and indicate how long they took.

If older, stress the general level of experience you've had in work environments, with commitments to safety, quality of work, and how you can take your other skills and use them to advantage in the new field. Make clear that you understand there'll be a probationary period with lower pay at the beginning, but that you have the desire to make yourself valuable ASAP.

A good attitude will always work in your favor, if you get into a "beaten down" mode get out of it before going into any interview.
 
I live on the west side of Cleveland Ohio and I have recently completed a manual machinist training program at a community college. I will be going back in a month to complete the CNC program. For the last couple of months I have been trying to get a job in a machine shop in the area but have had no luck. I'm very eager to learn and I am trying to make this my career. I don't have any work experience in the field, just hands on training. I'm willing to take a low paying position just to get the experience. So my question is what am I doing wrong and how should I go about getting my foot in the door?
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many schools have a bulletin board about jobs available at local companies or a web site although you can also check craigslist for jobs. if you are trying to get a job months ahead of you leaving a school many places will not bother to look at your resume until you are actually done with school. also many times is takes weeks to months maybe many months to find a job. if you find a job in less than 2 months you are doing good.
 
First option is start cold-calling shops in your acceptable travel range. I have gotten several interviews by calling, getting the manager's email address and sending my resume. Shops don't always advertise an opening (although I have no idea why).

I will also second the idea of approaching your instructor. When I was in school my instructor had worked in industry for around 30 years before getting into teaching, and had a Rolodex stuffed with local contacts. His job placement rate was nearly 100% for students that completed the program, and most had jobs before they were done with school, me included.

Also speak with your classmates, especially the ones ahead of you in the program, and find out if the companies they work for are hiring. Or even not. Some places might not even realize they could use someone until you make yourself available (I won't say this is common, but it's certainly happened).

Be polite, be open to new ideas, be honest about what you know and what you don't know. All the shops I've encountered have a high regard for honesty and willingness to learn. If you get an interview, ask questions! Ask as many as you can; what machine does what, how many processes were used in making parts in their display case (very common for job shops). Think about how you would make them or inspect them, as I have been asked either or both of those questions in interviews.

Also let them know that school is your priority. My first job lasted three days because even after my first shift they were pushing me to stay later hours, which would have jeopardized my education. My (now) wife told me she had never seen me look so haggard. If it's a good place to work, they will respect that decision, and hopefully see the real value in it.

Oh, and good luck! Not in Ohio so can't help much directly.
 
This is all good advice I started out lucky i guess. My father-in-law even though still till this day somewhat hates me. Set me down at his computer and pulled up master cam. Made me look through some parts he had on there looking a endless amounts of coding and such. After a weekend of this we went to his Job and showed me how to setup a part and write the code and how to do the more advance things on master cam. I came in that monday and had a working interview passed it and worked there for a year. (Couldnt stand working with him nor the other way around.) Now I have a huge knowledge about computers such as networking and programming. But I love to build stuff so i took to machining like glue. I love this job and I have read many books, watched videos, and learned as much as possible off the people I have worked with. I have had to show my best side at all times and sometimes piss others off cause i only work at 100% always taking it the extra mile.
Sorry didnt mean to thread jack or anything just want to show that with hard work and being perssistant you will find a job and start your climb. Where I am now they were only bringing me on for a bit as a temp but now 6 months later Im hired on and the Lead of the Plastics Department of the machine shop
 
This is all good advice I started out lucky i guess. My father-in-law even though still till this day somewhat hates me. Set me down at his computer and pulled up master cam. Made me look through some parts he had on there looking a endless amounts of coding and such. After a weekend of this we went to his Job and showed me how to setup a part and write the code and how to do the more advance things on master cam. I came in that monday and had a working interview passed it and worked there for a year. (Couldnt stand working with him nor the other way around.) Now I have a huge knowledge about computers such as networking and programming. But I love to build stuff so i took to machining like glue. I love this job and I have read many books, watched videos, and learned as much as possible off the people I have worked with. I have had to show my best side at all times and sometimes piss others off cause i only work at 100% always taking it the extra mile.
Sorry didnt mean to thread jack or anything just want to show that with hard work and being perssistant you will find a job and start your climb. Where I am now they were only bringing me on for a bit as a temp but now 6 months later Im hired on and the Lead of the Plastics Department of the machine shop
.
i agree working with another programmer and learning outside of class can help a lot. amazing i have taken many mastercam classes and they did not show
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1) flipping a part and using a different work offset like G55 for a different part orientation
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2) or taking a solid cad model and creating curved edges to allow creating tool paths
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3) how to add custom gcode to a program something that needs to be added manually but in mastercam
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4) creating and editing a tool library with custom speeds and feeds for different materials. it is true this can be in the mastercam tutorial books but often beginner mastercam classes skip a lot of parts to save for advanced classes
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i am just saying sometimes you get out of a classroom and have to do jobs a different way than taught in school and can get stuck easily. working with a different programmer even for a few hours can really help out learning to program faster
 
yea i agree from what i can read and learn from books or even videos. I have a good grasp on the knowledge, but I have learned the most from working with guys that have been in the industry for years. I have 2 guys now that are my goto guys 20 and 30 years in the business. My fiance looks at what I read and it gives her a headache haha.

But back on topic keep pictures or samples of what you have made and really discuss with employers. So they can see you understand and have a solid foundation to work off of and learn more as you go on. I have to say I learn more and more everyday.
 








 
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