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Thread ID: 107697	2010-02-26 07:39:00	Job available: Part time casual computer tech in Wellington	george12 (7)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
861815	2010-02-28 05:48:00	Don't know if I would want someone to fit those requirements tinkering with any 'puter that my relatives might own. If I had one with Vista and Nortons on it, and a monster all-risks insurance, that might be different ;)	R2x1 (4628)
861816	2010-02-28 05:55:00	Don't know if I would want someone to fit those requirements tinkering with any 'puter that my relatives might own. If I had one with Vista and Nortons on it, and a monster all-risks insurance, that might be different ;) I'm confused. Greg says someone to fit the requirements better be paid $80k, you say you wouldn't want someone like that touching your computers? :S I set the bar high, that's why I've had so much trouble so far finding someone.	george12 (7)
861817	2010-02-28 06:22:00	Someone desperate enough to work for $20 an hour and pay half the running costs of their own vehicle is unlikely to be in the top echelon of the super techs. Don't take it too seriously, you want the cheapest tech you can get to fit your requirements, they in turn want the highest return possible for their abilities, and the one paying both of you (the customer) wants instant fix, free of charge. The gov't wants 50% of the limbs of each party plus GST. The recipe neither specifies nor expects harmony anywhere.	R2x1 (4628)
861818	2010-02-28 06:31:00	I'm confused. Greg says someone to fit the requirements better be paid $80k, you say you wouldn't want someone like that touching your computers? :S I set the bar high, that's why I've had so much trouble so far finding someone. I think he means that that sort of job (which does require skills) would require a wage of 80k. A computer tech definately needs significant skills. You don't want to appear on target, and can't solve a simple problems. If you are hiring someone without skills, you are just asking for trouble. I would think they would need significantly more skills that someone working at DSE. The people I have dealt with at DSE, who are essentially just retail staff (certainly not computer techs), have been very limited in their knowledge on the products in the store, let alone good indepth technical knowledge. I think the problems is that it sounds like you aren't charging enough. I am assuming that you are paying them a wage out of what you are paid by your customers, so you are subcontracting out the work. Therefore you are the middleman and making a profit, but carry all the risk. That could be quite risky for you, if they turn out to be a lemon, so I hope you have got good professional liability insurance. I think you need to hire some who does have good skills, and pay them an appropriate wage for that.	robbyp (2751)
861819	2010-02-28 07:45:00	Oh never did I suggest that working at DSE was suitable experience. It's clearly not. When I worked at Jaycar they were ridiculed for their lack of basic electronics experience, which is nothing compared to computer repairs. Fact is I have interviewed several people, and none of them so far have had the diagnostic knowledge to make me feel comfortable hiring them. You are probably right. I simply did not realise that a good tech is more expensive than $20/hr. I may consider raising my rates. Problem is it appears those able to do the job may not be interested in part time either. So, I don't know what to do... If I don't successfully hire someone within a couple of weeks I will have to begin turning away work, which is very undesirable considering the money spent on advertising. R2x1, the full running costs of the vehicle would be covered. My car costs around $1100 a year to keep registered, maintained and warranted, including tyres etc. That's driving around 15,000k per year, so 8c. Cost of buying the car itself works out at another 7c/KM or so. Petrol is about 18c/KM. 38c allows quite a good margin for extras.	george12 (7)
861820	2010-02-28 08:44:00	Oh never did I suggest that working at DSE was suitable experience. It's clearly not. When I worked at Jaycar they were ridiculed for their lack of basic electronics experience, which is nothing compared to computer repairs. Fact is I have interviewed several people, and none of them so far have had the diagnostic knowledge to make me feel comfortable hiring them. You are probably right. I simply did not realise that a good tech is more expensive than $20/hr. I may consider raising my rates. Problem is it appears those able to do the job may not be interested in part time either. So, I don't know what to do... If I don't successfully hire someone within a couple of weeks I will have to begin turning away work, which is very undesirable considering the money spent on advertising. Thats the problem, finding good staff, and ones that you can also trust. You also don't want them to stealing your customers and setting up their own business. Many good people have moved to Oz where the pay is better, so NZ does have a skills shortage in some areas. I think you will struggle to find anyone under $30 per hour. Even building chippies, who have no formal qualifications are paid over $40 per hour these days.	robbyp (2751)
861821	2010-02-28 09:04:00	Theres a fine line between paying a "tech" a reasonable rate, THEN what you have to charge the customer - And the skills the Tech may have. Just as an example : if you got someone who is willing to work for a lower wage, then its probable the skill level may not that good. If you were to send out some rookie, to a customers place and they do a massive stuff up - its you that's up for a lose in the work. I have been to several customers places, AFTER a so called Well know Computer repair company ( I Wont name them) had to send out 3 different "techs" to try and fix the persons problem, One I was told was on his cell the entire time getting instructions from someone else - Twice they were asked to leave after spending over an hour getting nowhere. Before I started my own business, the guy I worked for took me on and had no real knowledge as to my actual kill level, or if I knew how to deal with customers,. and some can be real nasty. The guy went with me on every job for at least 4- 5 months,( cant remember exactly how long) until he was happy that any job I was given, I could do without having to fold under pressure, or If it was something way beyond my skill level. I started out with $45/hr - then once I was allowed to go on my own, $60/Hr, + travel. Personally I have seen so many "wanna Be's" that think they know what they are doing, and as soon as its something out of what they know it all turns to custard. Personally I wouldn't feel to happy if some rookie came to do a job for me, and stuffed it up, made it worse, or lost all my data because he/she didn't know what they were doing. I have had trades people here doing work, example: a plumber had a guy with him, teaching the ropes and keeping an eye on what he was doing. From the original post/offer: So I am looking for someone in Wellington (the closer to the city the better, Petone/Tawa is the furthest out that could work) who is very good at diagnosing and fixing computer problems, good at dealing with customers (can be friendly, professional etc), and has a car. The requirements are that of an experienced person - not a part time wanna be - Limiting it to Petone/Tawa area is a little tight. Hell I go ALL the Wellington area Rough Area (www.imagef1.net.nz) Exclude the water :D At the end of the day, to many "Wanna Be's" call them self's Techs, when in fact they wouldn't make a REAL Techs Ar *^*(*^%^. ;)	wainuitech (129)
861822	2010-02-28 09:16:00	the guy I worked for took me on and had no real knowledge as to my actual kill level, or if I knew how to deal with customers,. Having a kill level is pretty damn cool no matter what it is.	Metla (12)
861823	2010-02-28 09:20:00	Wainuitech, I know exactly what you mean. I have had the same experience and I bet it was the same company. And they frequently charge without fixing properly too. I was expecting to go with them to every job for maybe 1 month, but the kind of people I've had so far would require a significant period of training. And yeah, they certainly do think they know what they're doing - however I had some interview questions prepared to catch them out - which they did. For example, who here would agree, any computer tech should know that if a computer keeps flashing up a BSOD for a moment then restarting, you disable restart on system failure, either from Windows if it does boot, or else from F8 on startup? Right? Without knowing that how would one properly and efficiently diagnose that extremely common condition... Yet none of them did. As for area, I do have the odd customer out as far as Paraparaumu even, but most of them are in town. I don't want the cost of someone coming in from Lower Hutt or Porirua for every job - that'd be around $15 travel per job. Justifiable if I charged a bit more though.	george12 (7)
861824	2010-02-28 09:30:00	New staff tend to be a bit of a worry in that it is a continuing effort to build up a clientelle and a good reputation. The wrong staff can kill all that almost in an instant, he did it but it's your name that gets the flak, and bad news travels really fast. Good luck.	R2x1 (4628)
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