Newbie question

**DiggerDave** · February 21st, 2010, 08:29 AM

Hello everyone, I'm thinking of getting into the locator business and I'm wondering how you all came to be locators.

**Mark** · February 21st, 2010, 08:36 AM

Welcome Dave.

**ProfessionalLocator** · February 21st, 2010, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by DiggerDave

Hello everyone, I'm thinking of getting into the locator business and I'm wondering how you all came to be locators.

Karma, we all were bad people in a previous life. If we had been just a little bit better we would have come back a dung beetles and would get more respect.

**fockerson** · February 21st, 2010, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by ProfessionalLocator

Karma, we all were bad people in a previous life. If we had been just a little bit better we would have come back a dung beetles and would get more respect.

That's the way I see it also. I must have been real bad.

**ifinditunderground** · February 21st, 2010, 10:14 AM

All of the Gynecology positions were full so I chose my next favorite ting to do, work hard, work that makes me think, work outdoors.

**MIG4000** · February 21st, 2010, 10:57 AM

Welcome to Da Vine Dig....
For me, was working outdoors, the feeling of a good job done, the respect and trust earn from contractors, customers and co-workers/sups. hearing the words "you were right on it"

**ProfessionalLocator** · February 21st, 2010, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by MIG4000

Welcome to Da Vine Dig....
For me, was working outdoors, the feeling of a good job done, the respect and trust earn from contractors, customers and co-workers/sups. hearing the words "you were right on it"

My usual joking aside you hit it right on the head.

And respect from the contractors does have to be earned due to all the dead weight in this industry.

I had to earn the respect of one road construction site supervisor where the previous firm that had the contract had done a really poor job. The ticket for his site said the existing road and X feet off the edge of the road. I pointed out that the new lanes he was building extended beyond X feet of the existing road. He said no, the new road was the same as existing road. Well I marked the area involved because I was there to prevent damages. In my sweep off the area I found an unmarked, live 15 KV primary right down the center of the new lane he was putting in. I showed him what I found and he had his guys test pit and expose it. Then I told him that if he hits that he is beyond the range of his original ticket and they would challenge him in court and win, his firm would pay for the damage.

After that he send in new tickets to cover the real are of his work and he was always very cooperative. Plus when ever I had a ticket that took me by his sight I would stop and ask him if he had any places where the marks got wiped and would like me to do them again.

Respect of these people does have to be earned.

**Mke** · February 21st, 2010, 01:53 PM

uhhh, I married into it.

My brother in-law got me my first, and second locating job. So, I don't know wheather to blame him, or thank him.......

I'm sitting pretty good right now, So I think Thanking him is in order.

Ain't that right swagman?

mke

**yahoo** · February 21st, 2010, 08:20 PM

welcome to the vine dude!!! i got into it after realizing farming was not working out!!

**Wingfoot** · February 22nd, 2010, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by DiggerDave

I'm wondering how you all became locators.

Hey Digger - Welcome to the'Vine!

I became a locator through a referral by a long-time friend. I liked the available, unlimited overtime "back-in-the-day" at a time when I was fed-up with my stressful, month-to-month sales quota, low-paying, white-collar, commissioned work.

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**GPGrasshopper** · February 23rd, 2010, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Mke

uhhh, I married into it.

My brother in-law got me my first, and second locating job. So, I don't know wheather to blame him, or thank him.......

I'm sitting pretty good right now, So I think Thanking him is in order.

Ain't that right swagman?

mke

I am with MKE. I was introduced by an in-law also. He set me up with an interview and next thing I knew I was painting my shoes. Also, it ended up working out really good for me too.

**yahoo** · February 23rd, 2010, 09:23 PM

gotta love the painted boots .........if nothing else!!!

**sprayandpray** · February 24th, 2010, 06:57 AM

I was told by my 1st Sup that if you don't get paint on your boots you ain't walking fast enough!

**Mke** · February 24th, 2010, 09:46 AM

My First day on the job, my trainer "cherried" both of my boots with a great big glob of red paint. He then followed that up with "One step closer to being a locator".