USIC maybe?

[hurley24]

Hello.
I have a job offer through USIC... I currently own my own landscape company in Texas and am lookin to get out of it. I am 30 years old, have a 3 year old son and another kiddo on the way. My question is is USIC a good company to work for. Can you make a decent living? I know you can get some overtime but do you still have time to spend with your family. I just want to know that I'm making a change for the better. Any info would be helpful.
Thanks.

[big boots mcghee]

If it's in Houston, I'd say no. There are many frustrations in that market and the pay is pretty weak considering what you'd have to put up with. PM me for some specific examples.

[locator00566]

No! Take it from someone on the inside. I've been locating for 10 years and loved my job up until USIC started their BS policies 6 months ago. Only took about a month for me to hate USIC and to decide to leave the industry all together.. Don't do it man!

[ProfessionalLocator]

Hello.
I have a job offer through USIC... I currently own my own landscape company in Texas and am lookin to get out of it. I am 30 years old, have a 3 year old son and another kiddo on the way. My question is is USIC a good company to work for. Can you make a decent living? I know you can get some overtime but do you still have time to spend with your family. I just want to know that I'm making a change for the better. Any info would be helpful.
Thanks.

In general heavy amounts of OT is common throughout the industry. Consider a 60+ hour work week during the busy season. I have worked as much as 6 weeks straight without a day off. I left home yesterday evening and got home a little over an hour ago. I have worked at various firms and have often been away from home for a couple of days at a time. No out or area assignment, just heavy workload plus on-call running after hours tickets.

One employer I had "corrected" the time sheet. They took the hours worked and averaged them over the 7 day work week. This way the insurance companies, vehicle and damage liability, could not see they were working employees with little or no sleep.

As bad as that sounds many of us love the work and find the adverse conditions a challenge. Mostly though we are here because none of our lottery tickets paid off.

[hurley24]

So are yall saying I should stay out of the industry all together or just not work for USIC. I'm in the Houston area and I would like to hear from someone in my same area to tell me the pros and cons.

[paintitnow]

If you want to talk to someone in your area then i would call in a ticket and make it for a specific area,(not the entire yard), request the locator to call before coming out. When the other call tell them you do not need them to mark. When the usic locator calls ask him questions about usic and how many hours he works a week and how he likes it. You will probably doing work on weekends, long hours. there is the oncall and possible having to cover during holidays

[Locator in NY]

If you are looking for a Trade that can allow you to work anywhere in the Country, then take the Job. I do not work for USIC now, i did work for CLS prior to the merger.

I look at it this way....10% Unemployment in some areas of the country and from what i know Locating allows unlimited OT. In times when jobs are hard to come by, i think we have it pretty good in this Industry. Good Benefits, 401k, Company vehicle...it could be worse.

Good Luck with your choice!

[hurley24]

Is overtime mandatory? I would like some time with my family. Ya know...

[TheCableVine]

When I worked for STS many years ago overtime was mandatory. I had times when I would work 7 days a week. Not often, but when the tickets come in and the law says they must be completed within 2 days, you put in the hours to complete them.

And, when it gets busy like that don't think about a summer vacation. Vacation is taken in the winter months.

[hurley24]

I think I might give it a try. I'm tired of the up and down of my business. I just want and need something more steady. I just hope USIC is a place I can be for years to come. Or at least opens some other doors for me. I like that its a low cost industry. Being a business owner the only way I make money is by spending it first. Then waiting for it to come back to me.
Thanks for all yalls info.

[TheCableVine]

Something to keep in mind if you want to be there for years to come. Some office have such a high turn-over rate that becoming a supervisor is only a matter of time. And, with your background in business you may be a shoe in for management.

[hurley24]

Why is there a high turnover rate.

[ProfessionalLocator]

Why is there a high turnover rate.

In general a high turnover rate indicates a poor place to work. In this industry it indicates poor training, poor pay, poor benefits, poor treatment.

[ProfessionalLocator]

I think I might give it a try. I'm tired of the up and down of my business. I just want and need something more steady. I just hope USIC is a place I can be for years to come. Or at least opens some other doors for me. I like that its a low cost industry. Being a business owner the only way I make money is by spending it first. Then waiting for it to come back to me.
Thanks for all yalls info.

It's low cost to you, you just have to shell out for some hand tools, no firm really issues everything you need. The overhead costs for such a firm are rather high.

[ProfessionalLocator]

Is overtime mandatory? I would like some time with my family. Ya know...

In this industry expect mandatory overtime. The amount varies depending on your location but generally there are heavy OT demands.

Where I am right now when not on call I can expect a 40 hour work week. In the same area with another firm the locators are working 60 hours a week.
Last Summer I worked over 70 hours in a week, often 60 or more and usually at least 50 hours.