Books for a beginner and how to get into the business

[Andrew1994]

Hello everyone, I thought I would start out by saying I am as green as they come. I am trying to find some good books for beginners. So far I have To Fell a Tree A Complete Guide to Tree Felling and Woodcutting, and The Tree Climber's Companion. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I was also wondering how to get your foot in the door. I'm going to be doing a lot of reading obviously before I apply for anything, but I'm trying to come up with a general idea of how to get the job. Eventually I would like to be a climber, but I know you have to start out doing the grunt work. Since I have no experience, I figured I would go in when a position is vacant and offer to work for them for free for a week, so they can see if I'm a hard worker. Is that a stupid idea, or do you think it would work?

Thanks in advance

Andrew

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Don't work for free. Show up to the interview wearing good steel toe boots, know how to tie a few knots, and be prepared to sweat your butt off. If you join a crew, you will probably be dragging brush. Not running the chipper, or setting lines, just dragging. It could take six months or more before you get a chance to do anything else, and that may only be while someone is out sick.
Earn your pay and then some. If you are any good, somebody will eventually notice.
So, where are you located?

 

[Andrew1994]

Don't work for free. Show up to the interview wearing good steel toe boots, know how to tie a few knots, and be prepared to sweat your butt off. If you join a crew, you will probably be dragging brush. Not running the chipper, or setting lines, just dragging. It could take six months or more before you get a chance to do anything else, and that may only be while someone is out sick.
Earn your pay and then some. If you are any good, somebody will eventually notice.
So, where are you located?

Thanks for the advice. I figured I would offer to work for them for free so they could see that I'm a hard worker, and be more likely to hire me on, but if you don't think that will work, I'll do as you suggested. I'm more than fine sweating my butt off.

I'm in Southern Ohio.

Any advice you can offer to a newbie? Other than work your butt off

 

[VA-Sawyer]

If you work for free, then you place no value on yourself. I would say that most companies have a starting wage geared towards finding out if the 'Newbie' is worth keeping. That means that they need to make two to three times your wage off you. If they aren't making good money off you, why should they have you around?
If you don't value yourself, why should they?

 

[Andrew1994]

I've gotta disagree with you. I wouldn't say I'm placing no value on myself when offering to work for free for a bit. It lets an employer who might not otherwise hire you see that you are a hard worker, and at no risk to them. Obviously I would give them no more then a week. I've had other arborists tell me that that was how they got started.

But thank you for the advice. I see where you are coming from.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Don't work for free. Show up to the interview wearing good steel toe boots, know how to tie a few knots, and be prepared to sweat your butt off. If you join a crew, you will probably be dragging brush. Not running the chipper, or setting lines, just dragging. It could take six months or more before you get a chance to do anything else, and that may only be while someone is out sick.
Earn your pay and then some. If you are any good, somebody will eventually notice.
So, where are you located?

Six months dragging before they can run a chipper? Sounds like restaurants in Japan, where the apprentices spend 3 years learning how to wash rice.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Worst case..... I didn't just drag brush for six months, but I had other skills that were needed. I could drive and fix the Bobcat, and I could fix the chipper. Didn't take long to be running it too.
Now, I have my own tree service, and will still drag brush sometimes.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

To the OP....... tell them they can let you go after three days and keep your check, but if they keep you longer, then they pay you from day one.

 

[tidy]

Whatever you do don't work for free-when a company needs an extra worker they know it will involve giving somebody a "trial run", that's how it goes.

 

[sgreanbeans]

The Art and Science of Practical Rigging by Arbormaster. Great book. Read as much as you can. When you come to a word you don't know, stop, Google it, master the word and then go back and re-read what you where reading, from the beginning of the paragraph, that way it will sink in. Lots of new important words to learn. If you go to a good outfit, after reading all of that and practicing how to untie knots. They will give ya a go. Make sure that you go after a good service and not some hacker that will teach you the way of the Sith with a bunch of "to cool for school" morons. Look for outfits that have great reps, hopefully a Arborist on staff and trucks that are highly marked. They are not as easy to get on with, as they don't want a dirtball or a moron. Make sure that you list what you have studied. Never lie about your experience. A newb with a little knowledge and a big ego about it wont last long. A newb that is humble and honest, with a bit of edumatcation, but no work experience is a dream to some. Demonstrating that you have more inside the brain housing group than work ethic and a strong back is a refreshing. We put a lot of effort into teaching guys, a lot of time it is fixing bad habits, so, to get them from the beginning that are smart and willing to learn, that are "into it" is rare. Don't work for free, no need to. Search on here for the Groundmans guide, kinda a "how to not be a jack ass" It may be a while before you get to use your knowledge, at first you must master the rake. If you get on and bust your ass and keep reading and learning, you'll get there, but be careful for what ya wish for.

 

[VA-Sawyer]

What he said.....
Read that last post again, and pay attention.

 

[Big Natey]

Hello everyone, I thought I would start out by saying I am as green as they come. I am trying to find some good books for beginners. So far I have To Fell a Tree A Complete Guide to Tree Felling and Woodcutting, and The Tree Climber's Companion. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I was also wondering how to get your foot in the door. I'm going to be doing a lot of reading obviously before I apply for anything, but I'm trying to come up with a general idea of how to get the job. Eventually I would like to be a climber, but I know you have to start out doing the grunt work. Since I have no experience, I figured I would go in when a position is vacant and offer to work for them for free for a week, so they can see if I'm a hard worker. Is that a stupid idea, or do you think it would work?

Thanks in advance

Andrew

Working for free sounds like a good way to get taken advantage of.

I got my first tree job with zero exp and a good drivers license.

Now, 5 years later: I climb, run the crane every now and then, ride the ball, sharpen saws, run the skid steer, tell other people what to do, and feed the chipper ( hardest job imo). I am a certified welder and can weld anything from the crack of dawn to egg shells.

Just find a local service in need of help and be prepared to work your ass off. Pay attention and keep your mouth shut. Ask questions when you need to.

 

[zapblam]

Illustrated guide to pruning by Edward Gilman

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