Starting or transitioning to a new job can be difficult. New people, different machines, new shop, and a different way of doing things (to an extent). If you’re already hired and can actually do what you put on your resume, it’s not very likely that you’ll be fired in the near future. That is, unless, you have the same routine at every job. Allow me to explain…
It is easier to train one guy to work like the other 20 machinists, than to train the 20 to work like one machinist. If you already have a way of doing things as a machinist, be prepared to change it up a little bit. Just because you learned how to do something at your previous job or jobs, if your new company does it a different way, YOU are the one that has to change.
A company is not going to change how they do things just because that is how you learned it. One of the quickest ways to get fired is by disagreeing or trying to force your own techniques onto the new shop. Unless they are very open to new ideas and strategies on how to manufacture their parts, they will only keep you so long.
So, how do I keep my job after the first week or even month? By working with them and doing things how they want done. Now this doesn’t mean that every technique has to be the exact same, but the process and finished part should be identical. If you think they are doing something wrong or less than efficient, politely suggest to them how they could improve, and ultimately, save money. If that doesn’t catch their attention, then so be it; either deal with it or move on.
If they have a improper machining practices and aren’t willing to accept any better methods, then maybe it’s not so bad that you find another company to work for. It’s often hard to find out how a company operates during one short interview. You don’t really know how they do things until you start working with them.
