[taxtycoon2]

I am going to start working for a landscaper soon. I am just starting out and they said they would pay according to how I work the first day. Any tips of what I should know going into it. What should be expected? I obviously don't need to know the obvious things, like work hard, be respectful and so on.

What do you guys usually make your new hires do?

[Fine Edge]

You will essentially be the grunt.
Just starting out, everyone has to suffer the toils of being in the landscape profession. Probably digging and digging, unloading anything heavy, all wheelbarrow work, clean-up.
Hopefully you landed in a company where they reward hard workers but most importantly they reward people who (1) have the ability to JUST STAY BUSY!!! There is ALWAYS something to do. If you don't know what to do, ASK!! I hate seeing people stand around or walking slower than a turtle and (2) have the ability to use some COMMON SENSE!! Think about what you're doing, how it's supposed to look and GET IT DONE!
Some parts of this business really stink so you have to expect to get hot, sweaty, dirty for little pay when you start off.

Wait a minute, I'm still hot, sweaty dirty and do it for little pay after 15 years.

Good Luck

[jwholden]

I agree with fine edge. The best way to get top pay in landscaping is show some motivation. Things that I like to see as an employer are:

When you get to the jobsite start unloading tools or whatever is in the back of the truck. You could always ask what to do just before the truck arrives at the house you are working at until you know the procedures.

If you carry a cell phone, keep calls short when your friends call to check in. Try for a minute or less to say that you are working now and will call back at lunch or the end of the day.

Keep moving. I would rather someone move a little slower all day than greased lighting an hour or two and linger the rest of the day. Steady wins the race.

If you complete your assigned tasks and the boss is off the jobsite do things that will save time later such as getting the tools corraled to a spot where they will be easy to find. Starting cleanup work like sweeping the sidewalk or raking up grass that is matted. Water the plants that were installed. If nothing else, weed the gardens (even if you do it at a more 'relaxed' pace). Your boss's clients, who ARE WATCHING THROUGH THOSE WINDOWS, will report that you kept going the whole time he was gone and you even weeded the gardens.

Watch what the others on the crew are doing. Note how they do it because they know how to get the job done the quickest with the least effort. Higher productivity means more opportunity for a raise and using less effort is important on 95 degree or ten hour days.

No matter how much you want to, do not grumble when asked to do something. When you took the job the agreement was that you will do what your boss needs done for so much per hour. He gets to chose what you do, not you. It is reassuring if the boss hears an occasional 'no problem' or 'I'm on it' if you really want to score points. He'll start to look for the guy who doesn't make a sour face or grumble when asked to do something... and remember that when it is time for bonuses or someone needs to be let go (but not you) because of slow times.

Finally, HAVE FUN! You get to work outdoors all day and use your muscles and make the world a more beautiful place. What could be better.

[Stonehenge]

I agree on the grunt part. But it's not so much that people don't like you, just that as a new guy you nobody knows what you can do well and what needs work - so you get stuck doing all the bull work.

I would stick with that bull work, and periodically ask for more responsibility as you feel ready for the next challenge.

Good luck.

[spiderlily]

Voodchile (who logged in under my profile) says;" My favorite question to hear from a new guy is: "What can I do while I'm waiting for...".

Unless you have kids, leave the cell phone in the lunch box.

If you haven't even worked for a landscaper yet, and you are hanging out at GTX, I would say you are one hot prospect for success in the green industry.

Good Luck!

[mrusk]

As the new guy, it is your responsiblity to bring the 5 gallon water jug filled with gatorade everyday.

Its like a unwritten rule. Just follow it and they will let you come back to work each day.

[TrickyDick]

If you haven't even worked for a landscaper yet, and you are hanging out at GTX, I would say you are one hot prospect for success in the green industry.

Yeah. Just the fact that you found this forum and are asking the question says a lot about your motivation.

Unless you have kids, leave the cell phone in the lunch box.

Absolutely. If you are on the phone while everyone else is working, even for a MINUTE, without a really good reason you will instantly drop into the ranks of the lifetime laborers in your bosses eyes. If you have kids and need to be available for emergency calls then tell your boss that. Tell your wife or girlfriend not to call you unless it is really important and if your phone rings and it's not them...don't answer it.

All the above advice is great. I would be careful about emulating other workers until you get an idea of who the good ones are. That 50 year old guy who is still pushing wheelbarrows for $10/ hour is doing it for a reason so when he decides to stand around smoking and waiting for something you should think twice about doing it too.

Working hard is great but working smart is better. You're not proving anything to anybody by throwing your body between a 4000lb tree and the ground to protect it if it falls, or hurting your back trying to lift it.

One thing I don't think anyone metioned was this....PAY ATTENTION! Listen to what you are told to do. If any part of it is unclear ask to make sure you understand. There is nothing better than to give a new guy a task to perform, walk away and come back later to find it done well and as you described it.

If you work hard and smart and pay attention you'll do fine.

[Squizzy Taylor]

One of the first things I look for in the new labourer is respect...and this can be demonstrated in respect for the tools. I recently had cause to review my businesses profitability/overheads etc. We spend a lot of money on tools.

A labourer who chucks tools randomly in the trailer and doesn't look after them, keep track of them etc has never turned out to be a good employee...IME. If you have a blunt shovel it will make life hard for yourself....it takes 3 minutes to sharpen a shovel. If you find a damaged tool report it. Keep the tools clean and don't throw them on the ground where a machine will run over them...if it starts to rain think about what is going to get wet...like the laser, power tools, bags of mortar...the Boss's lunch!.

[taxtycoon2]

Thank you for all your good information, I hope now I can wow them. Is there any things I can read up on so I can help them out and advance quicker. That way maybe I can be like "Want me to take that task over for you, so you can take care of that other thing". They do alot of fieldstone walls, patios, walkways, gardens, fencing and outdoor lighting.

[Stonehenge]

Yup. Spend your spare time here, reading the discussions in the hardscape forum.

[Pelican]

Why don't you tell us a little about your background? What type of work have you done before? Can you use a tape measure easily? Can you "see" a grade? Have you ever been around construction of any type? A big requirement in this field is just having common sense and thinking ahead. What effect will what you are about to do have on the end result of the job?