Should you get paid for an audition?

[H.G.]

If it is a "training car" as Ocala mentioned and only doing a few windows I'd say no pay, but if it is a customers car and the install is professionally done , by all means you should get paid , cause if its a bad job, no pay ... you won't be working there anyways

[Go2Guy]

At first I wasn't going to mention why i didnt get the job bust since you asked I will:
The first company was eclipse tinting. in naples FL and the guy does immaculate work on Bentley's and Ferrari's all day long and does not allow for a single spec. . . and frankly I just not that good yet. . .I do good installs however have not mastered not haveing a single dust spec in the film , [at times seems impossible to me]. . . . on top of that   he had choice of hiring me an intermediate who's currently slow or an another guy with 20 years experience. . . Lets just say I dont blame him. however for the work I did for the day with him he payed me 50, I which I think is really honorable.

The second company was a tint world. . . . in Naples Florida. . . . its a Horror STORY. Tint world persuaded this older  guy in to spending 150 thousand dollars of his own cash to purchase the franchise, build out a shop and  stock the shop, as well as make it seem like any one can do it [iTS NOT AS HE FOUND OUT] . Initially He lucked out because the owner of the garage that he rented from  knew a good tinter that he was able hire. the shop opened in jan, and by march/april, the only tinter he had quit. . . leaving the tint shop, with out a single tinter for 2 months . He searched every but couldnt find any body, he then checked here and found me. I did over 4 full cars for him top to bottom under the impression of me working there full time

 

HOWEVER. . Since the shop was going under he couldn't guarantee that he could keep me employed. So I wasn't going to quit my job of 6 years to work for a shop and then be laid off.
The worst part is :  since the owner of the shop couldn't keep it running due to no income, in the contract he signed, The shop and all the money he spent to stock the shop. .  . , including the 5k plotter, over a hundred roles of every shade and grade of film. full stocks of radios and subs, stocks of paint protection film. . . . EVERY THING goes back to the franchise . THEY TAKE EVERY SINGLE LAST ITEM THAT HE PURCHSED WITH HIS OWN MONEY, and left him him with nothing. . . . Due to his circumstances I really felt bad for him, In the end he lost the shop to Tintworld repossessing it.  I DIDN'T GET A DOLLAR. . . But at the same time I felt horrible for the guy so it didn't bother me that much.

Ironically 2 weeks later the new corporate owner from tintworld calls me on a thursday night at 7pm  and wants me to call off on my job of 6 years  to come work for him on that saturday[ a 2 day notice]  I told him my job normally requires a week notice to get a day off , and he kept persisting[ like car sales man using hard sale tactics] I told him I'll see what i could do. So I go in the next day on my day off [friday] to see if I could get the next day off that I work [saturday], I lucked out as they told me I could leave early on Sat . . .I call him back  to let him know and he starts going off on me because I didnt call him back the same night [after business hours]  to let him know . . .I was flabbergasted [if that's the right word] I told him how do you expect me to request a day off at night when all the office managers are not even in. . . . . He told me he I cant work with people like me and I  replied the same . . .I have never heard from since and don't wish to.

I actually had one other interview with a guy in fort myers. the guy seems really nice, he wanted to hire me at __ dollars a day cash under the table. . . . I advised I would do it at that price if im on the books and I get that after taxes. Ive been on the books my whole life and too just go off the books out of know where just doesn't sit well with me [iRS] , however he never called me back. I did the ruff math on that and *** a week is at 40 hours is about ** dollars an hour.  . . to get *** a week after taxes it would be about ** dollars an hour.  . .  i guessing thats why he didnt call me back.  but not sure. . . .
Right now I am not an expert but do pretty good work. my current issues are time and at times very little contamination but am trying for none !  Besides that all my jobs come out pretty dam good. you can see my work on my google  drive @  https://goo.gl/XABdU0

 

the Camaro you see on there was done at the tint world in naples

I'm still looking for a shop  were I work at full time as I wish to quit my current desk job of 6 years and move on . . . . 
 my expectations are:
1]be a genuine nice person

2] stable long term work

3]not do illegal work [which includes paying under the table]

4]be an expert who is who is willing help me perfect my skills

In the meantime I am in no rush as I still work my full time job of 6 years and do tint on the side.

 

Of these 3 companies only 1 paid me and that was the first] but then again since I never worked at a shop before I am not sure if that is the standard or not. . . . of all of these jobs they all came out  pretty well minus a few specs at the first company and my slowness at all of them. { iam getting quicker tho as time goes on I just don't currently do it enough to be real quick, Im doing about 1 or 2 week on the side ]

EDIT: This has been edited to remove prices and fix a couple typos

 

[flat rock stan]

Hi Go2Guy, dang sounds like a cluster down there! I have never had a potential installer tint a whole car but...... If it's a customer car and looks good you prolly should be hired right there and payed for the job! If things get to hot in Florida and you want to relocate just give me a call here in in Oregon!

Cheers mang

Stan

[Go2Guy]

Hi Stan, It is a definitely a cluster ________ down here.. It makes me think im in the wrong area to do this work, 
I really appreciate you saying i could give you a call. . . . However I've lived in South West FL my whole life and all my friends and family are down here so it would be a really really hard move to do If i  ever do it. But i do think about it. however my skills are not perfected as of yet so that would make the situation even tuffer. I've been really wanting to order your video set but currently can't afford it

I do really enjoy it tinting and there is definitely a demand down here  however along with that demand there is an excess of supply. Hence all the 80-90 dollar tint jobs

everybody wants it, but nobody wants to pay for it.

It also  doesn't help that most people down here are broke which includes me {with the exception of of the naples/ marco island area ]

Thanks for your response Stan, I really appreciate it.
Hope fully in the future I will be able to get your video set !!!!!!!!!!   I watch your clips on youtube channel and they are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!
 

[flat rock stan]

Thanks Go2! Florida Is a tough place to play for tinters but like you say..... It's home! I haven't been on tintdude enough lately, it's something I need to change. FakeBook makes it so easy to get caught up in the moment but it's nowhere close to tintdude with real people who want to share. IMO : twocents

Something I don't advertise but when people like yourself bring up my training DVDs is I give a really great discount to tintdude people. Even tinting a few years you can pick up so much from them to set yourself apart from the lowballers there and grow your business and skills. Pm me when you wa t for details.

Cheers mang

Stan

***** would my friends here message me and shame me if you don't see me taking part in the forum...just saying, friends watch out for friends right! ********

[Go2Guy]

I'm pm-ing you!

Also I like your outro,  it reminds me of this scripture.

Proverbs 27:6
The wounds inflicted by a friend are faithful,+ But an enemy’s kisses are plentiful

[Tintguy1980]

Naples/FM/Bonita/Estero/Golden Gate/Marco, all old stompin grounds for sure. Use to own Collier Window Tinting back in the early to mid-90's. To hear Eclipse Window Tinting brings back memories for this crutsy old tinter. My place use to be located on Pine Ridge Rd in Naples. I am sure time has changed the place. A good friend once own Southwest Sunshield, she sold everything and retired to Costa Rica at age 42. 

 

You'll go far with the ambition to learn displayed here. Cheers.

[Go2Guy]

Thank you Mr2 shoes for the encourgement. I needed that. . .  I really really love tinting, but at times I do get discourged, mostly because about 40 percent of potential jobs I loose do to my lack in confidence in selling my work and/or people being no shows all the time followed by cheap asses thinking that 80-95 dollars is to much to tint a car. To top it off I get on tint dude and hear of people complaining that 250 dollars in not enuff money for job! SMH.. . .It definitley can be discourging at times but at the end of the day I love tinting and I love learning . .So im not going anywhere.

Again Thanks for the encourgament I definitley needed that!

I cant say Ive heard of the other shops But The guy at Eclispe does imaculate work
but what do I know about the history of tinting in SWFL . . .im a youngin. . 

 

where do you live at now? 

Do you still tint?

[Texastintchick]

We paid, but we are push overs!  

[Go2Guy]

If I ever own a shop in the future someday and have somebody audition for me and it came out good. . . I would pay them . . .to me its just the honorable thing to do. Even it just a little bit . . .its still the thought that counts . . .