Need a new job!

[dtv_installer_dude]

Hi everyone – new here

I’ve been working for a DirecTV contractor in the Midwest for about 3 years. During that time I’ve traveled all over the Midwest installing satellite. I’ve working in downtown Chicago installing in high rise condos and Nowhere, ND securing dishes to the only tree for 10 miles (at customer request of course ?

I’ve finally had it with the company I work for and thought about switching over to the dark side. I’ve taken down enough Dish Network installs to have a fairly good idea about the differences between the two.

My question is this, How doyou guys like it? How is the pay? Working hours? Are you paid hourly or per install?

Are their opportunities for travel? What is management like in general? I’d really appreciate your comments!


Also, if any of your work in Mid-Missouri/St. Louis. What is the current workload like?

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

I have the same question, (i dont want to steal the forum tho) im in Sacramento CA and ive done my own personal installs (for dish) and i really like it. Im about to graduate from high school and i have my license. so do you think the pay and benefits are good enough for someone in collage to live off of?

ps if you want me to remove this post let me know and i will.

 

[Jared Twomey]

Hi everyone – new here

I’ve been working for a DirecTV contractor in the Midwest for about 3 years. During that time I’ve traveled all over the Midwest installing satellite. I’ve working in downtown Chicago installing in high rise condos and Nowhere, ND securing dishes to the only tree for 10 miles (at customer request of course ?

I’ve finally had it with the company I work for and thought about switching over to the dark side. I’ve taken down enough Dish Network installs to have a fairly good idea about the differences between the two.

My question is this, How doyou guys like it? How is the pay? Working hours? Are you paid hourly or per install?

Are their opportunities for travel? What is management like in general? I’d really appreciate your comments!


Also, if any of your work in Mid-Missouri/St. Louis. What is the current workload like?

I work for a retailer just south of st louis. We install both dish and direct... but probably 95% dish. Personally, I like installing the dish systems better than I do the direct equipment. Normally we stay fairly busy, the last couple weeks things have kinda slowed down, but i'm sure it'll pick back up soon.
I get paid by the job, but by your questions i'm guessing you are looking to work for dish directly? so I'll leave those questions for some of the dnsc guys to answer.

 

[Van]

so do you think the pay and benefits are good enough for someone in collage to live off of?

If your going to college part time yea but you will have to pick classes that are on your days off as Dish wont work with you on your school schedule at all. Your work schedule will either be Sunday through wednesday or wednesday through saturday, take the first one as it is the better of the two so far in that saturdays are horrible for the amount of installs and people calling off of work. So if you have a class that is on a monday and you work the first shift then Dish wont let you have that day off to go to classes, Dich is all about putting the customer first and its employee's lives dead last.

 

[dtv_installer_dude]

I work for a retailer just south of st louis. We install both dish and direct... but probably 95% dish. Personally, I like installing the dish systems better than I do the direct equipment. Normally we stay fairly busy, the last couple weeks things have kinda slowed down, but i'm sure it'll pick back up soon.
I get paid by the job, but by your questions i'm guessing you are looking to work for dish directly? so I'll leave those questions for some of the dnsc guys to answer.

Yeah, I was thinking about working for dish directly.

I used to think that dish was more difficult to install. Well, if not difficult then a little more involved. But since DVR's have become so popular its becoming an issue running a second line a lot of times. I'd almost rather install a Ka/KU than have to deal with a second line since most homes are pre-wired for one line and most newer homes have RG-6

However, since I've been seeing a lot more sat signal splitters it does seem that dish would be easier, especially since you can combine the signals at the dish and not have to use a seperate multi-switch. That would really be handy in 72.5 markets.

After I posted this I came across an ad for Mastec. I wouldn't mind staying with DTV, its just that the company I work for really sucks. This ad was offering positions with their "Spot Team."

Here's the link..

Sounds interesting... I submitted my resume.

http://www.healthcareerweb.com/jobdetails.html?JobID=1954805


I don't know if I'd recommend this job to a college student. The hours can be difficult and not very steady. Sometimes you have no idea what time you'd be done. Your office doesn't offer part-time positions, but we do have a Fri-Mon team.

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

I don't know if I'd recommend this job to a college student. The hours can be difficult and not very steady. Sometimes you have no idea what time you'd be done. Your office doesn't offer part-time positions, but we do have a Fri-Mon team.

If your going to college part time yea but you will have to pick classes that are on your days off as Dish wont work with you on your school schedule at all. Your work schedule will either be Sunday through wednesday or wednesday through saturday, take the first one as it is the better of the two so far in that saturdays are horrible for the amount of installs and people calling off of work. So if you have a class that is on a monday and you work the first shift then Dish wont let you have that day off to go to classes, Dish is all about putting the customer first and its employee's lives dead last.

i thank you both for your info, i know that installs can take a little time or a very long time depending on what is needed. may i ask (feel free to give estimates), about how much do you tend to make working with dish? i could try to do simple classes its only a community collage in fact i could probably do that part online. just throwing out ideas lol

 

[dtv_installer_dude]

i thank you both for your info, i know that installs can take a little time or a very long time depending on what is needed. may i ask (feel free to give estimates), about how much do you tend to make working with dish? i could try to do simple classes its only a community collage in fact i could probably do that part online. just throwing out ideas lol

I work full-time - 6 days a week.

If I'm working in my home market in a normal business period I can usually clear around 1300 every two weeks. That's after supplies (fittings, cable, etc) and gas.

However, when I'm traveling (which I usually am) and I'm working in a metro area. $1600 to 1800 isn't out of the question. Working in a rural area (Kansas, the Dakota's, Nebraska) is a different story.

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

I work full-time - 6 days a week.

If I'm working in my home market in a normal business period I can usually clear around 1300 every two weeks. That's after supplies (fittings, cable, etc) and gas.

However, when I'm traveling (which I usually am) and I'm working in a metro area. $1600 to 1800 isn't out of the question. Working in a rural area (Kansas, the Dakota's, Nebraska) is a different story.

i could work very well on those numbers, but you said that you work for dtv and it sounds like a small company... correct? are there any direct dish installers that might be able to give me some figures?

thanks you

 

[orbitallocation]

I currently work for dish network directly in michigan. The pay is alright, and we only work 4 days a week. Lets just say it is good when the weather is really crappy out, but not good on most days. Our benefits even suck now, but we get a lot of bonuses and vacation/holiday pay.

 

[kenny911]

i thank you both for your info, i know that installs can take a little time or a very long time depending on what is needed. may i ask (feel free to give estimates), about how much do you tend to make working with dish? i could try to do simple classes its only a community collage in fact i could probably do that part online. just throwing out ideas lol

I have no idea how your financial situation is but I'd go to college full time and find a job nearby that will work with you and put in 20 hours a week. The sooner you finish college, the sooner you will make the bigger money (again this is depending on your major). Sacrifice some money now in order to finish college ASAP.