When you think of an “engine”, what is the first image that comes to mind? A male? A common bully? Well, I happen to be a biker, so I took an online survey. And yes, the results broke my heart.
Of the 100 who responded, the compound motor was uneducated, low class, rude and unreliable. Basically the low-life stereotype you see smoking cigarettes outside a pawn shop, hat backwards, using the f-word a lot, and spitting on the sidewalk.
I admitted it. I’m a mover. I carry other people’s stuff, from their new 60″ HDTV to their sweat-stained mattresses, 40 hours a week. I make about $2,850 a month after taxes, drive an old pickup truck, and rent an apartment in a run-down area of my knuckles and shins are always chipped, and I have chronic back and shoulder pain, but I don’t have health insurance.
I also have a degree in music and I can play a piano like Rachmaninoff. In college, moving was a weekend job, then a summer job. I graduated in 2005 and I still move.
You are probably wondering why I am still in this profession. Trust me, my friends and family ask me that all the time. Honestly? I’m good at it. Very good.
As with most industries, there is a hierarchy of company personnel. We engines would call it a “pecking order”. I prefer to work in a 3-man team, so I’ll use that as an example.
The lowest rung engine is a “lumper”. As its name implies, the “lumper” carries boxes and folds the moving pads; he’s too inexperienced or too careless to trust him to help carry an antique dresser or handcrafted leather couch. He may smoke and spit on the ground, but then he may be a nice guy who wants to move up the ranks.
On the next rung is the “second man”, or simply “#2”. He has some experience, maybe even takes pride in his work and can carry heavy and/or breakable objects up and down stairs and around tight corners. He knows many tricks of the trade, usually having a nice personality, if a bit rough around the edges.
On the top rung is the “charger”. (That’s me). I’m the guy who assembles the cargo on the truck so everything fits together and nothing gets damaged in transit. Believe it or not, loading a truck is a methodical process. Wrapping and safely packing all the furniture, appliances, boxes, fixtures, and ends of a 5,000 square foot home into a 2,000 cubic foot truck is tough, especially when the client pressures you to go faster and be more careful when Same time. .
And don’t get me wrong: as a loader, I don’t stay in the truck while the “loader” and the no. #2 they bring me the merchandise. On most moves, I carry my fair share. Also, I rush to set the pace of the crew. #2 and I handle every item that is sensitive, difficult to handle, or valuable to the customer. In my 10 years of experience, I have developed a distinctive style for handling difficult items, managing the load as a whole, leading my team, and interacting with the customer. The results? For one thing, my team always gets a nice tip when the job is done. What’s more, other movers ask to work with me, and other mover bosses want me to work for them: seriously, they call as headhunters and make me better offers. I can say, with total humility, “I am the rock star of this industry, in this town and in the next town.”
Let’s go back to the “engine” stereotype. Sadly, even a talented shipper (or #2 or “shipper”) can also be a scoundrel, drug addict, or thief, but so can pop stars and famous divas (LiLo, Paris, etc.) .) that we all know and love. I’ve worked with guys who stole from the client. One guy stole a coin collection, another guy stole a lawn mower from storage. Honestly, there have been dozens of “incidents” where a colleague of mine has shown zero morals. Scum of the earth kind of thing.
Being a mover is not glamorous, and there have been times when I was embarrassed to say, “I’m a mover,” like when socializing in more exclusive circles – my girlfriend is a scientist and likes to hang out with that crowd, with me in tow. But that’s more my personal life… back to being a humble engine.
It’s true that there are few rewards to moving, which is why movers are often such unrewarding people, as my survey indicated. What few rewards there are are snatched away by guys like me, who give it their all, who catch a little zest for excellence, in any task.
And no, I don’t plan on being a moving truck loader my whole life. I am organizing the purchase of the moving company I work for now. It is a strong and reputable operation, and most of the problems stem from the high turnover rate of “shippers” coming and going. I believe I can recruit the best carriers in town and nearby towns – honest people with skills and positive attitudes who will provide great pay and benefits. It would be worth it to have superior moving companies and dominate the other moving companies in town.
I cannot disclose the moving company that I am in the gradual process of buying. If my teams find out, it could disrupt our dynamic. But I can give credit to a couple of moving companies where I received the best training and leadership opportunities. They are Help-U-Move in Tri-Cities, WA (http://help-u-move.com) and Gentle Giant Moving Company in Seattle. I’ll write another article on how things are going once I’m running the show!