Third time posting about this stuff, sorry, the shop teacher thread got me thinking. If I apply to the IBEW the first chance I get after I graduate, I'll walk into the interview with one summer job, weekend helper hours and nothing else. If I wait a year and work full time at a shop, I'd have a full year of real work to talk about.
Logic says wait. My teacher says apply right away, every time, because "you can't get picked if you're not in the pile." I see his point, but I also don't want my first impression to be a weak one if it follows me. Does a bad first interview stick with you, or is every year a fresh start?
Foreman, Inside Wireman (IBEW) · 19 years · Morris County, NJ
Mentor
Your teacher has the stronger argument. I can't tell you whether any program keeps notes from a previous interview; ask them. But I've never heard anyone say they regret applying early. Apply when you're eligible, work full time while the process runs, and if you need a second try you'll have the year of experience anyway. You get both. Stay safe.
HVAC contractor, owner · 25 years · Middlesex County, NJ
Mentor
Different trade, but here's how I'd weigh it:
- Applying costs you a morning and maybe an application fee
- Waiting costs you a year of possible apprenticeship time
- A weak interview at 18 is expected; nobody expects an 18-year-old to sound like a foreman
Apply.
From the other end of the age range: I wish I'd applied to anything at 18. Two questions back at you though. What's the actual downside of applying? And would you take it if they called?