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Mobile Electronic Installer as a career?


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ruffnight2006 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: May 02, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 02, 2006 at 6:35 PM / IP Logged  
First off, im new to the forums, so hello all!
Im a 17 year old soon to be 18 on may 20th. I have a interview at Best Buy on the 8th of May for a job in mobile installation and I'm on my way to get MECP certified. Hopefully I get the job because this is something I'd be interested in.
Well anyway, I was considering doing mobile installation for a living. I know there are many people here that are installers, so I was wondering what you guys like and dislike about the job.
Some more questions that I would be grateful if were answered:
1. How is the pay?
2. Advancement opprotunities? (lead installer, manager)
3. Is the schooling such as Mobile Dynamics or Ritop really that beneficial?
4. Owning an installation business profitable?
5. Future outlook of mobile installers?
If someone can IM me on aim (sn - RuffNight911) and help answer my question(s), it would be greatly appreciated.
Velocity Motors 
Moderator - Posts: 12,488
Moderator spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Fabrication. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Security and Convenience. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: March 08, 2002
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Posted: May 02, 2006 at 11:40 PM / IP Logged  

1. Pay is not great but if your learning consider part of your potential wages as a learning fee

2. If you apply yourself, you will work yourself up in most places. You need to learn as much as possible and the best thing to do is job shadowing with another senior installer ( if they want to show you the tricks of the trade. )

3. Only if the place of employment requires you to have MECP certification. I myself do not hold this certification in high regards.

4. You only make as much as you put into it. Long hours, hard work & no life ............ what do you think ? It's worth it to me to know that at the end of the day, all that hard work goes back into my business and it's something that I can call my own.

5. If you like the job and continue to learn and progress in your career, the satisfaction of installing will never stop. I've been installing for over 10 years now and I still love it because it challenges me.

Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
ruffnight2006 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: May 02, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 03, 2006 at 1:16 PM / IP Logged  
Thanks for the much needed information VM. Anyone else have some input?
dxdenis02 
Copper - Posts: 72
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Joined: February 27, 2006
Posted: May 04, 2006 at 12:01 PM / IP Logged  
dont do it man  the pay sucks  part time is cool stay in school be an engineer  like myself
ruffnight2006 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: May 02, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 04, 2006 at 2:41 PM / IP Logged  
Im going to try out the mobile installation path, but after high school I'm def. going to New England Tech to get my assosciates in Electronics, just as a back up. Installation is just a job that I think I would have fun doing, and I dont think the pay sucks, just depends on where you work. (Ex. Tweeter has base hourly pay plus commission.)   
Fastlearner 
Silver - Posts: 346
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Joined: March 23, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: May 04, 2006 at 2:46 PM / IP Logged  
Well if your looking to stay at best buy, don't plan on installing, I believe installers for best buy get capped at 15 or 16 an hour. First thing you should do is make good friends with one of the managers. Plan on moving up but it will take time. If you plan to stay with best buy, i would take a course during collage to take business management. You can make a lot of money working for best buy but plan on being stressed most of the time.
ruffnight2006 
Member - Posts: 4
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Joined: May 02, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 04, 2006 at 10:27 PM / IP Logged  
15-16 an hour sounds good to me. About going to college for business management, wouldn't that just be kind of a waste of money? because Best Buy have their own manager training classes or whatever their called.
MrSuperStar 
Member - Posts: 33
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Joined: November 04, 2002
Location: United States
Posted: May 04, 2006 at 11:56 PM / IP Logged  
15-16 an hour may sound good to you now, but if you're starting at like 10 or so it will take years to get it. As an installer you won't get a 90 day raise, and when you get a yearly raise it will be a 5% increase at most. Expect 3%
You can make some good maney at best buy, but not as an installer.
Installers and Geek Squad have a higher pay grade than other depts, but unless you came with experience straight from Alpine or Microsoft, don't expect them to pay you well.
Stick with part time and keep your options open
xtremej 
Gold - Posts: 1,440
Gold spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: February 24, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 05, 2006 at 4:48 PM / IP Logged  

Jeff hit the nail on the head. Only thing I'm going to add is if you chose something for just monetary reasons you will more than likely burn out at it. I was doing a job I didn't like but the money was real nice. It is now the opposite for me money isn't flowing in but I enjoy what I am doing. That is just my opinion. Also wages fall were you rank with ability and time served as with they will with most companies.

Good luck and don't let others make your decision it is an important one Mobile Electronic Installer as a career? -- posted image.

another-kelly 
Silver - Posts: 618
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Joined: July 11, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: May 13, 2006 at 12:01 AM / IP Logged  

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=70114&PN=1

read through that if you have some time. my 4 yr at best buy is in july and i currently make $15.37 as install senior. if you wanna install, you won't go any higher than install senior.  it's not bad, but not nearly as good as it used to be. best buy is stuffing themselves down the crapper and it's about to flush. my $.02 anyway

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