| 09/02/2008 1:44 PM |
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I have only been licensed for one year with a TX license and would like to get work experience. Would it be smart to head to the storm and look for work there? I know that this is not the way it is done by experienced adjusters, or am I better to wait and hope that someone calls me. Please tell me what you think.
Thanks,
Jason |
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Leland Advanced Member Posts:741  
| 09/02/2008 2:15 PM |
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Do you have a plan to find and meet people making hiring decisions?
Have you practised a 20 second spiel to convince such decision makers to give you a chance?
Do you have a plan to meet adjusters, and if neccesary, work as an assistant?
Are you bringing a resume with you?
Can you afford to take this financial risk?
Do you have housing plans, or a vehicle to sleep in?
If you fail to get adjusting work, will you try to get construction work, or just go home?
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LelandAdvanced Member Posts:741
| 09/02/2008 2:17 PM |
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I meant practiced, I'm guilty...
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Ray Hall Senior Member Posts:2443
| 09/02/2008 3:18 PM |
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It is risky. It will cost you more than $100.00 per day. Call some of the large National Water Contractors in your area who may be send crews. This is a good way to learn your way around insurance claims. |
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| 09/02/2008 3:30 PM |
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Jason, might I suggest that you become proactive and contact potential employers yourself.
Also, nothing good will happen until the weekend or next week.
Be patient. |
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MedulusModerator  Veteran Member Posts:786
| 09/02/2008 6:32 PM |
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Jason,
It is incredibly difficult to watch the weather channel and not be on the road, but I'm not sure what you intend to do when you get there. Using the phone and email from home is more likely to get you some work than driving. Additionally, you haven't yet experienced the "hurry up and wait" period. You get all revved up and head to the storm site as quickly as possible, and then you wait for usually two or three days because the claims haven't worked their way down to the adjusters yet. It's nerve wracking. Spend you time packing, making sure everything is prepped and ready to go, make phone calls and send emails. My advice is not to go to a storm site and try to find your way around to vendor storm locations. It would be a very unproductive use of your time.
Steve Ebner CPCU AIC AMIM
"With great power comes great responsibility." (Stanley Martin Lieber, Amazing Fantasy # 15 August 1962)
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LelandAdvanced Member Posts:741
| 09/02/2008 7:13 PM |
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My answer (in the form of questions) was based on the assumption that you had already tried to find work by email and phone and been unsuccessful.
I agree with the other answers, try to get a position before you go.
If you watch the news you will see that people are not being let back in - they can't file claims until they get home to see the damage. Only a very few will call in a claim based on word they got from a neighbor.
Be patient.
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ChuckDeatonLife Member Senior Member Posts:1110 
| 09/03/2008 12:58 AM |
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Jason, if you are looking for a job in South Louisiana, email me a photo and a resume. And yes I always try to be on site immediately after the storm hits. Will be in Louisiana tomorrow looking after family and getting set up.
"Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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rbryanhines Member Posts:119
| 09/03/2008 1:41 AM |
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What is the purpose of the photo??????
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| 09/03/2008 1:44 AM |
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Make sure he's not 400 lbs? or 120 years old
and has 2 arms and 2 legs
and doesn't have hair down to his waste
Thats my guess |
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| 09/03/2008 4:55 AM |
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hello my name is elizabeth and I'm new to this industry. I'm trying to get into the field also. Can someone explain being on
"standby" and being "deployed". Will a company pay me for being on standby? and how long do a person stay on
"standby"? I was called a week ago to be on standby, but I have not received a call to be deployed, why does it take so long? does being on standby means I am guaranteed to be deployed???
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ChuckDeatonLife Member Senior Member Posts:1110
| 09/03/2008 7:11 AM |
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Standby is that phone call to warn you that you might be deployed. Deployed is that phone call that tells you to be at "X" location at "X" time. Apparently a vendor has called and told you that you are on "standby". When the storm hits and the vendor calls back and asks you to travel to a designated location and to be there at a specific time you will be "deployed". Generally speaking vendors make the standby call, but if their plans change they never call to tell you to stand down. Nothing in this business is guaranteed.
Once you are "deployed" most likely you and everyone else that is "deployed" will be asked to travel to a site near your work area. For Hurricane Gustav that site would likely be somewhere near Western South Louisiana. For the East coast storms the staging area will most likely be somewhere along the East coast.
As for the length of time, the vendor is waiting to see what develops job wise.
"Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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Tom TollModerator & Life Member Senior Member Posts:1865 
| 09/03/2008 9:34 AM |
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Power is out, sewer is non functional, and hotels/motels are booked with evacuees, So why the big hurry to get there, there is nothing you can do for several more days. A claim cannot be turned in until the homeowners return home. If the vendors are willing to pay you to get there early and sit and wait for claims, go for it. If not, I don't suggest you burn your own money to do so. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
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| 09/04/2008 3:27 PM |
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Hello Chuck,
I am ready and willing to work ASAP anywhere. South Louisiana sounds great. Any help in getting started would be greatly appreciated. Seems I can't attach my photo and resume here files are to large. Would need your email address to send these items to you. My contact informations: 360-455-0694 Home phone 360-870-4301 Cell phone. Email address: snjwells@msn.com
Thanks,
Jason |
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okclarrydVeteran Member Posts:954
| 09/05/2008 11:35 PM |
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Many, and I mean many, firms are now using photo id's and require the adjuster to wear them in plain sight. They also help get you through the road blocks as you have proof of a reason to go in that area.
That's the reason for the photo.
Or, perhaps, they are re-papering the office bathroom.
Larry D Hardin
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| 09/06/2008 1:41 PM |
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 Lets hope my mug isnt going on the wall of a bathroom!! Still chipping away at this still no work!!
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HuskerCatVeteran Member Posts:762
| 09/06/2008 8:36 PM |
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Your mug is never a problem, unless it's also hanging up on a post office wall...some of the homeliest mugs just have good honest character about them. But like Swink said, if your hair is down to your waste, that's not a good thing (pretty sure he meant "waist")...but either way, not a good thing, especially if your hair is in your waste. |
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| 09/07/2008 1:45 AM |
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OK well lets hope that my MUG is good enough to get me on with someone! IKE is on his way and im still looking  |
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| 09/07/2008 2:11 AM |
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Gotta be better than my typos
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| 09/10/2008 12:09 AM |
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Posted By Jason Wells on 09/02/2008 1:44 PM
I have only been licensed for one year with a TX license and would like to get work experience. Would it be smart to head to the storm and look for work there? I know that this is not the way it is done by experienced adjusters, or am I better to wait and hope that someone calls me. Please tell me what you think.
Thanks,
Jason
BRING A SHOVEL & A CHAINSAW JUST IN CASE YOU CANT FIND ADJUSTING WORK! JUST SAYIN! 
"Each of us as human beings has a responsibility to reach out to help our brothers and sisters affected by disasters. One day it may be us or our loved ones needing someone to reach out and help."
RC ESTES
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