Heavy Equipment Operator
(Male, Age 26) from Yorktown, VA
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Male aged 26 who works as a Heavy Equipment Operator in Yorktown, VA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Heavy Equipment Operator |
|---|---|
| Salary | $60,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 72 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Yorktown, VA |
| Years Experience | 5 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
5000+ employees that work for a major energy company
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
operate, maintain, and clean heavy equipment
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
health/dental/vision company pays 85%. life insurance in the amt of 200K the company pays 100%
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
well
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
we work 12 hr shifts and have a rotating schedule that is 2 weeks of day shift and 2 weeks of night shift. other crews don’t care abt the next set of guys coming onto shift andleave things tore up for others to fix.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
2 million sq feet of coal yard :)I love my job b/c when I was a kid I played w/ bulldozers, toy trains, dump trucks….and now i get paid great to do the same things
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 1
Benefits: 4
Hours: 8
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 2
Job Title: 7
Level of Responsibility: 5
The Actual Work: 6
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
onsite referral
What was the application process?
very informal in my particular instance. I was asked to “pencil whip” a resume before I could get an application. I was still doing my resume when the terminal manager had a physical already lined up for me.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
not really….
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
how much money did I want.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes I do because our machines are upwards of $1 million each. They would want to protect their investment (machines) by training me how to properly operate them.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Its is all OJT because you can’t go to school to learn how to operate a piece of machinery.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Nope.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
I ended up getting mine by knowing someone. I was a contractor on this facility once a month and built up a very strong reputation and was referred by upper level management.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
social, technical, and the ability to look past working outside 24/7/365
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Not really, but you should know how to read, write, do some basic math, and have common sense
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
bring some comfortable boots
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
No, but it is now
What are your current career goals?
I would like to retire from whatever I am doing by the time I turn 55.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
No, not really.
Ask a Question of this Mentor
This mentor has opted to receive questions from people interested in this career or job position. Please be respectful of their time and willingness to help. Include some basic relevant background so they can intelligently answer your question.