Rivendell Job Opening, Shipping Department.
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John Bennett
Aug 7, 2011, 8:22:01 PM8/7/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
As regular readers of the site know, Vaughn is moving on, first to
Japan, and then back to Colorado, his old stomping grounds. We need to
replace him. Here's our ad. It sounds pretty blunt, I know, but I
figured it was better to be straight at the beginning than 6 months
down the road.
If you know anyone who might fit the bill, send them my way. If you
fit the bill, send me your resume. And thank you.
Shipper, F/T
This is not a dead-end job, far from it, but it's not a stepping
stone, either. We're looking for someone who wants a job in the
shipping department, not a person who is biding their time until they
can design frames, assemble bikes, or wait on customers.
Any knowledge of bikes and parts will be useful, since you'll be
picking and boxing them. But strictly, it is not necessary, as long as
you can learn.
We want someone who needs a job, likes cardboard as much (if not more)
than bikes, doesn't require a huge salary to get by in the Bay Area,
and is ready to commit to long-term employment.
It's hot in the summer, cold in the winter. 50-90 packages a day. No
back-up. When the other shipper is gone, you're it. Punctuality,
dependability, and maturity required.
Unglamorous, but good work. Benefits after 90 days. Commuter Checks if
you don't live close. 401K. 8:30-4:30. Monday through Friday. $25K/
year.
Send resume and cover letter to John. jo...@rivbike.com
Japan, and then back to Colorado, his old stomping grounds. We need to
replace him. Here's our ad. It sounds pretty blunt, I know, but I
figured it was better to be straight at the beginning than 6 months
down the road.
If you know anyone who might fit the bill, send them my way. If you
fit the bill, send me your resume. And thank you.
Shipper, F/T
This is not a dead-end job, far from it, but it's not a stepping
stone, either. We're looking for someone who wants a job in the
shipping department, not a person who is biding their time until they
can design frames, assemble bikes, or wait on customers.
Any knowledge of bikes and parts will be useful, since you'll be
picking and boxing them. But strictly, it is not necessary, as long as
you can learn.
We want someone who needs a job, likes cardboard as much (if not more)
than bikes, doesn't require a huge salary to get by in the Bay Area,
and is ready to commit to long-term employment.
It's hot in the summer, cold in the winter. 50-90 packages a day. No
back-up. When the other shipper is gone, you're it. Punctuality,
dependability, and maturity required.
Unglamorous, but good work. Benefits after 90 days. Commuter Checks if
you don't live close. 401K. 8:30-4:30. Monday through Friday. $25K/
year.
Send resume and cover letter to John. jo...@rivbike.com
islaysteve
Aug 8, 2011, 6:15:23 PM8/8/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
This is interesting, especially for someone looking to maybe get into a job with another company (on the other coast) as a retirement job. Not "dead end" but not even a stepping stone to assembling bikes or waiting on customers? That's a little discordant to me. Anyway, I'm just observing, don't need the official RBW response. Maybe interested to hear others' comments.
Steve
William
Aug 8, 2011, 6:52:41 PM8/8/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
I think it's fine, great even. Lots of people who would like to work vaguely in the bike business want nothing to do with customers. Lots of people that would be happy working in shipping and receiving would love the work environment at Rivendell.
Joe Bernard
Aug 8, 2011, 8:54:38 PM8/8/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
It's probably just a lawyerly disclaimer designed to prevent applicants from thinking too far ahead, plus provides comfort for current employees that "the new guy/girl" isn't in line for their job. The posting seems straightforward and fair to me.
Joe "mmm, cardboard" Bernard
Fairfield, CA.
grant
Aug 8, 2011, 11:04:29 PM8/8/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
We have a job to fill. It's a specific job. If somebody gets the job
and leaves it, we're back to SqOne and have to find,hire, and train
again.
To outsiders, maybe "shipping" is a low-totem pole job, and EVERYthing
is a stepping stone. Not that way here. If we don't ship, you don't
get your goods. If we don't ship on time, we lose business and may go
out of business. Everybody here is in awe of our current shipping
department, super proud, and if every area of the business worked as
well as shipping does, we'd be doing better.
Robert is here for life. He has a respect for packing and shipping
that few if any people can relate to. Unless you work here and see how
it all goes together, you have no idea of the level of
professionalism and care that he puts into his work. That's not your
fault. You just aren't priveleged enough to see it happen the way it
happens every day...unless you work here.
For somebody to treat their job alongside him as an entry level job
and a stepping stone to what they see as bigger or more important or
more glamorous jobs is an insult to Robert and shows a gross
misunderstanding of how we want the postion to be treated, and of the
respect we accord it, ourselves.
We will always need two shippers, at least. We are looking for
somebody special, and it's tough. It's easy to find outa workers who
will grasp at anything that starts at $25K plus benefits---and I
understand that. I'd do it myself, if I were out of work. But in this
case, that's not getting it.
We're looking for somebody who, like Vaughn, can come here and be the
last link in a long chain of commerce that keeps us all employed and
allows us to do whateveritis that we do.
We're getting a steady flow of applicants who say stuff like, "I love
your ethic, your philosophy, what you stand for. I spend hours on your
site, I love the fight you fight, I've been a fan for years, I dig you
up he wazoo.." but they haven't even bought a bar of pine tar soap
from us...so how "into" us can they be, how MUCH of us can they know,
if they've never tiptoed over the line and actually used the stuff?
It's not a big deal.....ultimately we'll hire a goody, and I hope
they'll stick around. It's not good place to work. John's excellent
job description was intended to weed out those who really don't want
to ship, and really do think after a year they'll have a window
office. There are (literally) no windows here, and the shippers work
closer to the rollup doors than anybody.
Wish us luck, that is all. Don't want to make this any more public,
but in the past we've found some good guys through blog + forum posts,
so we thought we'd try again.
G
and leaves it, we're back to SqOne and have to find,hire, and train
again.
To outsiders, maybe "shipping" is a low-totem pole job, and EVERYthing
is a stepping stone. Not that way here. If we don't ship, you don't
get your goods. If we don't ship on time, we lose business and may go
out of business. Everybody here is in awe of our current shipping
department, super proud, and if every area of the business worked as
well as shipping does, we'd be doing better.
Robert is here for life. He has a respect for packing and shipping
that few if any people can relate to. Unless you work here and see how
it all goes together, you have no idea of the level of
professionalism and care that he puts into his work. That's not your
fault. You just aren't priveleged enough to see it happen the way it
happens every day...unless you work here.
For somebody to treat their job alongside him as an entry level job
and a stepping stone to what they see as bigger or more important or
more glamorous jobs is an insult to Robert and shows a gross
misunderstanding of how we want the postion to be treated, and of the
respect we accord it, ourselves.
We will always need two shippers, at least. We are looking for
somebody special, and it's tough. It's easy to find outa workers who
will grasp at anything that starts at $25K plus benefits---and I
understand that. I'd do it myself, if I were out of work. But in this
case, that's not getting it.
We're looking for somebody who, like Vaughn, can come here and be the
last link in a long chain of commerce that keeps us all employed and
allows us to do whateveritis that we do.
We're getting a steady flow of applicants who say stuff like, "I love
your ethic, your philosophy, what you stand for. I spend hours on your
site, I love the fight you fight, I've been a fan for years, I dig you
up he wazoo.." but they haven't even bought a bar of pine tar soap
from us...so how "into" us can they be, how MUCH of us can they know,
if they've never tiptoed over the line and actually used the stuff?
It's not a big deal.....ultimately we'll hire a goody, and I hope
they'll stick around. It's not good place to work. John's excellent
job description was intended to weed out those who really don't want
to ship, and really do think after a year they'll have a window
office. There are (literally) no windows here, and the shippers work
closer to the rollup doors than anybody.
Wish us luck, that is all. Don't want to make this any more public,
but in the past we've found some good guys through blog + forum posts,
so we thought we'd try again.
G
PATRICK MOORE
Aug 8, 2011, 11:42:59 PM8/8/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
1. $25 K plus benefit to start for packing: damn' good (tho' of course
that *is* No Cal, not hinterland, USA). But the cheapest way to get
quality work is to hire somebody good to do a good job and to pay that
person well enough that he/she wants to stay. That's the *normal* way
of treating people, too: expect good work and pay for it, not the
pissant, picayune modern globalized way of trying to squeeze more and
more just passable work from more and more miserable employees for
less and less compensation.
that *is* No Cal, not hinterland, USA). But the cheapest way to get
quality work is to hire somebody good to do a good job and to pay that
person well enough that he/she wants to stay. That's the *normal* way
of treating people, too: expect good work and pay for it, not the
pissant, picayune modern globalized way of trying to squeeze more and
more just passable work from more and more miserable employees for
less and less compensation.
2. I have received three frames and one bike (not to mention many,
many smaller items) from Riv and I really believe that not only is the
packing, for bikes and frames at any rate, the best I've ever seen,
but that it is truly a work of art, minor art in the sense of one of
the minor crafts, I grant you, in its own right and I am perfectly
serious about that.
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--
Patrick Moore
Albuquerque, NM
For professional resumes, contact
Patrick Moore, ACRW
patric...@resumespecialties.com
A billion stars go spinning through the night
Blazing high above your head;
But in you is the Presence that will be
When all the stars are dead.
(Rilke, Buddha in Glory)
Joe Bernard
Aug 8, 2011, 11:46:10 PM8/8/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
The man ain't kidding about Rivendell's shipping department. I've received many packages from them, and the detail-oriented placement of things in the box is quite a step up from most businesses I've dealt with. It's almost a shame to unpack it!
Peter Pesce
Aug 9, 2011, 11:17:44 AM8/9/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
I read it exactly the way Grant explained it. I imagine there are a lot of people out there who would expect to get a foot in the door assuming that, once there, everyone would be so impressed with their designing, building, marketing, whatever skills that they'd be hailed as the next GP and given a corner office. Probably an equal number would apply and show up every day just to get a discount on stuff.
RBW needs to find the person who really wants to do THIS job, not the NEXT job.
I think the statement was made as clearly and directly as required to get the point across.
-Pete
RBW needs to find the person who really wants to do THIS job, not the NEXT job.
I think the statement was made as clearly and directly as required to get the point across.
-Pete
Philip Williamson
Aug 9, 2011, 11:38:47 AM8/9/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
I took it to mean that they want someone who wants to pack frames and
bike parts, and ship them out the door. People who would focus on the
job they were hired to do, and be happy doing it for a medium-long
time. I think they probably have to work extra hard to weed out the
people who would hope to be learning frame design from Grant on the
second day, after mastering Robert's craft on the first day.
My wife would be excellent at that job. Except for the crushing heat.
Philip
bike parts, and ship them out the door. People who would focus on the
job they were hired to do, and be happy doing it for a medium-long
time. I think they probably have to work extra hard to weed out the
people who would hope to be learning frame design from Grant on the
second day, after mastering Robert's craft on the first day.
My wife would be excellent at that job. Except for the crushing heat.
Philip
jinxed
Aug 9, 2011, 7:04:01 PM8/9/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
This is one of those times I start hearing the voices inside my head whispering not so quietly.
I know exactly person they are looking for, because it's the person I strive to be at my job.
I work for a bike shop and have been in the industry since 92ish. Since around 99, one of my major responsibilities has been packing and shipping bikes and parts. I handle the ebay and web sales. I have shipped a thousand bikes if one. Over the years, I've developed into a packaging critic of sorts. The reason for this is that our shop owner does not allow for purchase of packaging material so I reuse what our stock bikes arrive in. This has forced me to be rather creative, picky, and lets me flex some artistic ability from time to time.
Some notes on packaging by big brands:
Cannondale (USA made bikes) boxes and packing used to be tops. However now that they are packaged overseas, both are sub par.
Specialized does a fair job, although we had several damages on the way to us due to some under-packaging on fork tips and seat tubes.
Many of the full suspension bikes come in great boxes that secure the frame next to both removed wheels. This only works well if there is a heavy cardboard "tray" that the frame secures to. Otherwise it bounces around = bad. Good ones: Pivot, Intense, Tomac.
Trek low end bikes actually come in decently packed although soft boxes, however the Project One bikes arrive in unbelievably nice boxes and very well packed. Best major brand packaging I've seen.
My theory is "nobody move nobody get hurt" applies to bikes in boxes. I package every bike like it's mine and arriving Christmas morning. All my co-workers give me loads of static about it, yet in all the time I've done it, not one damage claim. We have even had people call to compliment the shop on their packaging. I take great pride in this, and it goes mostly unnoticed, and more often ridiculed by the lazy service staff I work next to who do the minimum and bitch about that.
When I ordered my first bike from Rivendell, I was floored by the packaging. I cannot stress how happy I was to see this being taken seriously. It's done the way it should be done, and the way it deserves to be done for the bikes being shipped. The thicker box, the custom cut foam for the forks/dropouts and everything secured means you get your stuff in perfect condition. I forgo my employee discount to shop with Rivendell even if it's parts I can get, one because it's not much more, and two they are more attentive and respectful to their customers...all the way down to and especially getting their stuff out properly. Plus a good packing job goes a long way with me!...That sounds horrible.
The fact that my wife is originally from around the Walnut Creek area and has expressed interest in moving back...fuel on the fire.
I know exactly person they are looking for, because it's the person I strive to be at my job.
I work for a bike shop and have been in the industry since 92ish. Since around 99, one of my major responsibilities has been packing and shipping bikes and parts. I handle the ebay and web sales. I have shipped a thousand bikes if one. Over the years, I've developed into a packaging critic of sorts. The reason for this is that our shop owner does not allow for purchase of packaging material so I reuse what our stock bikes arrive in. This has forced me to be rather creative, picky, and lets me flex some artistic ability from time to time.
Some notes on packaging by big brands:
Cannondale (USA made bikes) boxes and packing used to be tops. However now that they are packaged overseas, both are sub par.
Specialized does a fair job, although we had several damages on the way to us due to some under-packaging on fork tips and seat tubes.
Many of the full suspension bikes come in great boxes that secure the frame next to both removed wheels. This only works well if there is a heavy cardboard "tray" that the frame secures to. Otherwise it bounces around = bad. Good ones: Pivot, Intense, Tomac.
Trek low end bikes actually come in decently packed although soft boxes, however the Project One bikes arrive in unbelievably nice boxes and very well packed. Best major brand packaging I've seen.
My theory is "nobody move nobody get hurt" applies to bikes in boxes. I package every bike like it's mine and arriving Christmas morning. All my co-workers give me loads of static about it, yet in all the time I've done it, not one damage claim. We have even had people call to compliment the shop on their packaging. I take great pride in this, and it goes mostly unnoticed, and more often ridiculed by the lazy service staff I work next to who do the minimum and bitch about that.
When I ordered my first bike from Rivendell, I was floored by the packaging. I cannot stress how happy I was to see this being taken seriously. It's done the way it should be done, and the way it deserves to be done for the bikes being shipped. The thicker box, the custom cut foam for the forks/dropouts and everything secured means you get your stuff in perfect condition. I forgo my employee discount to shop with Rivendell even if it's parts I can get, one because it's not much more, and two they are more attentive and respectful to their customers...all the way down to and especially getting their stuff out properly. Plus a good packing job goes a long way with me!...That sounds horrible.
The fact that my wife is originally from around the Walnut Creek area and has expressed interest in moving back...fuel on the fire.
grant
Aug 9, 2011, 7:39:46 PM8/9/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
Below I said:
It's not good place to work.
I started to write "It's not a bad place to work" but tried to
It's not good place to work.
restate it more accurately and positively as, "It's a good place to
work", and lo and behold, I didn't backspace enough. I hope y'all can
understand a mistake like that and not get all
Freudiananalytical ...it really IS a good place....I think!
B,
Grant
and thanks to Joe for liking the packing.
Shaun Meehan
Aug 9, 2011, 10:38:42 PM8/9/11
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
I have no doubt that RBW is a great place to work. And I can't believe that we're dissecting the job posting on the e-mail list. From observing the packaging work on my own orders from RBW, I can attest to the fact that it's artistry. On more than one occasion I've received my order from RBW thinking that some of the items that I ordered must be on back order because the package is so small. Only to find that all of the items were indeed there, but just packaged with supreme efficiency.
Shaun Meehan
Shaun Meehan
Evan
Aug 10, 2011, 2:52:59 AM8/10/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
If I were younger and cardboard-inclined, I'd be sending my resume to
RBWHQ right now. Seriously: John's job description is downright
inspiring in its honesty and clarity, and Grant's explanation of the
position and its importance makes tons of sense (to me, anyway). As
for Jinxed, he wrote an entire ode to packing and shipping! I hope
that he, or someone just as dedicated, gets the job.
RBWHQ right now. Seriously: John's job description is downright
inspiring in its honesty and clarity, and Grant's explanation of the
position and its importance makes tons of sense (to me, anyway). As
for Jinxed, he wrote an entire ode to packing and shipping! I hope
that he, or someone just as dedicated, gets the job.
Kris
Aug 10, 2011, 3:45:15 PM8/10/11
to RBW Owners Bunch
Just about 5 yrs ago I packed up the family and moved from MA to NC to
work in a shop in Asheville. I learned a great deal as a result of my
early mid-life crisis and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
I did however "sell out" and moved back to the IT/IS world for better
pay, stability, and benefits. I have yet to regret either decision.
It's crazy to think how different things can be in one's life....I
could be packing bikes at Rivendell* right now if the calendar and
universe were shifted.
Good luck to whoever nabs this position.
*though the lack of AC might have killed me....I can sweat like
Patrick Ewing at the equator!
> > >http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.- Hide quoted text -
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> - Show quoted text -
work in a shop in Asheville. I learned a great deal as a result of my
early mid-life crisis and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
I did however "sell out" and moved back to the IT/IS world for better
pay, stability, and benefits. I have yet to regret either decision.
It's crazy to think how different things can be in one's life....I
could be packing bikes at Rivendell* right now if the calendar and
universe were shifted.
Good luck to whoever nabs this position.
*though the lack of AC might have killed me....I can sweat like
Patrick Ewing at the equator!
>
> - Show quoted text -
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