My First Month at Weld-Ready

Job searches are never fun. There’s just nothing enjoyable about sending out endless resumes to faceless businesses and corporations, hoping it graces the desk of some lackey and catches their eye enough to give you a shot. This is where I enter the picture. 

After going through the above rigmarole for several weeks with nothing to show for it, I finally got the phone call. You know the one. “Hey, we received your resume, and we’re looking to set up an interview with you.” Perfect. 

I’m sure everyone has had one of those interviews where you just aren't vibing, and you know it isn't the right fit. This wasn’t that interview. We chatted, I got a tour of the place, and I left feeling like I got the job. Spoiler alert: I got the job. 

My first few days at Weld-Ready were wild (I’m sure there’s a Wild-Ready joke in there somewhere). I was immediately given several tasks to orient myself with the website, the warehouse, and the inventory system, and it was eye-opening to say the least. Now, I’m a welder by trade, so I’m not new to welding jargon and equipment, but this place is crazy. You need a new hood? There’s floor to ceiling shelving of just Optrel helmets. You need a TIG torch? Not only do we have the entire line of CK Worldwide products, but I now know how to assemble them. Stuff I had never done, never tried, never seen, all at my fingertips. 

When I was working in the trenches as a welder, I used a simple auto-darkening helmet. No bells and whistles, nothing crazy, just enough to stop a sunburn and blindness. I remember a guy I worked with had a fresh air hood, and I used to find myself watching him weld, intrigued by the prospect of the hose and filter system. Fast forward to now, and I’ve since learned that he was using the Speedglas G5-01 PAPR system. I’ve also learned that if I was ever going to get back into welding full time, I would be investing in that helmet. Crazy cool, no more breathing junk in, and no need to shave that face mane off and strap a respirator on your mug. I love my beard, what can I say?

Weld-Ready has been an amazing experience for me so far. Being behind the scenes, I can really see the passion and the love for the industry that these dudes possess, and it seeps into everything they do here. Every interaction with a customer, every order fulfilled, every time a sticker gets slapped on a package. Weld-Ready cares about welding, and about making sure welders have the best equipment for the job, no matter what the job is. I’m part of this amazing team now, and I can’t wait to see what month two has in store for me.