THE OLD BOYS (Fishing) CLUB?

[Jackinthebox]

Most people would have heard of the existence of the Old Boys Club or Old School Ties in many Industries/Professions where it can assist your progression up the ladder so to speak.

In the States I think it is still alive & well and depending on the Fraternity you belong to, it can make the difference between job or no job.

Over the years I have noticed that many co-workers have increased their chances of securing jobs, promotions or simply a better relationship with the boss because they share a similar passion to the Boss or a group of people who make the big decisions.

I have always felt on the outside in these situations because I have never had any Bosses who were the least bit interested in Fishing. The shared interests are usually Alcoholism(the most poular;D), Golf, Gambling, Insane devotion to Footy or Cricket, Tiddlywinks, Stripclubs, etc.

Since I am in the process of changing to a new career (currently studying Accounting ... again!!!) , I would be interested in people's thoughts on ......

(a) Whether you have seen something like this in your industry/profession/company where the only thing you need to access the benefits of the OLD BOYS CLUB is a love of fishing? (Can be any type of industry from Construction to Law.)

(b) How has it improved your relationship with your bosses?

(c) Where there is a company on the Gold Coast with a boss who has a big boat & needs a bookkeeper who can fish offshore, clean fish, drive the boat and tell outrageous stories at functions about how much of a fishing legend the boss is and all the big fish he catches!!!;)
Cheers,
Mick

[disorderly]

Is this actually a serious thread Mick...?
Are you really that conniving?
My best advise is to go where the money is and do your own fishing in your spare time...or start your own business and go fishing whenever you feel like ithttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif.

Trouble is when you are beholden to a Boss, you tend to get a brown nosehttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/tongue.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif.

Good luck job huntinghttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif

Scott

[TimiBoy]

Is this actually a serious thread Mick...?
Are you really that conniving?
My best advise is to go where the money is and do your own fishing in your spare time...or start your own business and go fishing whenever you feel like ithttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif.

Trouble is when you are beholden to a Boss, you tend to get a brown nosehttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/tongue.gif;D.

Good luck job huntinghttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif

Scott

Scott's right, you know.

I always found myself on the outside, as I am not interested in the biggest game at work - politics - and just always tried to do my job. Trouble with that is the amount of knives it attracts, as what you are doing is highlighting everyone else's inadequacies, so they whiteant you. And given that most of them have been doing it for years, they are really good at it.

It doesn't matter how high you climb on the Corporate ladder (and I got fairly high) there is always some dumbass who wants your job, and would shaft his own Grandmother to get it.

Either get a brown nose and play their game, or find something to do where you are the boss. I did, and after some years of pain, I now fish when I want, and answer only to the wife and God! (in that order;D;D;D)

Cheers,

Tim

[PinHead]

Is this actually a serious thread Mick...?
Are you really that conniving?
My best advise is to go where the money is and do your own fishing in your spare time...or start your own business and go fishing whenever you feel like ithttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif.

Trouble is when you are beholden to a Boss, you tend to get a brown nosehttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/tongue.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif.

Good luck job huntinghttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif

Scott

Oh how I wish that was true.
It could happen but some idiot invented the mobile phone. I absolutely hate mine..they are without doubt the worst invention ever.

[Donny Boy]

2 Phones Scott...2 Phones.....

Only people that you really need to be contacted by know the second number, no-one gives it out...and if by chance they do......new number.

This achieved.....revert to plan a).

[onerabbit]

I think it's a great idea,

1. Take the boss fishing
2. Make sure you go on a joggly day
3. Advise said boss to consume vast amounts of greasy food & alcohol the night before, to avoid sea-sickness.
4.While boss is rolling on the floor in his own vomit, begging to be taken back to shore............... ASK FOR A RAISE.

Muzz

[Jackinthebox]

I know it comes across as conniving Scott and I am not that way at all. I was just having a joke about looking for a boss with those requirements.
This exists in a lot of places, I have just never seen it on a fishing basis.

And i am not talking about getting promoted etc because you are on good terms with the boss as I beleive in promotion based on merit/achievement and a concern for the company you work for.

It's just that i have seen this work against the bosses in many cases because they do hire/promote people who are in "their club" despite the fact that they are grossly incompetent or uncaring for the success of the business. Which often causes more work for the boss who then has to run around putting out spot fires caused by their buddies - particularly if they are not the top banana and have others higher above them.

In fact, I am seeing this at work right now and have got the shits because I copped a blast for something I didn't do and and was really the boss's fault, yet a few others blatantly broke the rules as per usual, got caught and still no real punishment as usual.

I don't care about being treated favourably because i'm on the inside, I just don't like being treated unfavourably because i'm on the outside. Unfortunately this is the way it is.

Thanks for your comment Timiboy, I don't play politics either.

Greg, it's interesting how some people perceive what it's like to be a boss isn't it?

Mick.

[nigelr]

Aye, Jack, toss the boss and start your own business.
Anything is possible with persisitence.
Not for everyone, and not an easy thing to do, but very, very satisfying if that's your go, by which I mean, if you are sufficiently self-motivated to survive/succeed.
Games, @$%^ the games! When you're the boss, you don't need to play games!
Except perhaps with your customers...........or staff...............hehehe.
Cheers, sincere best wishes, been there done that, hated every second of it!

[Marlin_Mike]

Oh how I wish that was true.
It could happen but some idiot invented the mobile phone. I absolutely hate mine..they are without doubt the worst invention ever.


Amen to that Greg, worst thing ever invented IMHO


Mike

[4x4frog]

Kind of helps to answer the post before going off all O/T...forgot to post a reply first:-[
Can't say I have really seen it recently. I worked ina n industry where there were only small numbers of people per place and there wasn't really a pecking order. I am glad I didn't, I find it hard to be false in order to achieve a goal, makes it hard as well because you feel you need to keep the act up.
I did see a similar thing with some of the company reps though. One rep was a german fellow and a keen off shore angler, he struck upa good friendship with my first boss and we did get good service and prices because of this and they were always out fishing and telling stories together





Along the same lines would be the service clubs...Lions etc I would think. My father-in-law was a Lion for many years and the boys would ring a fellow Lion for a job or task to be completed before they rung around for quotes if I recall right.
my Dad was a Freemason and they well and truly look after each other to the death and beyond; my mum wasn't too happy about him being in the masons though from what I gather.

[disorderly]

Greg, it's interesting how some people perceive what it's like to be a boss isn't it?

Mick.

Maybe you should try it,Mick!!
It might be as simple as filling a void or doing a better job then others in a field where you are comfortable to operate on a profession or self employed level.
As for trying to create an empire...well of course that will leave no time for fishing,family or yourself, but to create a comfortable existence may not be as difficult as you think(although you may need to develop strategies to overcome mobile phone harassment,hey Greg....BTW where's that secretary with the standard line..."sorry sir ,but Greg's in a meeting at the moment"http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif ).

Mick,with your welding,fabrication and engineering skills anything is possible...and now you are studying accounting...well really you are obviously a smart guy and may just need to take that risk and work smarter ..not harder.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif
You will never get more job satisfaction than creating your own business,mate.
The rewards can be amazing and maybe it will be YOUR employee getting a brown nose trying to get a deckie spot on YOUR boat.(just ask Timi)http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/wink.gifhttp://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif

Scott

[Jackinthebox]

Scott,

I have my own part time business as well, I just don't have any staff.

I have definitely been trying to get down that working smarter not harder road too and will probably do so within the Accounting field, i just need to get a job within the industry for a while.

[gunna]

Heath was looking for staff the other week. That would have been a good job 8-) 8-)

[Tangles]

have the opposite problem, im a boss in my own business and out of quite a few employees we have, I reckon there is only one who has seen a fishing rod, the rest arent remotely interested,, they think im mad or at best quirky for doing a breaming overnighter etc

i always looked at fishing as relaxing, and part of that means getting away from work,, in that sense im lucky (and that includes the cursed mobile phone)

mike

[TimiBoy]

Mick,

You can weld? The world is your oyster, Mate, right here in Brissy. I've lost count of the number of good mobile welders we've gone through. They all rack off to the mines.

Give me a call if you want to talk over a few ideas for setting yourself up. Do enough accounting to get a handle on the Business finance (like I did!) and start an apolitical company. MAN IT'S A GREAT PATH TO COMFORT AND PEACE!!!! I've sent you a PM with my number.

I have 5 staff, and no politics, as they all know the same stuff as each other about the business, we talk A LOT. Bottom line is it can be done without becoming a bean counter!!!!

Tim

[CHAPPY]

Re old boys club.

TimBoy is dead right. Start your own business as an accountant and stay small. Do not employ staff because you end up working for them. Do not employ relatives as they see it as a free ride and dont work.

Over the last 30 years my Building Design Business has used several accountants. We have always tried to support the husband and wife team businesses. They were all great until they expanded,got large clients etc. We were then uninportant, handed on to a minion, paid unnecessary tax. Then we had to find a new one. Have a small customer base and look after them. Your future is guaranteed because their livelyhood depends on your ability as an accountant. You can then fish with your clients.

We have stopped chasing the big dollars and semi-retired to Tin Can . We only work for small builders thus limiting our stress.My letter -heads now contain a post script at the bottom of the page saying-

AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO TIDAL INFLUENCES AND LUNAL ACTIVITY.

WHAT A LIFE

CHAPPY:) :)

[Jackinthebox]

Thanks for that advice fellas,

Two interesting points of view from Timiboy & Chappy.

Tim, thanks for the pm. Certainly plenty of $$$ to be made in that area but i'm out of the game as my health comes first these days. I do like the sound of an APOLITICAL company though::)

Chappy, thanks for the perspective from the customer's point of view. That is definitely the path I seem to be going down staying smallish giving good value to the customer. I will try to minimise the number of minions I have8-).

As far as fishing with clients goes, well if they do want to claim that nice Blackwatch or Riv, I will need to actually assess it's sea keeping ability and while we are out there ..... "Oh, look at all the nice rods you have. We will have to test each and every one of them now so I can formulate a comprehensive depreciation schedule for the boat. And while we are at it, let's go to the shelf so we can get an accurate measure of fuel consumption ..... this is a business related trip after all isn't it?" :D



Cheers,
Mick