asunderf Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 What exp do u have and how long did it take u to get it and is it a must have?? How do I get into working in a lfs Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supercobwe Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Learn as you go but the main important part is, did they willing to give you that opportunity or not but do some researches and reading doesn't hurts your chances. Good luck, cheers. Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVS969 Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Volunteering seems to be a good way to get your foot in the door with a lot of shops, That what I hear anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott95 Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 i managed to get a job as a first time person. Its a great experience and certainly not one to be forgotten, where you might feel like a complete broken record its still great. I was just the average hobbies and had a passion for fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadFishFloating Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 I have experience with hobbyist fishbreeding, large scale aquaculture, aquaponics and have worked in fisheries. But when I first started working in the retail side of fishkeeping....... I was pretty much straight out of barracks. Which was interesting. No one tapped on the tanks TWICE in that store, at least not until I chilled the hell out. lol I think most stores are willing to give people a go, and train them up. My advice is that whenever a customer asks you a question you cant answer, make sure you then go find the answer! That way next time they come in, you can not only answer their question BUT you can hopefully advise them a solution, which may even = a sale AND a +1 in reputation! Fish guys are not born. We are created. We are tempered in the fires of explaining the nitrogen cycle many times per day OVER YEARS. Sharpened by constantly setting up new tanks, playing with and fixing technology, and by day dreaming of perfection. All you need is a start. And then to work hard. Do the jobs no one else wants to. Scrub algae like a demon. Syphon gravel until it looks new. Never complain. Arrive on time. And dont chuck sickys! Work for the old salts on days they cant make it. And listen, to the other staff AND the customers. Customers will fool you. They aint all the n00bs they make them selves out to be. Plenty of pro's amongst them but they will not reveal themselves until they know you are not just treating lfs work as 'just another job'. Martin Luther King Jr. -- If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, "Here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well." Make up a resume. Be polite and dress neat. Its a good job If you can keep your grin thru all the drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brengun Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Would there be any tafe courses or something to maybe give someone the edge in applying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dditt Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 courses in marine biology would be the best bet, but anyone studying marine biology would more than likely aspire to something greater than a local fish store... second to that, there are plenty of retail courses at tafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham CLJ Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 I have experience with hobbyist fishbreeding, large scale aquaculture, aquaponics and have worked in fisheries.But when I first started working in the retail side of fishkeeping....... I was pretty much straight out of barracks. Which was interesting. No one tapped on the tanks TWICE in that store, at least not until I chilled the hell out. lol I think most stores are willing to give people a go, and train them up. My advice is that whenever a customer asks you a question you cant answer, make sure you then go find the answer! That way next time they come in, you can not only answer their question BUT you can hopefully advise them a solution, which may even = a sale AND a +1 in reputation! Fish guys are not born. We are created. We are tempered in the fires of explaining the nitrogen cycle many times per day OVER YEARS. Sharpened by constantly setting up new tanks, playing with and fixing technology, and by day dreaming of perfection. All you need is a start. And then to work hard. Do the jobs no one else wants to. Scrub algae like a demon. Syphon gravel until it looks new. Never complain. Arrive on time. And dont chuck sickys! Work for the old salts on days they cant make it. And listen, to the other staff AND the customers. Customers will fool you. They aint all the n00bs they make them selves out to be. Plenty of pro's amongst them but they will not reveal themselves until they know you are not just treating lfs work as 'just another job'. Make up a resume. Be polite and dress neat. Its a good job If you can keep your grin thru all the drama. I might not agree with you on some recent issues at the moment, but what you have written here is extremely good advice. After 34 years in this industry I would not of chosen any other job, I have been extremely lucky to have been self employed for 25 of those years. I don't intend to just let a lifetime of work slip away. Australia needs a manufacturing industry to teach new people how to make and understand what different products do, just the same as it needs retail shops to display products and live fish. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadFishFloating Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 courses in marine biology would be the best bet, but anyone studying marine biology would more than likely aspire to something greater than a local fish store... second to that, there are plenty of retail courses at tafe. lol Dont take this the wrong way. After all we have plenty of marine biologists in the fish section at Pet City. BUT...... IN GENERAL..... marine biologists have absolutely no clue on how to keep livestock ALIVE in closed loop systems. As to them aspiring to something greater........ I am not sure if you mean working out the best bar to pickup back packers in or something a bit more 'legit' Robert Ballard on exploring the oceans | Video on TED.com Plenty of out of work marine biologists who couldnt cut it in a lfs. lol but ya the ocean is a crazy place, lotta unknowns.......... World's oldest living organism is 200,00-year-old seagrass | Mail Online exciting field to be in as we embrace robotics so fully. but...... I wouldnt trust my betta with a marine biologist until I had explained fish keeping 101 to them. A retail course would certainly be helpful though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricksfish Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 pm sent . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pet_City Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 If I can put my .02 in - I hire staff who have the following in this order: 1. Passion for fish 2. Is a salesperson first, hobbyist second. We do have bills to pay 3. Can understand that what we do is on a commercial level - what works in your 4 foot at home does not work in retail/commercial aquaculture and adjust accordingly. Always bring a resume with a cover letter detailing why you want to work with fish. Your list of fast food experience no matter your kudos in reference just means I will bin it. Dress up - yes we work with fish but I don't hire scrubs. Be polite, have manners and above all - please don't walk up and expect to show the manager that you are an amazing guru. More often or not a shop actually has to break down your knowledge to build you back up according to a shop's ethics and variety in livestock and product. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asunderf Posted February 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Thans everyone for input if i was closer i would petcity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jubes Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 I got my current job I believe off knowledge and the experiences I have had. Some of the work I have done is work for Cairns Marine for nearly 6 years. Worked for bayfish for a few months, worked in a few stores and now running the fishroom at Brookfield. My main piece of advice is dont be smart ass to the managers. Let them show you how they want things done. let them shape you. This is just one way of teaching you the ropes i believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadFishFloating Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 As the Pet City and Brookfield masterminds say, you gotta let yourself be trained. There are many paths to success with fish, and its important that you learn the theory and practise, at play in each new work environment. In some ways it becomes harder to do, the more experience you have. Kinda like how hard it is to get a hardcore oldschool fish keeper to try something other than UGF. But ya a lfs fishroom is run by a team and for it too work you all need to be on the same page. I am probably the worst person to give this advice...... as I am normally holding a different book in my hand. But I have had many bosses in my day and I have always tried hard to see their vision and work towards having it happen. hmmmmm...... more ramble than advice but ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenswimmers Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 sounds like the old classic...theres a reason why we have two ears and only one mouth.....somethings should be used twice as much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jubes Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 however some people dont know how to do this golden swimmers this is why ball gags were created lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhyr Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Don't tempt DFF... he'd enjoy the gag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadFishFloating Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 only if it comes with a mask mate. btw I need my mask back cleaned if possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asunderf Posted February 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Thanks everyone dff always can answer if he has an answer. Pet city I'll take your advice on. I'd like to be moulded into a awesome fish keeper. And to be able to help others, when they ask for help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Junkie Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Slightly off/on topic I wanted to do an Aquarium related Tafe course just to give my fish the best and maybe learn something too Found this one (few years ago now) RUV30104 Certificate III in Animal Technology Knew some learned some had a great time doing it I just remember half the class had jobs with fish and the rest wanted to work with fish and wanted the Certificate as a start If anyone knows any other courses around Brisbane pls let me know (id love to learn more) No one knows everything but id like to know as much as i can ! I did ask the teacher but he said that was the only course (but that was then hope its changed) FJ One of the Aquascapes me and another classmate created Edited February 9, 2012 by Fish Junkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutters187 Posted February 10, 2012 Report Share Posted February 10, 2012 Try, try and try again IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1silvia Posted February 11, 2012 Report Share Posted February 11, 2012 If you know how to maintain your own tanks and you aren't a nitwit just ask when the manager is in and drop him a resume in and Worked in 2, billabong aquatics Yamanto and that **** shack gators aquarium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
