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From: Jim Saurman on 21 Jan 2010 02:54
Hi, my name is Jim. I'm currently in Sacramento, but willing to relocate
anywhere. However, I will give bonus points for anyone in a warm climate
like Orlando or Tampa!

I'm not really into the standard resume thing, because I realize you, as
an employer, aren't really interested in where I worked in the past, you
are really much more interested in what I can do for you in the future.

So with that being said, I wrote up a list...

Why you should hire me:
1. I�m reliable. I don�t take sick days, ever. Well, that�s actually not
true, I average about one sick day every five years. I show up on time
every day. I show up ready to work. I have no problem working up to an
80-hour week. Yes, really. So if you want someone who is a trooper and
won�t call in sick, I�m your man.

2. I�m single. No rushing off in the middle of the day because the wife
or kids or dog had some emergency.

3. I don�t mind travel. I�m fine with being on the road 363 days a year.
My Mom would kill me if I didn�t show up for Christmas and Easter,
however.

4. I can think on my feet. I�ve been at this for a long time and can
solve problems on the fly without costing you money. I�m a master of duct
tape and bailing wire. Unless we�re talking about earthquakes, fire, or
hurricanes, I�ll find a way to make the show go on.

5. I�m a good leader. I can get people motivated to go the extra mile. I
know how to walk the fine line between the �buddy buddy� leader who loses
authority and the �overbearing jerk� leader who loses respect.

6. I�m a low stress personality. Too many people are �Type-A� in this
industry, and they flame out after only a few years. I�ve learned that
the secret to remaining sane and stress free in this industry is 99%
preparation and planning. If you have that down pat, then the other 1% of
the gig, the execution, is a cakewalk. Although I�ve never achieved it,
my goal is �no surprises, ever.�

7. I deal well with clients, venues, and talent. I realize they have a
job to do also, and I�m a master at making sure they are all satisfied.
Our business is the worst job in the world in that regard, as we usually
have to please four masters: the event organizer who hired us, the venue
manager where it happens, the speaker or musicians who are performing,
and the audience. If any of those four �customers� are unhappy that
destroys YOUR reputation and I won�t let that happen. I�ve owned an audio
production company and I realize that word of mouth reputation can make
you or break you. The old adage, �it takes years to get a customer and
minutes to lose him� is very true. I can work out a compromise no matter
how obstinate the other party is. I have great interpersonal skills. I
promise everyone will leave the event happy.

8. I can sell. I can negotiate. I know the difference between a salesman
and an order-taker. I make sure I ask the right probing questions to find
out what the customer is *really* looking for, what their budget is, and
what part of the event is a potential hot-button for them. I�m really
good at explaining WHY they need to spend that extra money so they don�t
have a disaster later. But, I won�t oversell, as that will eventually
come back to bite you. I like to make sure the customer thoroughly
understands *what* they are buying and *why* it is needed, that way there
are no surprises or chargebacks or angry phone calls when they get the
final bill. Although I�m comfortable on the phone, and I do like selling,
I don�t like cold calling.

9. I�m a very good soundguy. That is what I consider my main focus, so I
guess I better be good at it, right? I�ve taken good care of my ears so
I�m not cranking up the high end and making everyone else�s ears bleed.
I�ve never been in a band, so I�m not one of those soundmen who just turn
up whatever instrument they *used* to play and ignore the rest of the
band. I can handle voice/spoken word/corporate events without going all
�rock and roll� on them and making it too loud. I always walk around the
room to make sure everyone in the audience is hearing what I�m hearing at
the soundboard. I always find it amazing how many soundguys forget it�s
that one simple thing that can make or break their reputation. I did
start back in the analog era so I�m much more comfortable with analog
equipment but I can certainly use whatever is available. I�m also very
flexible and easy to work with when I�m behind the soundboard, which is
not the case amongst many of my fellow soundmen. I always do a thorough
soundcheck. I do know what a mixer chart is and how to use it. I always
label everything, board, cables, and racks completely and thoroughly so
if I was ever in an accident and didn�t appear the next day, whoever
filled in for me would have no problems understanding exactly what I was
doing and how I was doing it. I never let things like cell phones or
ClearCom chatter distract me from my main purpose which is good audio for
the audience.

10. I can do installs. I can hang speakers, light truss, screens or
projectors, I can put in ceiling speakers and run 70v systems anywhere
you want. I can set up a distributed antenna system, or a MediaMatrix
system. I can program AMX, Crestron, Litetouch, Vantage, Lutron and other
installed systems, although I�m a bit rusty and will have to use the
manual I�m sure. Thank goodness for the internet!

11. I�m not just an audio guy. Although I�ve been doing that for the main
focus of my career, I�m pretty well rounded. I can be a project manager,
I can do rigging, I can do lighting, both conventional and intelligent. I
can set up studio cameras and video projectors, up to multistacked 20K
setups and up to a 20� x 60� screen with a ScreenPro/BlendPro working the
backend. I can interface lighting rigs with the house DMX so it can all
be controlled from the tech station instead of running around the room
turning off lights. But, with that all being said, I�m not a steelmonkey
who loves going up 200 feet in the air to hang chain motors, I�m much
more comfortable going up 25 feet in a manlift to hang them from the
steel above the drop ceiling in a ballroom. And although I�m a good
capable lighting guy, I�m not a real �light guy� as my setups tend to be
rather ordinary and straightforward, without that special flair that true
lighting gurus have. I�ve seen audiences applaud just for the lightshow.
I don�t pretend to have that level of artistic skill, but you know, I�m
just fine with that!

12. I love working in the shop. I�m a great shop manager; I can organize
and clean with the best of them. I�m an expert at ergonomics and figuring
out how to make it more efficient to do what we do best. I�m a huge
advocate of packaging things as they are used, so if you have a mixer,
make sure all the cables needed by that mixer always travel in that same
case. If you have a effects rack, all the cables for that effects rack
should permanently be attached to that case so they can�t be left behind
at the shop, or even worse accidently left behind at that last gig. How
many times have you gotten that midnight freaked-out call because that
one cord was missing? I can make sure that never happens again. I also
love building patchbays and custom racks. I love fixing snakes and
multipin connectors. I�m the color-coding master. I�m also a big fan of
what I call the �Lego method� where everything in your shop should be
interoperable and usable together, so you can use the small systems in
tandem or sets of four or six to make bigger systems without any hassle.
Too many times I�ve seen systems that won�t work together because of some
funky electrical wiring or some funky snake wiring or incompatible
speaker cables, so the system has become too customized to work with any
add-ons. I�ll make sure that never happens to you.

13. I�m a great carpenter. I can build road cases, I can build racks, I
can build speaker boxes, I can cover them with epoxy or carpet or
fiberglass or that weird rubber stuff they use to line pickup beds. Plus
I know how to make them balanced so they are easy to lift and I know how
to build them without metal handles and with completely recessed latches
so you don�t spend a mint each year replacing those after some nitwit
busted them off. I�m a big fan of wheels on the back of almost everything
so you don�t have to keep buying that same handtruck over and over
because the guys keep leaving it behind at the last gig.

14. I can repair speakers. I can recone woofers, and I can fix the
diaphragms in horns. I can even build a passive crossover from scratch if
needed. I used to know how to repair power amps and other board level
tech stuff but I�m so rusty on that I think it would take a long time for
me to get back up to speed there.

15. I love working in the office. I can handle any of the usual
paperwork, and I�ll keep that file cabinet in better shape than it�s seen
in years. I�ve been a business owner so I know a good office manager is
worth their weight in gold. I can handle Accounts Receivable and Accounts
Payable, I can use QuickBooks. Don�t have QuickBooks? No problem, I�m the
Excel master and can whip up a version on a spreadsheet in no time flat.
I�m great at ordering parts and I know places to get awesome deals on
stuff that will save you tons of money.

16. I can be a stagehand. I don�t mind doing the grunt work, I�m not one
of those prima-donna�s who will say �Oh, I�m a audio engineer, not a box
pusher.� I won�t pretend to have a bad back that prevents me from doing
any of the heavy lifting like some guys do. Just don�t ask me to try to
fly a line array all by myself, I�m good but I�m not Superman.

17. I�m a great trainer and webmaster. I love teaching people what I
know. The more everyone knows, and the more everyone is cross-trained,
the easier it is for everyone when the unexpected happens.
I can develop written standards and procedures, and written, web-based or
DVD based training systems. I enjoy building webpages, and I can develop
an internal site for your company employees, or an external site for your
customers. I�m comfortable with HTML, with or without Dreamweaver, plus I
can use all the add-ons like Flash and Actionscript, Photoshop, PHP,
MySQL, Java and JavaScript. I�m an MP3 expert. I know how to stream and
archive audio and video over the internet it so you can use it for live
webconferences or archive it for training seminars.

18. I�m a good IT guy. I can set up cat5 networks, I can run audio or
video over cat5, I can get all your computers squared away no matter what
their issue is. I can set up email kiosks for clients at conventions. I
can set up wireless networks, and I can set up masks to prevent those
people who shouldn�t be on the network from using your bandwidth for
free. I can fix any software or hardware issues your office computers
might be having.

19. I don�t smoke, or do drugs. I do drink, but I�m not a lush and I�m
very conscientious about not showing up the next morning to the gig with
a blistering hangover; that is bad for all concerned. There is a time for
work and a time for play, and I know how to keep the two separate.

20. I can drive anything up to a 26� box truck. I don�t know how to drive
a tractor-trailer, but if you really needed me to learn I would have no
problem I�m sure. I have a totally clean driving record. Not even a
speeding ticket. I�m well aware of the weight in the back of the truck
and will drive like it�s my gear back there.

21. I look and act professional. I don�t have any tatts or piercings. I
have a short haircut. I always wear show blacks when setting up a show,
and can wear either blacks or whatever is needed for the actual show. I
won�t show up with bloodshot eyes, ratty jeans and a �79 Zeppelin tour
shirt with holes in it. I am totally comfortable in a suit and have about
10 different very professional suits so I won�t show up like some guys
wearing that thrift store mismatched suit three days in a row. I watch my
language and jokes around clients. You never know who listening. I
realize there is never a second chance to make a first impression.

22. I bring the tools of my trade. I always have a leatherman and
flashlight on my belt. I always bring a toolkit with things like a
soldering iron, board tape, electrical tape, vice grips, mini
screwdrives, dikes, console cable, c-wrench, multimeter, wirestripper,
and electrical ground lift adaptors. I know of shows that have been lost
for the want of a simple adaptor so I make sure I come prepared.

23. I work redundantly. I make sure when I set up a show that I have a
backup plan for each piece of equipment in the chain. I make sure
everyone else knows the plan, and I make sure I have appropriate people
stationed at the appropriate points to put the plan into action if
needed. I make sure I have emergency supplies stationed where needed so
there isn�t a frantic run to the truck to fetch a cord. I don�t cut
corners, or do anything that is unsafe or dangerous, especially when it
comes to rigging.

24. I always work from a script. A timeline is invaluable no matter how
simple the gig. If something unexpected does happen, it�s nice to have
that to fall back on in case you are momentarily distracted, plus it
keeps everyone on the same page and makes sure there is no argument after
the fact if something went wrong, who was to blame.

25. If something goes wrong, and it was my fault, I�ll fess up. Honesty
is a valuable commodity in this industry and can save a nightmare
situation from happening somewhere down the road.

26. I debrief every gig. What went right? What went wrong? What could we
have improved in the planning or execution phases? Who was overworked?
Who was underworked? Did the customer get a good bang-for-the-buck? Was
everyone happy?

By following these simple rules I�ve never had a disaster gig, like the
horror stories you hear in this industry.

I�ve never had a customer ask for a refund or even a discount. I�m very
protective of my 100% success rate and I guard it jealously.

Even when things have not gone as expected, the customer has been able to
see I had a well thought out emergency plan and had a team who properly
executed it, and that�s all a customer really wants, is someone competent
and responsive to their needs.

So why should you hire me? Because you aren�t just getting a soundman,
you are getting a soundman-driver-shopmanager-salesman-officemanager-
ITguy-trainingmanager-rigger-lightingguy-videoguy-projectmanager-
carpenter-butcher-baker-candlestickmaker!

Be aware that I�m not cheap but as the old adage goes, �Good things are
rarely cheap and cheap things are rarely good�. The same could be said
for people.

If you think you could use a guy like me on your team, please let me
know.
From: George's Pro Sound Co. on 21 Jan 2010 07:09
Jim, Impressive
as a prospective employer I have one question

why arn't you working?
george


From: Jim Saurman on 21 Jan 2010 17:37
"George's Pro Sound Co." <bmoas(a)yahoo.com> wrote in
news:dYadnXZOcaGV2cXWnZ2dnUVZ_u-dnZ2d(a)earthlink.com:

> Jim, Impressive
> as a prospective employer I have one question
>
> why arn't you working?
> george
>
>

1) Was working in DC area, got laid off March 2009. Moved to Sacramento
on the advice of a woman I was chasing after. Bad idea, but hey, that's
water under the bridge. I have done some freelance work here, but
Sacramento has a tiny A/V scene when compared to DC. Anyway, California
economy is in the dumpster, and I won't work for ten bucks per hour.
Most companies would rather hire an 18 year old and try to teach him how
to do it than hire someone with some skills.

2) I have a side A/V Training School which generates some income but not
enough to live on.

3) I also build databases, webpages, and fix computers freelance for
other folks and that's keeping me going, plus I was smart and banked a
lot of my money in DC, so I'm not in "desperation mode".
From: George's Pro Sound Co. on 21 Jan 2010 17:54

"Richard Nixon" <trickydick(a)whitehouse.org> wrote in message
news:Xns9D0793CA61BC3trickydickwhitehouse(a)198.186.190.120...
> "George's Pro Sound Co." <bmoas(a)yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:dYadnXZOcaGV2cXWnZ2dnUVZ_u-dnZ2d(a)earthlink.com:
>
>> Jim, Impressive
>> as a prospective employer I have one question
>>
>> why arn't you working?
>> george
>>
>>
>>
>
> 1) Was working in DC area, got laid off March 2009. Moved to Sacramento
> on the advice of a woman I was chasing after. Bad idea, but hey, that's
> water under the bridge. I have done some freelance work here, but
> Sacramento has a tiny A/V scene when compared to DC. Anyway, California
> economy is in the dumpster, and I won't work for ten bucks per hour.
> Most companies would rather hire an 18 year old and try to teach him how
> to do it than hire someone with some skills.

the only people I pay hourly are kids doing load in/outs
experianced techs get per diem, and work what ever hours are required
George


From: George's Pro Sound Co. on 21 Jan 2010 17:57

"Jim Saurman" <jsaurman@[NOSPAM]hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9D0794C89CFE4jsaurman(a)198.186.190.120...
> "George's Pro Sound Co." <bmoas(a)yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:dYadnXZOcaGV2cXWnZ2dnUVZ_u-dnZ2d(a)earthlink.com:
>
>> Jim, Impressive
>> as a prospective employer I have one question
>>
>> why arn't you working?
>> george
>>
>>
>
> 1) Was working in DC area, got laid off March 2009. Moved to Sacramento
> on the advice of a woman I was chasing after. Bad idea, but hey, that's
> water under the bridge. I have done some freelance work here, but
> Sacramento has a tiny A/V scene when compared to DC. Anyway, California
> economy is in the dumpster, and I won't work for ten bucks per hour.
> Most companies would rather hire an 18 year old and try to teach him how
> to do it than hire someone with some skills.
>
> 2) I have a side A/V Training School which generates some income but not
> enough to live on.
>
> 3) I also build databases, webpages, and fix computers freelance for
> other folks and that's keeping me going, plus I was smart and banked a
> lot of my money in DC, so I'm not in "desperation mode".

the pay for the guy I need is straight commision, you earn 1/4 of what you
produce with my gear on existing clients(I gross 1000 you get 250 on a 1099)
and 1/2 of income brought in from new clients first booking
george


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