dorkyducks
62832
1591
46
So years ago, my husband and I were looking for a new job for him. Something that he would enjoy but made good money (1 in a million, right?). After he looked into the usual electrician, plumbing, or welding trade jobs, he kept striking out and it was hard on his emotional state. I was determined to help him find a career, not another dead end job to jump into. This lead to the discovery of....PEST CONTROL!
HOLY CRAP. Okay, so let me give you some PROS for the pest control market.
1. 100% Job security, there will ALWAYS be pests.
2. People pay a LOT of money to not deal with bugs.
3. 90% of the job is pest prevention, 10% is actual bug/pest killing
4. He says its like hunting every day.
5. Having ADHD/OCD helps you do such a good job, you'll notice tiny details.
6. Basic math for chemical/water ratio when treating.
7. Nice paid training.
8. Usually get your own work truck & gas card.
9. All pest control licenses/classes that the company pays you to learn/take are YOURS, and go with you EVEN IF YOU LEAVE THE COMPANY as long as you keep them up to date each year (a company will pay for that too)
10. One of the few corporate jobs that honest-to-god pays you what you're worth and invests in you.
11. Max benefits usually (with corporate), and you get your weekends to yourself.
12. More jobs = more pay
13. Become the thing that wasps & spiders fear. You are their end.
Some CONS of the pest control market, because its only fair.
1. Some companies focus more on residential or commercial jobs.
* residential can be easier, but not as much money
* commercial is a lot more money, but you'll need to be more thorough
2. Do NOT accept a pest control offer that pays you less than 40k/year.
* You are LITERALLY a trained POISON SPECIALIST.
* Some tiny companies will screw you, and its either because they are not charging enough for the services, or they are just straight not paying you what you're worth.
3. Residential jobs will require you to sometimes go under houses. This both hurts your back/knees or make anyone with claustrophobia panic.
4. If you do not pay attention to your chemical/water ratios, and you are working under your license (that you worked so hard for), YOU are going to be responsible if any toxicity accidents happen with the Dept of Agriculture.
* So be a big boy/girl and don't cut corners, pay basic attention to what you're mixing.
Some other tips for the pest control market.
1. If you are a woman, you will usually have your pick of anything, but please do us women proud. It's a sausage fest up in there.
2. READ. THE. LABEL. When learning a new chemical, take the time and just read the label fully.
3. Some of the best nationwide corporations to work for are EcoLab, Ehrlich, Orkin and Terminix.
Happy Bug Hunting
BladeTurMoiL
Wasps, spiders, and things crawling on me in general is a no. Climbing under / in things is a no.
Not for me! Lol
JSinNOLA
Good post and great comments. My retirement, job, of 11 yrs is in municipal mosquito control. As a corporate project lead, for a branch of the Worlds largest pest control org, I am in my 5th week of opening a new district office in the Atlanta area. (Check user name) I recently had a convo w/a female district Manager who stated that some males were less than accepting of her position. Our female Biologist said that this needed HR attention & ass whipping. Blond.
EverythingYourMotherWarnedYouAbout
One of my dearest friends is an exterminator and he loves it, and yes, it pays well.
kamelj436
Thx been out of job for a year now. I did uber that basically rob me 2nd week doing it so not doing that so gonna try that
PeteyVonWho
At least 3 of the "pros" are major cons for me, and the cons are even worse. But if he's happy, then I'm happy for you both.
trumpypumpyinyourrumpy
Been using our pest control guy for 15 years. Great service but his memory is terrible and his skin looks like the baddie from dune.
SlamCampbell
Friend of mine switched from kitchen work to pest control and he has more money, a more stable schedule, more time for his family, and seems generally happier.
Also turns out he's fucking great at it as he shot up to be one of the best in the region in 6 months.
Becker37
Yeah but I have zero charisma and if you have to get on your knees I'm screwed.
Roguishpotato
This is great. Thanks for the info. Wishing you and yours all the best. +1
Beleethisnow
rrlyrae
sehven
I might actually look into this. I sorta landed in QA and don't really like it but I've been away from IT so long that I'd basically have to start from scratch to get back into it. Our dept is getting downsized and, while there's no talk of eliminating my position yet, we'll soon have one dev and two QA techs and that's just not a ratio I'm super optimistic about long term.
DSREX
Every pest control group i have seen lately are scams, pushing for products that have no use in the area. Then hitting up all the neighbors door to door style.
dorkyducks
Oh, dude, sales guys are horrible. They will try to over sell. Ask a pest tech, not a pest sales guy.
DSREX
my neighbor worked as pest control for the fed on gov property. his advice helped tons with the local rat problems. lots of chickens in the area.
Saxytimes
My kitchen alone is providing job security in this field 🪳
dorkyducks
Dxb105
Please make sure the company provides you with a way to keep clean. Tyvecs are not enough to stop bed bugs. On of those nasty fuckers can turn into 300 in a month. Turns out I have a nasty reaction and the 3 months of hell resulted in some pretty nasty ptsd. I still have panic attacks at black lint spots or tiny bits of blood from a broken scab in bed. The only foolproof method is a change of clothing and thorough inspection of all body hair or a hot shower before coming home.
dorkyducks
Ooooh, husband coats his entire PPE in 1:1 water & rubbing alcohol spray, from your knees down. Duct your ankles & wrists.
dorkyducks
Duct tape*
Dxb105
Everyday? That only kills it and it needs to be over 70% last I checked. I'm a maintenance man for several appartment buildings. Justin permatherin to coat your clothing once a month should repel them as well. Just make sure it's kept away from cats (mostly when applied but better safe than sorry)
Fitzapollo
I would add to the tips "don't spray anything remotely near anything that may come into contact with a koi pond"
dorkyducks
Husband just screamed, "YES!" There are laws about spraying near open bodies of water.
Roqinn
Try to get contracts with hospitals and schools as those are places with lots of bugs. The hospital I work at is calling them in all the time because people bring in bed bugs.
dorkyducks
Unfortunately they make it difficult to get those contracts due to having to go through county, and they ALWAYS go to the lowest priced, which means terrible service usually.
Fitzapollo
I would take a job in a basement full of rat shit and angry yellow jackets over bed bugs. Those things are a friggin nightmare.
Thisisabigmistake
I'm middle aged and the cons are the deal breakers if I had to find a new job. I am not physically able to crawl.
dorkyducks
Corporate doesn't do any residential, so that wouldn't be part of your tasks, thankfully.
Thisisabigmistake
It's ok. 20 years of a desk job means my body is ruined by inactivity.
rookie23
Do you have to fight any bugs as large as these?
barbarian818
another downside: You may learn some deeply unsettling truths about the restaurant industry.
JustaSimplePlumber
Same for the plumbing industry. Still haven’t eaten Indian food since that one place.
dorkyducks
YOU WILL FIND RESTAURANTS YOULL NEVER VISIT AGAIN LOLLLL
GeneralWho
Don't remind me. The smell of poorly maintained, flooded, and infested kitchens will haunt me forever.
AGiantNun
Ecolab guy here, though I’m in Core, not Pest. The benefits are honestly fantastic.
insertcleverusername1
Ecolab is a solid company without a doubt.
Twinklepot
Any recommendations to get rid of/prevent big spiders. I have a terror of them. Stupid, but there we are.
dorkyducks
Husband says "First off, is there foliage touching the house creating a bridge for the spiders? Second, if it's slab on concrete( no foundations), call a professional."
Twinklepot
Please tell him thanks for me. I spray around doors and windows several times a year with ordinary insect spray. It deters them because we used to get a lot more.
Great post.
dorkyducks
Spiders are so specific to kill, there's no over the counter chemical he can recommend. Their exoskeleton is unique, he says
Twinklepot
Thanks!
NeonKitsune
Also, to my knowledge, upselling services is required, complete with a minimum monthly quota, and part of your pay are from commissioned upselling of services. At least that was the case at Orkin. My step grandfather worked there for 30 years.
dorkyducks
Not all companies, but I suppose most corporate. Usually, that just means you can sell them replacement mouse bait stations, and that counts.
thotterpop
Should probably also mention how the regular exposure to some of those chemicals you're exposed to may cause various health problems.
Even by taking lots of strict precautions, there's still much more exposure than the average person that's not in the industry...
dorkyducks
Proper PPE and following the label correctly, not applying during hazardous conditions (such as wind over certain mph) greatly increases the safety, thankfully. The label instructions are for the applicator to stay safe, not the clients.
Fitzapollo
depends. We are long past the days of DDT, most of the pesticides used residentially these days are targeted to specific proteins in the pest they are meant for and are generally harmless to humans. That said, human biology and circumstance is varied and playing fast and loose with ANY chemical is bad news, which is why there are incredibly strict regulations on PPE and spill management. ALWAYS read the label EVERY TIME and the MSDS regularly.
Spidermonkey969696
If they hire a woman, and she's bad at her job, and because of that they decide all women must suck at this job and never hire another one, then the woman is not to blame, thier sexism is.
TheGammaRae
I sensed some internalized misogyny in that comment if hers. I worked on oil rigs as a woman and let me tell you a lot of them just assume you are worthless and tell you as much and don't want to train you at all. I don't blame other women who came before me, they probably weren't given a fair chance to begin with so of course it looked like she was just bad at her job.
dorkyducks
I didn't type it the way I should have. I edited the post to reflect it in better light.
Spidermonkey969696
I appreciate the change. It's better. It's not great to expect women to preform at a higher level than men because we have to "prove" something. Women should be allowed to be just as mediocre as the men are. It's hard enough to work in those environments, adding on the job of being an advocate for your entire gender means they have to do 2 jobs but only get compensated or have the skills for one.
TheGammaRae
I was the subject matter expert giving a conference talk and our own sales guy mistook me for the secretary and asked if I could get everyone some water and coffee. The look on his face after I served everyone and then took the podium was chef's kiss perfect. Being the only woman in the room has its humorous moments.
TheGammaRae
Thanks for hearing us out! It's ok if you've never had the experience of being in a job hostile to women. In fact that's my hope because that experience has wrecked me in ways I'm just now starting to unpack and I've spent most of my career mentoring women in my field so they don't have that experience. From the outside it must look like in a fair and balanced work environment poor performing women are dragging the rest of us down so it's not an unreasonable assumption to make.
OutlawGerman
AS THE LOCAL MOTHERFUCKING PEST CONTROL SERVICE MANAGER; YOU'RE GOD DAMN RIGHT. LABEL IS LAW, and as long as you're a capable, willing to always learn and adapt, and not a scumbag, we will hire you.
DumbB1tch
Dm'ed you with some questions! Hope you have a sec to reply.
HurricaneShade
I've worked for Orkin in the past. It was OK when I was a Start Tech... 3 jobs a day... I got put on a route.. 18-20 homes per day.... fuck that.. I lasted 3 months
dorkyducks
Local management can 100% ruin it for a region. That's what happened here with one of the corporate companies. Management got completely replaced and now it's been MUCH more organized and fair working conditions.
HurricaneShade
And they wanted the drivers to call tomorrow's clients after they finished for the day.. off the clock
dorkyducks
evilcrouton
I ran IT for a regional pest control company that sold to Orkin. 95% of the techs and office staff bailed within 6 months including quite a few that quit on the spot because they refused to sign a non-compete.
HurricaneShade
It was bad.. I loved being a start tech.. had my own brand new Ford Ranger. Running all around Western Michigan. But a bunch of guys had to cover another Techs route because he had a mild stroke.. he couldn't drive for a certain amount of time
dorkyducks
Non competes are illegal in most states now, thankfully.
keillrandor
For now :P
HunglikeaHamster
PPE ? Insecticides are nasty stuff..
barbarian818
it depends on what you're using. Pyrethrin is pretty safe to anything with a spine.
stickywiggit
Can confirm. Most pesticides are pretty mild now. Some are just special kinds of bacteria. Can't speak to other states but in California, companies are legally required by DPR and the Ag Commissioner to provide PPE and can get hit with massive fines if people don't use it.
dorkyducks
Honest to God, the fines are why corporations are so good about treating you well, because they are liable.
HurricaneShade
Walking around spraying a house... oh the wind shifted... right in the face..
dorkyducks
Not permitted to spray in sustained winds higher than a certain mph depending on the state :) you can simply state in your report "unable to treat due to sustained winds of ___mph"
stickywiggit
Will add to to OPs response that the chemicals deemed safe are pretty mild and you're head to toe in PPE so even if/when you take it to the face it's mostly just fogs up your goggles which is annoying but nbd.
dorkyducks
They provide all of that + most (not all of course) chemicals are way safer than what they were 20+ years ago. Only a small handful are something to stress over now, and you don't use it often.
Isthe4thtimethecharm
But those 20 years ago were also said to be safe.
GeneralWho
Better testing now, better understanding of science and how different chemicals affect the body.
VaultGirl69
I read that as tasting....
lospaturno
tester here. no better testing. just capitalism.
skipweasel
And if times are hard you have a constant supply of protein.
Gonz000
Pretty big con is uhhh...being unreasonably scared of bugs and spiders
dorkyducks
You definitely start getting the perspective of "I am your DEATH." as you spray giddily into swarms of roaches.
Grillparzer
You won't be after a while.
dorkyducks
maeta
Spicy carcinogen exposure!!!
wasiteverreal
Grillparzer
Yes, crunchier.
SoftKleenex
Poison covered protein, mmmmm
kodiak931155
Plenty of insect poisons are only dangerous if you breath through your thorax
skipweasel
You could always switch to traps....
DollyPartonsLeftBoob
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?
CanadianCobraChicken
Gotta build up that immunity..
catsandtardis
It'sa spicy meatball
RedStarVidal
I used to work in pest control. Very little training was provided and the cash was okay. But the feeling I got from fighting bears in basements was extremely regrettable.
Emuc64
That... went in a direction I did not think it would go in.
RedStarVidal
So did my coworkers neck during his first bear basement fight.
MstrES
Wrestling some bears in a basement, you say?
MajorasTerribleFate
God damn these electric sex pants
dorkyducks
I am sorry to inform you that Bears do not fall under the category of "pest". That is a murder machine LOL
RedStarVidal
Upon further research, I may have unwittingly been a part of an underground bear fight betting ring.
TheWheelIsSpinningButTheMouseIsDead
To be fair, that could happen to anyone, right?
ensensu
Tranquilize them and use them against larger pests.
Ultin8
GreenNinja22
ActuallyAPirate
Can't you read? They were a victim of the bear fighting industry.
RedStarVidal
It was also weird that sooo many people would watch and make bets. Also, my boss did pay me in cocaine a few times, which was a real pain, as I mostly just used it as sugar.
Rpgjgb
I always pulled for you dude. You were the best.
RedStarVidal
Thanks friend - I am sure someone greater than me will beat the bear one day. Alas, I am not sure if the boss will ever need to pay out a winning bet on any human in my lifetime.
DrQui
ShadyEsperanto
is it regret for what the bear did to you or for what you did to the bear?
RedStarVidal
There are so many regrets - for one, I fear I will never beat my fathers record of 0-1. He was killed in his first professional bear fight. Boss says it's still the best record anyone has.
ShadyEsperanto
...what's the worst record?
RedStarVidal
Well, there was that one dude who died during the face off (incident) when he tried to push the bear. I guess he was 0 - 0.