Welding Services: 5 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Welder

15 January 2018

Welders are responsible individuals. Committed to their craft, these expert fabricators manage dangerous equipment. There’s no room for horseplay here, no place for messing around. In light of this conjecture, we can’t just hire the first candidate who applies for a job. So how is a worthy welder defined? Here are 5 things that will make the selection process a breeze.

Number 1: Credentials and More Credentials

Employers don’t ask for pieces of paper because of some misguided reflex. No, when talking about welding services, these papers contain certifications. Accredited welders get more work because they’re endorsed by an acknowledged engineering body. At least one nationally recognized credential must be listed on a resume before a candidate can be seriously considered for a position.

Number 2: Looking for Seasoned Team Members

The degrees and training programs are important, but they don’t tell the whole story. In all truth, the interviewer is looking for someone who knows the ins-and-outs of the job. Experience counts. Ask tough questions, the kind that can only be answered by someone who has encountered and addressed the situation in the field.

Number 3: Work Quality

Schools and experience are superior yardsticks here, but they don’t provide concrete proof. Maybe the interviewee’s work is satisfactory, and it has improved because of additional training, but is it good enough for the new job? If there’s a second interview, call up someone who is familiar with the welder’s past projects. Questions need to be asked about past quality issues.

Number 4: Where’s The Safety Net?

Welding projects are tough. Then, when that fused joint is complete, it must satisfy a slew of criteria because the finished work will support a potentially dangerous load. Occupational liability is a minefield here, so the welder needs insurance. Furthermore, this potential team member must be prepared to back his work. If necessary, those assurances must be underlined in writing.

Number 5: All Welding Processes Are Not Equal

Different equipment types match different applications. Is the applicant a welding all-rounder? Possibly, but it’s more likely a specific sector of the equipment spectrum is highlighted on the applicants’ resume. Choose a successful candidate who has worked with the materials, equipment, and work environment stated in the job description.

Classed as a science, an engineering discipline, and even as art, it takes a great deal of skill to attain a desired level of welding expertise. Certifications and experience headline the search, but those career mainstays are flanked by other abilities, including an aptitude for addressing every jointing prospect as a quality control issue. Finally, when these measurable capabilities are conclusively ascertained, the time comes to confirm a few fundamental necessities, such as an insurance policy and a reputation for avoiding shoddy workmanship.