inside sales representative

cnc machinist

truck driver

maintenance technician

material handler

OBrien Steel

As an inside sales rep for a steel manufacturer/distributor there were quite a few tasks that were required on a day to day basis. First and foremost, my job was to reach out to my accounts and earn sales. In the year and a half I worked for O'Brien Steel Service, I became the account manager of over 150 accounts in the Quincy, Central Iowa, and Chicago regions. Having this many accounts, all with unique needs, required a high degree of discipline and organization.

The position of sales rep didn't stop after earning the sale. O'Brien Steel not only distributes steel, but also processes specialty items. This means that the inside sales rep had to play "quarterback" and follow the order through to the processing department, down to the plants to be produced, and finally organize with logistics on what day the material could ship. 

Shipping was a difficult task because even if parts were complete that wouldn't necessarily mean that would ship. We had our own fleet of trucks and in order for material to ship, 20,000 lbs of steel were required for each load. This meant that it was crucial to manage customer expectations and decipher the difference between when they wanted their order and when they actually needed it.

The company was family run and in that regard, very political and hard to move up in the organization.

Very production, safety, and environmental oriented company always on the cutting edge in the steel industry. Fair pay with good benefits. Operates six to seven days a week running three shifts. I worked third and first shift. Third shift I operated CNC Plasma cutting equipment. Arriving at 11:00pm so I could gather information from the 2nd shift crew for the first 30 minutes to get updated in order to see that tasks were completed in an efficient as possible manner. At 7:00am first shift would arrive, I would relay pertinent information and answering any questions concerning that nights production before ideally completing my shift at 7:30am. First shift responsibilities included similar communication requirements but I ran and maintained both Press Break Machines and a Press Roll often training operators on the Plasma Burners. Daily challenges were a part of my routine, most I would embrace or value in some way, a few were quite unpleasant but always a learning experience. Leaving O'Brien Steel in good standing was a very difficult move for me. I still have family and friends that work with O'Brien Steel and I remain inquisitive about business when speaking to family and friends who remain employed there.

This is a pretty terrible place to work...It lacks leadership and management, most of the leadership can generally be found leaning on a desk or rail looking at their phone.  You can be a great worker and never move up the ladder.  There are several employees, some in leadership positions, that will bad mouth you to management if they feel you threaten there position.  There pay scale is garbage, the ladder system needs to go away, an employee can top out in less than a couple years.  Management makes promises they never intend to keep, just to hold on to you and pay you like a fast food worker.  They will also hire anybody, regardless of experience, criminal record, or their ability to actually get to work.  Then they will be operating cranes and forklifts in a matter of days since they're never properly staffed and they won't be trained properly, which puts others in harms way.  It's like a revolving door due to their poor hiring, then they will turn around and fire good employees.  The maintenance, safety, and quality departments are pretty poor as well.  This place is GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!

2nd shift is cursed.
NEVER WORK FOR @ND SHIFT LEAD.2nd shift Lead allows the temp workers to be threated with physical violence by regular employees and comes to work high.
The saw operators and most 1st shift people have a good attitude and project/are helpful. 3rd shift has made many complaints about the machinery needing a new filter and they had a fire months before this post and showed up on local news. you will blow your nose and only have pitch-black mucus and breathing problems. 

There is a lot of welding done at this location. Pay could be a little better! It has its busy times and it’s slow times. Head quarters in Peoria could pay their leads and the employees that do a lot better. Overall thw environment is relaxed. Don’t have to worry about a layoff when things get slow. The only thing when work is slow you have to sweep floors. The company has a lot of room to grow!! Get paid every week. Healthcare benefits are very good. Company is willing to work with people if they need time off but don’t have vacation or pto time left. 

It’s really not a terrible place to work. All they really expect from you is to show up and work. The supervisors aren’t gonna stand behind you and whip you. If you put forth effort and do more then the bare minimum and show that you’re willing to learn, they’ll teach you and you can advance. There’s not much drama but there is some, just don’t get sucked up in it and you’ll be fine. During times of shortages of staff you might have to do more but that is what it is. Ive made some life long friends there and don’t regret work there. 

The job and company itself is nothing to be talked down about. i used to put 1-900 lb machine parts into metal racking to be shipped out in a timely fashion. i learned hard work there and how to keep your head own and keep to yourself at work. overall i do not think the place is run badly but i did not have a good relationship with the head of the plant. he was very upset with me for wanting to go back to ICC and in fact retaliated against me for it. but the hardest part of the job was picking up the heavy parts at a fast pace. i did not enjoy anything about that job.

keeping busy from start to finish. learned how to use a bridge crane and forklift. us employees had to keep the material managed and while some others didn't take it seriously as I did so it is kinda a mess when I left. Safety #1 rule, teamwork well not so much. hardest part is keeping material on plasma table to keep that machine running and having a truck to unload which can get overwhelming. the most enjoyable part is when the day goes smooth and no technical problems.

I wouldn’t recommend working there, mainly because how to the trailers are loaded. Too many times the trailers are loaded sloppy and no effort put into loading. The loaders will get annoyed and say you are just complaining, but they do not understand how it is for a truck driver to be on the road with a terribly loaded trailer. If something falls off that trailer it will always be on the driver. Drivers have been pulled over on the highway due to how the trailer was loaded. Other issues at that place also but the trailer loading is the biggest issue there.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Nothing management really lacks. Disrespectful to all employees. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The disrespectful management no communication skills at all. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Stressful and very unfriendly to women. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Clock in and start getting degraded for not doing what never was told to do . It was a everyday experience.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Inside sales representative 5 salaries reported	$57,500 per year
Cnc machinist 6 salaries reported	$23.50 per hour
Truck driver 6 salaries reported	$60,000 per year
Maintenance technician 2 salaries reported	$27.50 per hour
Material handler 6 salaries reported	$21.17 per hour

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