how do you hire the right people. I’ve been in business for 20 or so years and had to hire help from time to time some times I think it’s hit or miss finding finding good dependable help. I pay well ,give paid holiday,paid vacations, health insurance, the work we do is very high end
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Replies
Grizz, if you have something good to offer, then the applicants should know that. Then, make them jump through hoops. Only the cream will rise to the top.
Start your search using specific language in your ads. Seek serious, career minded hardworking people. The losers rarely respond to ads like that.
blue
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
When I was hiring, I used an application/questionnaire for applicants that I wrote myself (meaning ask the questions that are important to your business model), coupled with interviews of the front runners. A good book to have is What Every Supervisor Should Know by Lester R. Bittel.
From my own experience I found resumes to be largely BS, so I never gave them as much weight as a good questionnaire and interview impression. But I did keep a file of resumes and applications that came in when I wasn't hiring. That would be my first resource, before running a Help Wanted ad.
And after all that, its still a bit of a gamble. I'd ask our secretary for her impressions, and one of my best workers turned out to be one that didn't impress me at all, but she pulled for, so I gave him a chance.
thanks huck ,in the past I used the " store bought" application and tried to read between the lines.
I agree a questionaire is the way to go
My favorite question (for those with some experience) is, what do you most dislike about construction.
That answer alone gives great insight into their personality.
mike
Edited 3/2/2005 6:47 pm ET by mjesse
"what do you most dislike about construction."
the work is hard .. the pay generally sucks compared to how hard the work is ...
it's either too freaking hot or too freaking cold ...
and everything ... and I mean everything ... is heavy!
then .. there's dealing with all the idiot high school drop out co-workers ...
How'd I do?
Every bit of that is the god's honest truth too!
oh yeah .. I hate working under managent that has cluw how to go out and build something in the field ... thinking no mistakes ever happen in the office ...
good thing I lie during interviews!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
That's not even the TIP
of the iceberg.6 16 17 97 99
painting...
let's not go there....
find somebody else...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Mike, that's a great question!!!!!!
I don't know if I've used that one in interviews, but I know for sure I will from now on!
Last year I spent about two solid weeks, maybe 100 hours or so interviewing. Early on in the process, I realized that I was losing touch with who was who, so I devised a rating system. This system quickly let me assign some "feelings" about the candidate and I was able to compare one against the other. During the actual initial phone interview, I simply put the applicant on speakerphone and typed in all my notes/answers in brief form. Most interviews used only one page of the word document and the second page (my rating system) was automatically created . I'd then print out both if they were good or better candidates and filed.
If they met a certain threshold, I sent them a pre-employment questionaire. If they met a higher threshold, I set them up with a personal interview.
blue
Here's my rating system:
Last Name:____________ First Name:_____________ Date:_______
Attitude Rated on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest. Explain if necessary.
Upbeat ____
Friendly ____
Informative ____
Skills
Carpentry ____
Interpersonal ____
Management ____
Financial Situation
Current needs ____
Future needs ____
Realistic? ____
Equipment/Tooling
Transportation ___
Basic Tools ___
Advanced Tools ___
Other
Emotional Baggage ___
Limitations ___
General ___
Total ___Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
oh, man.. i'd never make it past your phone interview , would i ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I've found this book to be helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558502823/002-1292155-7332835
The most common mistake is believing that if a person can do the job, the person is a good hire. Actually, there are three broad areas that must be probed thoroughly to make the best decision.
* Is the candidate able to do the job?
* Is the candidate willing to do the job?
* And is the candidate going to be manageable?
Here's a skills assessment I sort of created for my company. Sorta as in I stole a bunch of ideas from other forms I recieved from people here and changed them a bit.
Doesn't quarentee they will be honest, but it could at least give you a idea of the ability of a new hire... and if someone goes down the list with all top notch scores you know they're most likely full of ####..
also gives you a bench mark at any type of review process.
feel free to use it, change it, or toss it in the trash.
Edit to add: we've had a few people come in and for one excuse or another didn't want to fill out that "Long form" also seems to be a pretty good indication.
Edited 3/2/2005 10:17 pm ET by CAG
just make sure someone actually reads those forms.
last "real job" I had I filled out a real long version of something similar.
listed just about everything U could think of ...
was reviewed and talked over by both owners and the project manager at my second interview.
after about 6 months ... I was running some trim when both owners and the PM were complaining the job had a simple tile floor and their tile sub was a no show ...
I said I'd do it if need be ...
They all looked shocked ...
Why didn't we know U could do tile?
uh .. I dunno ... U never read that stupid skills thing I filled out? Or ... U never actually wrote anything down when U were pretending to take notes during my interview.
also maybe ... because ya never asked any of yer employees if they could do tile?
time and time again they'd have the wrong guy doing the wrong job ... they never really knew the talent they hired. Who could do what.
after that revelation ... I started doing all their tile.
got smart when they got stuck for a concrete guy .... I forgot I poured concrete for a coupla years before that ....
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
here ya go....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
imerc.. and cag... i'm going to download this and put it in my hiring folder, thanks
cag: after they've filled it out, do you have a key to what their answers mean ?
or does one just read it and nod their head and go ? .. hmmmmmmm
what i like are some of those standard tests tht give you an insight into personality
anybody got any of those ?
i have a very general one..Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike,
nope, no key, we just read over it, if the guy is being honest, it gives a decent/fair idea of what his strengths and weakness are.
and if the guy is full of it, it shows pretty quick, like to put them on something they claim to be their strongest strength right away, to gauge a little better the rest of their responses..
plus you can check it against their references.
and around review time or raise time it helps gauge improvement etc...
sorry Jeff that was to CAG....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
you been getting any e-mail from me?
I think my e-mail is fubar again.
no ...
I was wonder if you had fell off the eath por omething...
so when do I start???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
still none..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
when ever I try to mail you, I just get a blank screen and it won't "go through"
I have no idea what the hell is wrong.
so let's use the phone..you still got the same email addy???
they may be getting sent to the trash folder that I never see..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Edited 3/4/2005 10:55 pm ET by IMERC
yeah, same e-mail.
I still get e-mail from you though.
#### hotmail
sending...
try a reply...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
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MS... billy bob done ya wong...
that explains it...
you get the email???
how long has temporariy been???...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
half a day
so far
you said you sent one or two over the last several days...
never saw any...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
you get the one I sent at 21:23MST???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
HeyCAG,
thanks!
I'll put that to good use.
Now, if I could only find a qualified prospect to fill it out............
I'm starting to wonder if there are any talented guys out there under 30 y.o. who want to earn $25 per hour plus.........
still looking.........
You're in st louis aren't you?
I haven't worked there in a while, from what I remember about 5 years ago, guys were always complaining about lack of a decent labor pool...
Yep.
St. Louis it is.
Still looking.
raise the limit of 25 a tad and you'll get some well seasoned 40 and 50YO's..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Edited 3/5/2005 1:40 am ET by IMERC
$25 per hour?
Oh, no.......that's not the limit!
If you look good, that's the start.......Couldn't care less if you want to make $30; $50+ an hour. It's all about demand and the ability to produce. The demand is there and it's growing.
I've got 2 men and 2 women................3 are over 40 y.o. and 1 is 53 y.o.
Mark... are you going to make the trek to Toledo in August ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hey bite-me mikie!
How's that pretty gal, Helen, doing?
Yep! I'm on big-cal's list. I'll need the break by then.........
I've got so much going right now, I gonna hafta skip my spring break to California.......
bummer....already bought the tickets (7 of 'em) so I'm being a good boy and sending my dear M.I.L. with my wify and kids.
I'll be a slob for a week & a 1/2.
hey, great news.. about Cal's, that is..
too bad about blowing off the california trip..
but , here's your chance to cook all those things you like, that no one else will eat
Helen's doing fine , best looking grandma i know.. and looking forward to seeing you again..
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 3/5/2005 1:13 pm ET by Mike Smith
I see K.U. Grads still don't know how to spell. :oP
The best employees you'll ever have are the ones capable of working as a team - (Unless you are hiring them to work alone).
When interviewing, it is a good idea to see if the prospective employee will "fit" the team. Some do, and some don't. Skills are important, but fitting in with the team, and the ability to work well with the team are more important.
Teams get things accomplished - on time, and with quality. Individuals seem to always make excuses about why nothing is getting done, or why the work is poor. They usually start laying the blame on each other. Team members help each other out, and take up the slack when necessary, with no complaining. They know what needs to be done, and who is capable of doing it. Good teams are self policing, but usually they still should have a supervisor of sorts (Lead carpenter, foreman, etc...)
Just my humble opinion...James DuHamel
He who dies with the most toys.... Still dies!
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" MARK 8:36
http://www.godsfreemusic.com
thanks cag that just saved me 2 hrs that I didn't have, most high school drop outs can at least count to 5
CAG,
I have word but when I clicked on your link, all I get is a registration form. Could you post this in a different manner or what is the secret?
~Peter
Thanks for supplying the blank Bureay of Prisons stationery. Martha is now free.
any better?
Where you at?
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
my work area covers southern and central maine belgrade lakes region.
Fill out your profile.
If you check mine You'll see I am in Elmira NY.
Lived in Bowdoinham ME for 8 y tho.
Right now I would be all over 25/hour!
This area is so depressed 20/hour Jobs are few and far between.
Good luck finding a good man(woman)
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
I'd recommend hiring a laid-off union carpenter. Union carpenters get laid off so much the're starving for an employer who appreciates them. With all the training they have, the're very capable of doing high end work. There problem is, though, they usually have an unsteady employment history. Any honest union carpenter would have a hard time getting a job outside the union.
Funny you mention the difference .
I was a union painter when I was young. There were some quality people working from the hall. I would say several were better than a lot Ive seen in business for them selves in small shop working from the back of their truck. I learned a lot from those union painters and they pushed it working too all 8 hrs except their religious breaks. They seemed to all talk about buying equipment and going out on their own. Most all were good enough and better is my point at least on the skill end.
I wont ever forget them for what they took the time to teach me . They were a brotherhood that helped each other and not cut throats like contractor painters. I guess the differnce in money changes men.
Tim
Tim,
I think the big thing in learning is willingness to learn. i too have learned a great deal from some wise old builders in my youth, they almost all were more than happy to help a young guy when he truly showed interest in learning. I think too many guys forget that with experience, money will follow later, not the other way around.
By the way, I always enjoy your posts, alway some sage, worthy advise, if you ever make it to northern Mich. I'd buy you a cold one
Alan
TY same here .