Hiring A New Employee (First Time)

CookeCarpentry

I've finally come to the point where I think it would be beneficial to hire a full-time employee for my business (first employee on my books, not a sub). I've weighed the pro's and con's - which has kept me up many a nights and think that at this point the pro's outweigh the con's by far.

Looking for a carpenter's assistant/apprentice/helper - I know that can be considered a broad range.

I'm looking for input from you guys - what can I expect hiring for the first time? Where to post the job? Hourly or daily pay rate? What type of interviewing/screening process? I always remember my first boss (the first GC I worked for), after a guy quit/stopped showing up/was fired would always remark "well, he interviewed well"...

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Mike Finley

Screen em all you can, but in the end they will all will think they are superman and you'll be lucky to find a non-retarded clark kent. They will all be slower than you and less skilled, no one will care as much about anything as you do.

Now that doesn't mean it's all going to be bad, quite the contrary, but it's not going to be easy. Lower your expectations lower than you would think you need to, then lower them another 10 times, now you're getting close.

You'll only find out what you hired until you get them on the job.

Slow to hire, quick to fire.

genecarp

Trust your GUT, beyond all the bull**** at the end of the day, its your best asset in finding a good employee. One more thing, a good hard working, HONEST person, trumps experiance in my book. G

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Century Man

I like networking. I tell all my suppliers, waiters and waitresses, other trades, mail man, friends etc. Does the local high school have a trade program? Talk to the teacher and hopefully he doesn't have his own side business and is skimming the best students.

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mikec

Stick to your guns about pay rate. Don't go higher because you feel bad for them, or any other reason. Don't be their friend. Be the boss, employee friends will take advantage.

mikec

One other thing, I have yet to meet a kid who came out of trade school for carpentry who was worth a sh*t.

CookeCarpentry

Mike F - thanks, I had the low expectations in the back of my mind, but I needed someone else to say it so I didn't think it was me being a jerk.

Gene - I agree about the honest hardworker being more valuable than a run of the mill "experienced" guy.

Century - looked into the high school - just what you said - teacher has a nice little side business going where he pays the best students cash, off the books, etc.

Mikec - are you saying avoid the trade school grads or just treat them the same as any other possible hire?

mikec

In my experience I would avoid them. I'm sure there are some good ones, but the few I've gad think they know it all. In reality they know next to nothing. Most spent a lot of time partying in school not learning. And the labs(at least in the local trade school here) are a joke. 20 kids nail 10 studs.

The Boss

The most important factor is certainly trust, but it is closely followed by efficiency. The biggest mistake you could make in this process is not hiring a seasoned pro. Your job is to grow the company and not to bang nails. You need to be able to walk off of the jobsite and I have never met an apprentice who could work independently. I know it is more expensive to hire someone who is skilled but I have gone down both roads and can tell you without a doubt it is cheaper to hire the skilled guy just like it is cheaper to buy the expensive and accurate tool.

A tool is a tool whether it cuts cuts the wood or runs the saw.

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