[Mr Latone]

We have discussed employees and subs and all that comes with either.

I hope to have posts here specific to employee hires. Different skill levels may come from different sources, so it would be helpful identifying what level of skill you all have had finding and where.

Years ago when the local newspaper was the go to for employment ads, it seemed that was a standard route. Now, with the local papers dwindling to a couple of dozen pages at best, that option seems obsolete.

It would be great if some could share their most successful resources for finding good employees. The more recent the better.

 

[tedanderson]

Maybe I have somewhat of an advantage but my best source is through the companies that my relatives own. Typically they hire anyone and everyone for a relatively low wage to give them an opportunity to show how good of a worker they are and their capabilities. After a period of time, they get a raise, get a commissioned position or they keep making the low wage doing menial work until something better happens for them. So I have a pool of people to draw from as needed.

But I suppose this concept could work elsewhere if you didn't have a rich uncle with 100 employees. You could probably network with someone who owns a small business that warehouses their employees. How can you find such a company? I don't know. But what I can say is that I have better results from bringing on a guy who comes from a completely different industry who knows nothing about my trade. Training him from scratch brings more loyalty, dependability, and cooperation than using the hotshot superstar who knows everything.

The advantage of using a warehoused employee is that he is used to coming to work at the same time every day and in most cases, he is teachable.

 

[Mr Latone]

Thanks for the reply.

It was good that you were clear that the typical recruit was coming in identified as a decent worker, bot necessarily a skilled worker.

I hope that posts within this thread can uncover just the kind of resource you mentioned.

 

[apkole]

I agree with Ted . . . most of our hires have been internally groomed (3 sons) or were known by us through our community associations . . . offspring of co-workers, church, family friends, etc. This has been our labor pool ever since our family started in the trade in the late '40's By far, the individuals who worked out best had prior employment experience OUTSIDE of the residential roofing trade.

Our worst experience happened just this past fall with two individuals, recent high school graduates, who, as it turns out, were looking for a paycheck but not a job(or career). Neither one knew how to WORK . . . an individual lacking the basic WORK skill set (persistence, determination, reason, common sense, et al) presents a poor chance of success in the trades . . . not saying it can't be done, but it's going to be a long row to hoe . . . for the employee and the employer.

Making a connection with the local building trades programs in the area schools seems like a good place to start. Those graduates probably have a good idea how to hold a hammer and use a tape measure . . .

 

[Mr Latone]

So we have a couple inroads to where the younger might be.

I know some of you have been fortunate enough to have a good, experienced worker 'fall' into your employ, but they aren't coming with any frequency.

What other avenues have you used to find some experienced help.

I used Craigslist back in Apr '09 when I needed to bring on an extra 4-5 crew members for a two month gig.

I got at least 20 responses and hired 2. Respondents were everything between "I am the greatest" and "my mom can drop me off and pick me up". (slight exaggeration)

I ran a similar ad in Dec '11. I got squat.

Maybe it was the seasonal nature of the offering.

I just don't want craigslist to be my only option.

 

[Sharkman]

Used to work with an old-school, super skilled carpenter before he retired. He told me a job interview used to go like this: "Here's some lumber, you've got 30 minutes to build a sawhorse. I'll let you know if you're hired or not when you finish" Never knew if he was BSing or not, but it sounds like a reasonable enough way to weed out the unskilled. Unfortunately it doesn't test work ethic... Could pose a good challenge in a craigslist ad to at least see what you're working with.

 

[Calidecks]

I walked up on a site and asked for a job, the guy said do you drink beer, I didn't want to lie to him and I said yes. He said your hired.

 

[Calidecks]

On a different note, I have a great friend I've known for 38 years who's a contractor, we share our guys it keeps them busy when one of us is slow. I guess you can call it networking.