How do you find employees?

Unknown

I don't know if you have a similar service in CT but I bet you do; we just recently put an ad in "JobsinME.com" for our first employee hire. The only problem we had was that most applicants were way overqualified and it was obvious that if they took the job with us it would be a "filler" job until they found something else (mostly engineers soon to be out of work at a local shipbuilding facility) that would pay what they were worth, since we can't pay quite that much just yet heh.. but we got several very good applicants within days and filled the position within a week. We'll see how it works out.. the fellow starts tomorrow.. but I would say it seems like the $200 fee we paid was well, well worth it. And when we are ready to hire one of those upscale fellows, we'll definitely do it again.

John Ruhnke

Finding employees.........

I need to find a good hydronics technician. Fred is still with me and has been for 11 years. I have successfully found helpers before but never had to look for a experienced technician. What is the best way to find a specialist in hydronics? Any ideas? I have advertised here and plan to post flyers at all of the supply houses in my area. Any other ideas that worked?

JR

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David Sutton_6

easy....

Find a service truck thats real neat inside, bump into him in the parking lot and if he says pardon me....follow him home, wait out side by his truck in the morning and hit him in the head with something heavy drag him home and adopt him....if this dose not work ....good luck like the rest of us lol , John thats a age old question. i wish you well. i know your reputation and i have seen your work ..anyone who gose to work for you will be better off for it!!!!...David

lchmb

How about

When someone come's for an interview go look in their personal vehicle...If it's a mess you have an idea of how they like things...IMHO

Dick_3

JR,

What your pay scale and benefit package for a qualified mechanic?

This will determine where you'll find your next good hydronics technician.

gasfolk

The tradespeople we know

cannot find entry-level folk, let alone experienced people. And at least for some it's not for lack of pay or work. One very busy plumber recently complained about a typical new hire: "all the kid had to do was move toilets from here to there and he didn't even want to do that, and we were paying him 50 bucks an hour."

Too many people would rather bang a keyboard and live with their folks than get their fingernails dirty. The new work ethic?

Keith_8

Good Luck

Good Techs are a rare commodity. The guy's with the experience you are looking for are generally taken care of by their current employer. I suggest you keep one eye on the ideal candidate and bring on a apprentice in the meantime.

I have been looking for 6 months now. No Luck. We are a large company with good benefits and plenty of work. Our compensation is excellent, still nothing.

Not a problem, On Monday I have a new/green apprentice coming on board. I'm looking for another.

Only one way to solve the shortage, recruit.

Keith

larry_11

Good Quilified employees

I am Looking for a good company. I have over 15 year experance in steam and hydronics with a refrigeration and welding experiance. One thing I find is that no one wants to pay me. Or that they want me to work all the time with no time off at all. Most companies want me to work 365 days a year 24 hours a day. Don't get wrong I really love what I do and when things are really challeging. I will just try to figue it out myself and if have to donate time. I do it to learn, just like any other tech. However, I am still kind of wondering as to the area of work you are looking for, and the location you are looking for someone. Plus, the over all type of work you do?


larry

Chris_31

I usually don't

post anything here anymore. I used to be an avid visitor of the wall, now I only come here once in a while just to see whats going on. I guess you never really get rid of the hydronic bug.

I worked for several really good companies. One day decided to go out on my own, knew nothing about business, but learned the hard way MOST of the time. made it 12 years before I was forced out of business. My error!

Now here was the hard part....... I had been on my own!!
I couldn't find a job. nobody would hire me. I had been certified in everything I could find classes for. wirsbo, tekmar, buderus factory training, Viessmann factory training, master plumber in 2 sates, RPA and certified (one of the first to take the RPA tests and pass) won a couple of awards for my designs and installs ............... still couldn't find work!!!

I no longer install radiant heating or plumbing, or have anything to do with it, why, because I couldn't get a job, and I couldn't go back into business for myself!

I hear so many complaining about not being able to find any decent guys that know their stuff......well here I was begging for a job, to continue a career that I loved, and nobody would hire me. why? because after they found out I had worked for myself they wanted nothing to do with me.

Now, I don't think I know it all, in fact I know I don't know it all. The main fact I kept hearing was that i wouldn't fit well with the company, because I would try to run their company. Well let me be the first to tell you that if I really knew how to run a company sucessfully, I would still be in business wouldn't I?

do I have a resentment for those that complain about not finding anyone qualified.......YES. In one case I was laughed at for wanting 40 per hour??!!

I even approached a couple of guys that post here often (you know who you are) about a job.......nothing!

well after that I had given up looking. didn't work for almost a year, sold most of my tools on e-bay, let all the training I had worked so hard to get just fade away, and lapse.

Am I resentful about this industry and how employees or potential employees are treated, YES!!!

I don't hold a grudge against anyone, I have moved on with my life and found a new career far away from the plumbing and heating trade I loved.

however this is not the first post I have seen on where to find an employee or how to hire one that knows their stuff. Next time one walks through your door, looking for work, don't be so quick to judge them, at least give them a shot, If they don't know what they are doing you will know within the first few hours.If they do know their stuff, you win!

I am not sure how to find someone that knows what they are doing or where to find them, but being one of them, I know they exist!

thats my opinion, I hope I have not offended anyone.

Chris

John Ruhnke

Give me a call Chris...................

Chris,

They are most likely scared of you. You know more then they should know. It sounds like most companies would be intiminated by your knowledge, Not me. I am not imtiminated by the best. I want to work with the best. I also live in an area ripe for high end hydronic work. I work in lower Fairfield County, Connecticut.

I have all the same class's and stuff that you do. I am RPA certified in design and installation, NCI certified in Combustion Analysis, I have taken many of Dan Holohan's seminars, three of Ziggy's seminars, basic,presision and another one for engineers. I have been to two Wirsbo mini camps, Tekmar class's Viesmenn class's Caleffi class's, Amtro, Taco and many more that I can't even think of.

Are you still looking for work? Do you live near lower fairfield county?

JR

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John Ruhnke

Lower Fairfield County, Connecticut

Larry,

I work and live in lower fairfield county connecticut. We work 40 hours a week. Sometimes we do emergancy service or work a little overtime but not that often. We do a lot of new construction, high end radiant only work. WE also do some small jobs with steam and regular plumbing. We do not touch any hot air at all.

JR

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Wethead7

Help

We have found that these things help.

1 pay well
2 good benifits
3 trainig
4 do not ask them to do anything you wo'nt do
5 they need to have fun
6 good trucks
7 open with the staff


Mike

jim lockard

do not be so quick to judge

lets take a look a your truck after an 80 hour week. Could you stand up to a suprize inspection ?? I do not think so. Best Wishes J.Lockard

Unknown

Yeah, I'm not so sure about that. My desk and my car are a mess, all the time... because I don't care about clutter in my personal space. I literally don't even see it, because I'm focused on whatever I'm doing at the moment. It's me and the one book I'm referring to out of the dozen heaped on my desk..

You're not hiring a clean freak, you're hiring a tech. any given tech may have very, very different standards for what is acceptable in their personal vehicle and what is acceptable on a job site. I know plenty of clean freaks who wouldn't know what end of a wrench is for turning

steve_93

Chris... your absolutely right.

Not long ago I visited 5 different companies, left resumes at each, and never even got the courtesy of a response from any.

I've recently called 2 others , left messages on their voice messages and again didn't get a courtesy call.

I no longer have any sympathy for most business owners... most appear to be so full of themselves, they wouldn't have a clue why they lose their best employees.

I don't think I'd give up so quick... I'm sure they are a few, with enough intelligence, to see what you could do for them.

Good luck

Keith_8

Where are you located?

We service Fairfield and Westchester County. Anybody in this area with experience and presents themselves half way decent should be working. No question!

As far as the guy's with a sour taste regarding the job search. Keep looking, You aren't knocking on the right doors.

Any business owner with 1/2 a brain would welcome a wealth of talent. Why would they be jealous? Someone comes to me who knows more than I do- NO PROBLEM- Come show me. One less thing for me to do. I'll go sell another job.

I just spent a fortune on every form of help wanted ad you could think of. Pretty pathetic responce. Go figure. You guy's are looking for work, No responce. I'm looking to hire, No responce.

Keith

Chris_31

well.......

John, and Keith, thanks for the offer, however I no longer am in the plumbing or radiant trades. I gave up and got out over 3 years ago.

I don't know if I could get back into it again. I was sore, and resentful about the way I was treated by MANY potential employers. I spent hundreds of dollars trying to get work, and ended up with nothing!

I now build specialty decks, arbors, and fences, and actually love it. I am outdoors where I belong, and love what I do. I still tinker with small radiant stuff, and for myself and friends, but nothing else.

Here is a link to what I am building now, and yes I am working for myself. I usually hire a helper with the larger and heavier stuff, but do most of the building myself.

chris

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/zandar3/my_photos

ScottMP

50 bucks an hour ?

When do I start ??

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John R. Hall

The ACHR News

We've been running a series all summer about where to find good service techs. Check out our web site (www.achrnews.com) for more info.

John Ruhnke

Why forced out of bussiness??

Chris,

Why were you forced out of business?

JR

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Gene_3

Tech Search

Well you could go to any tech school but of course I have to plug mine, Connecticut School of Electronics in Branford, Ct or any Porter & Chester that is close to you, our # is 1-860-315-1060 and ask for a Admissions-Placement person, Porter&Chester you'll have to check in the phone book.

Now, here is the tricky part, how do you know if the student is any good?? Ask to see their transcripts, it will have their attendance and grades and test them, give them a written test. If you asked me or any instructor I could be sued for letting out any info. But if the student is unwilling or has a lot of excuses as to why he won't give out his transcripts it should be apparent why, he is not proud of them. Some students may have good grades but I highly recommend that you test them to be sure.

gasfolk

I believe..

he meant the total package. Seemed sweet, but yep, that's what he said.

gf

Tony_23

that's funny

My wife is baffled by my penchant for perfection and neatness in my work in others' homes countered by my messy office and cab of my van.

Whodathunk ?

ScottMP

Sounds like

the Brothers Grimm Plumbing and Heating Company

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jbholdstat

retaing employees

I can't really help you find employees, we get so many resumes a Day it's sad that we can't hire everyone, but I can tell you how to retain a "Good Technician"
1. Remeber that a good technician should always be treated as an asset
2. Neveer send a technician home when it's slow and tell him "Hold the phone if a call comes in we'll call you" This shows the tech that you are only "Using him to make money and could care less about his well being. If you think a call might come in, Ask him if he is willing to "Be On Call" for 50 to 75 dollars for the day, plus any hours he may gain when a call comes in at "Time and a Half."
3. Let your dispatcher and C.S.R's know that the technician is never to be "Talked Down To in front of other workers or even the office staff. A Private meeting is the only way to deal with issues.
4. Listen, listen and listen and if your techs are not "Talking" Then Ask, Ask, Ask. But, Be Genuine. Ask how it is going on the job, at home, how is the family, Ect.
5. Most important of all.......Homor your Word above all else, if you offer an incentive, don't cheap out and change the plan mid drift!

John R. Hall

C'mon JB

"...we get so many resumes a Day..."

Not to nitpick, but is that really true? And if so, I'd be happy to write a story about your incredibly good fortune.

jbholdstat

yes it's true

But, I guess you don't know why. I am the H.R. Director for a company with 332 offices Nation Wide.

Tony_23

Wow

You have all the answers, misspelled

Sounds like sour grapes talking, to me.