Problems finding employees? Do you struggle as I do?

Ted_9

Yes, I either got people with no experience or in the trades for years, but were sheet metal guys.



Massachusetts

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Ted_9

Help

I have an add on Craig's list. It says that I'm looking for a Hydronic installer. But the only people that respond are sheet metal installers. what gives? Are there no hydronic heating installers left?

Do you guys see the same thing?



Massachusetts

brucewo1b

Time of year rollover

Those AC installs are about over and probably not enough hot air to keep them all busy and hydronic is in its busy season thats my guess

Ted_9

Sounds right, the ad is about 2 months old.

It's just frustrating.

Massachusetts

David Sutton_6

I wish i was closer

I might take you up on your offer,Not many out here either Ted. in Western Mass. Going to have to grow your own i guess. i a new man now John, he's Green but very willing to work and learn ! he doing great


David

Alan R. Mercurio_3

Ted, I can't remember what part of Mass you're from (sorry) but this thread on my site might be of interest to you?

Click Here to Meet Mike

Best of luck my friend.

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio

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Ted_9

Thanks Alan.. I was looking for someone who lives in the greater Boston area. We are working around Cambridge alot.


Massachusetts

Alan R. Mercurio_3

You're very welcome my friend.

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio

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Josh_10

Boy do I feel your pain! All I wanted was a helper and I had to interview 22 guys to find one worth hiring! Staffing is tough in this biz.

jackchips_2

There

may be many who would be interested in more of your story, Josh.

Such questions as:

How many people applied?
Were all those that interviewed "qualified" on paper?
What was wrong with the 21 applicants? Can you quanitify the problems some way?

Your note that stafffing is tough yet there were 22 interviewed raises the curiosity level.

Thanks,

Jack

Tom Zi mmerer

Help

1.Don't go fishing for somebody else's leftovers.
2. If you aggressively pursue your competitors best mechanic, you only raise the price of poker, and everyone in the business wants a raise!
3. Plan ahead. Make a deal with one or two local tech schools. Interview their senior-year students and enroll one or two of them in a co-op program, where they work for you a few hours a week (as much as the school will allow) and hope they will come to work for you when school is over.
Homegrown talent is always more loyal and productive.
Good luck!

Steve Minnich_3

Holy cow can I identify! You look and you look and when you find somebody worth hiring they hang out their own shingle within a few years. The ones that don't----well I don't even want to get into that. It's really tough out there.

Twenty years on my own and the frustration continues.

I was in the Boston area over the summer with my daughters and I saw one of your trucks on the road Ted. Patriot right? I should've applied. Trying to stay small is almost as hard as trying to grow.

A man's gotta know his limitations. I would make a very fine installer/designer/salesman for someone. I know there are business management people out there that have "systems" in place for recruiting, hiring, training, etc. I never seem to have the time or patience for that.

I could get really used to Cape Cod. Just my luck, I'd relocate and the Cubs would win the World Series.

Steve

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Techman

HOLY MOLY!!

There are MANY,MANY good mechanics out there, I meet them at the classes,schools,seminars,trade shows and so on,they all seem happy where they are,NOW BROTHER I FEEL YOUR PPAAIINN!!I have a steady 25 year customer that told me about 20 years ago to stop introducing him to my new mechanics/apprentics/helpers and HE then made me give them numbers,HA! HA!,well anyway I'm up to #93 he's not bad! Now out of them all there were about 12-18 really good guys , 5-8 ,we still are in touch . Life took them their way.!But the others! HOLY MOLY!

Unknown

Ted,

I am in independent contractor, but I would welcome the opportunity to work with you on a job by job basis.

If you like drop me an email and we can talk.

norm@indoil.com



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Josh_10

Jackchips,

To answer your questions:

How many people applied?
About 45 give or take a few

Were all those that interviewed "qualified" on paper?
There were no qualifications for a first year apprentice. Only a good attitude and a clean cut appearance. We chose 22 guys out of the bunch that returned a resume. I didn't give an interview to anyone who couln't produce a resume.

Out of those resume's I threw out the crappy ones. Meaning resume's that looked like they were typed up in 2 minutes.

What was wrong with the 21 applicants?
Well we had a couple different kind of applicants. First was the career changer. We would love to hire a career changer that has demonstrated loyalty but we can't afford to pay them the money they required to survive for having no experience.

Second was the not so bright, Marlboro coat, 45 year olds that never got it together. Well enough said.

Third were the 18 year olds that looked stoned and said "like" alot. "Ya right"

The guy we hired had a good looking resume, took a shower, showed up in clean jeans and a nice fleece jacket, had a haircut, and a good attitude.

He was 2 days from turning 19, fresh out of high school, and spent the summer helping his dad build a house.

This guy ended up being the best help I have ever had. He's smart and studies hard. He shows up 10 minutes early and is always willing to work late.

Mitch_6

help wanted

had an ad on craigslist too (they are charging now for help wanted ads) also posted to a local Tech School's Help Wanted site.

we mostly get guys with very little to no experience at all - cannot afford to pay someone to learn, need someone to jump right in.

interviewed one guy who provided 2 references, but said not to call because he had 'differences', said the other guy was 'out of business', i googled the company and spoke directly with the owner (not out of business!) said the kid was ok, but wrecked one of his trucks and acted up with a bad employee - almost hired him, until we found out he LIED - not acceptable!

then we found a good kid, out of the coast guard, a bit of experience - hired him, but he never showed up! we gave up, mitch would rather work alone instead of constantly supervising then fixing their errors...but he would still like someone to carry the tool bucket!

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Leo

Try it you may be impressed

Josh said, "First was the career changer. We would love to hire a career changer that has demonstrated loyalty but we can't afford to pay them the money they required to survive for having no experience."

I was a career changer and my advce is hire the guy at a lower rate. Some of these people left a job with a package so they can afford it for a while. Then don't make the mistake that was made with me, at 43 I knew I had to work hard to make myself valuable. I did it and got compliments along the way. I never got a decent raise but when I was offered another job three years later gee a $3.50/hr raise came. Give regular raises as the person progresses until they reach a decent level. If they don't progress part ways.

Leo

Mad Dog_2

Its a mess out there................................

and that is why we downsized a few years back. More personal touch, cut O.H. MUCH less aggravation. Take the jobs WE want to at OUR price. Mad Dog

massrookie

Hey Leo

are you still at that company? I'm from central mass also, did my career change a few years ago at about the same age as you and the same thing happened to me, no raise until i walked next door and got a job offer....bingo, retroactive raise!!
Pat

Leo

Nope

They came up with money after I was offered a job from someone on one of these sites. A year later I was offered three more dollars an hour to leave which put me in the range I should have been in. I left and found out there was a guy newer than me making more money. They played games so leaving was a good thing for me. Had they not played games I might still be there. Now I am at company number three, good attitude, good treatment. I used to periodically check job ads, I no longer do that. Even on a bad day it is a pretty good day.

Leo

Josh_10

Leo I think it is a gamble. The career changer will cost you typically in my experience $2-5 per hour more than the no experience starter.

I trully beleive that life experience carries over from one career to the next. And loyalty can be tracked better.

However after analyzing the data, I cannot find the pay-off vs. hiring a newbie. For example lets say I hire a career changer at $15 per hour (which is what most need for basic survival) vs. a $10 per hour guy at a $.75 hour raise every 3 months. It will cost me $7,500 more in one years time to hire the career changer, and that is if I don't give the career changer a raise.

Strictly speaking money does that sound like a wise investement for "possibly" the same work output? Good "newbie" help is possible to find and when you do find it the investment is exponential.

My advise to a career changer is that there is that there are no lateral career change moves. You have to take a major pay cut. It is an investment. Taking the quick money is how you got into your situation. In the long run you will make more but you have to make initial sacrifices.

Leo

You covered my point

Hire the guy at the cheap rate, but compensate him as he progresses. I took a $6.89 an hour cut plus perks. I understood there was not a lateral move. This gave me the incentive to work harder than I ever had to get good, I had child support responsibilities. The employer just didn't fulfill their end as I got better. Over the years it has been a common thread on these sites that good help is hard to find. All too often everyone wants to steal the competition's help away. Help has to be cultivated.

Leo

Ted_9

Training

I've been training the two I have now for a few years and they are good, but I still need someone with more experience to run a job and not have to call me to make every decision. If my lead guy had more ambition and had some more book/trade knowledge, I wouldnt be looking. I tried to get him to educate but he won't even read Dan's Pumping Away.

Massachusetts

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Ted_9

For hire

I also got some responses from contractors in the business that would sub contract. That can work too, for certain projects.

Massachusetts

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stan_8

hire a plumber

ted have you tried to hire a plumber? They can pull all your gas and water permits in massachusetts since you dont have a license.

Ted_9

Plumber?

Not interested. We don't do plumbing and I need someone who specializes in heating and cooling.

Thanks for the idea though.

Massachusetts

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Pat O'Donnell

Finding good employees

I guess it works both ways! I am new to the hydronic field, but I am learning all I can by visiting the wall, and ordering books. Considering career change,trying to break in part time for now, but no takers! I can plumb a house to pass inspection but have no experience in hvac. Filled a few apps but nothing happening. Never even mentioned pay, I realize I may need to start as a laborer to prove myself. I am running out of ideas. Located in Chgo s/w burbs. Can anyone help? Ideas?