Finding potential employees?

[Bobjob]

I am going to piggy back this post to ask a question a hiring question.

I am attempting to find an employee to do my job of inventory management, assembly, packaging, logistics and other warehouse duties. My initial idea was to hire a young strong laborer who I didn't have to pay much. I want someone young because I hope to keep them for a couple decades. I'm 45 and usually exhausted every day, though I have an idea that my exhaustion is from doing double duty of office and warehouse.

I spoke with a friend who said I should consider hiring a more professional person (someone with a degree) and pay them more than I was planning paying a hire. This way they could transition to a part of my office work (talking to customers) easily and my input to the business would be minimal and revolve around marketing, advertising and such.

Thought and opinions are appreciated.

[Fulcrum]

That's a lot of duties for one person. People who can handle that much variety/multitasking are few and far between. I was that guy at one time.

My initial idea was to hire a young strong laborer who I didn't have to pay much.

Pay whatever the person is worth. Low wages can usually equal low quality. Fair wages with a good work environment will bring in a higher class of worker.

I spoke with a friend who said I should consider hiring a more professional person (someone with a degree)

I've worked with both degreed and non-degreed people and can't say I've noticed too much of a difference other than attitudes.

Hire slow, fire fast. Don't settle for just anyone other than one who can handle the work and is a good fit for the company.

[Bobjob]

It is not as bad as it sounds. My accountant had me add up my average warehouse hours and it is only about 20 hours a week. I could keep them busy early on as we will be moving soon and I would want them to set up the shop to their liking. But the thought of paying someone 12-16 (our minimum wage is 7.25) an hour for 40 hours when they work 20 is kinda depressing. I've been trying to convince myself it is worth it for my physical and mental health. We offer a great work environment but no health insurance. Trying to find a part-time employee is as difficult as trying to find full time.

I thought I might could locate a degreed person (draftsman / graphic artist / computer person) who could also have a side gig while working here, but everyone tells me that is a bad idea and the more I think about it I agree with them.

"Hire slow, fire fast. Don't settle for just anyone other than one who can handle the work and is a good fit for the company." I appreciate that you said this because it is the mentality I've had going though this process.

[Fulcrum]

I could keep them busy early on as we will be moving soon and I would want them to set up the shop to their liking. But the thought of paying someone 12-16 (our minimum wage is 7.25) an hour for 40 hours when they work 20 is kinda depressing.

Have you considered bringing on some complementary products that could bump the hours of the hire to 40/week?

[Bobjob]

Thats true, I do plan on working with the fabrication shop next door to make some complementary parts. Maybe I will not get 40 out of them in the first year. I am probably over thinking the issue - that's my MO.

[Melanie O]

Try LinkedIn, much less expensive than a recruiter and more targeted than craigslist. It works wonders

[retailjack]

LinkedIn is the way to go for stuff like that. Our business is too small and too retail oriented but I have family that does HR for a big firm that has recruited all types of professionals using LinkedIn's recruiting tools. You can target people who want a specific type of work, have a specific experience and will work for the wage you're advertising. sorry if i am late to the party.

[erin@peoplespark]

Hi Turboguy, You are asking some great questions. This economy certainly has been great for employees, yet the low unemployment and significant gap in skilled trades supply are really a bear for employers. I have not yet found an industry that does not have this same issue (though I doubt that helps to console).

I saw a little bit about bonuses and wanted to throw out another suggestion. Have you considered any sort of employee referral bonus? This would be a bonus to the employee who refers a candidate who might be hired. I like that it gets employees involved in the process, and they don't tend to want to refer people who are going to make their own lives more difficult at work. I've seen this play out the best by offering this to the employee who refers the new hire - it could be $250 or $500 within the first month of the new hire's start date, with another $250 or $500 at the 3-month or 6-month mark. That gives you time to help educate your new hires about the rest of the benefits you offer (such as the bonuses you referred to initially). You could also offer the same bonus (with the same timing) as a new hire bonus as well. It not only helps get someone in the door, but also helps incentivize them to stay. Personally, I like the 6-month one better. You can always bump up the payments (maybe make the 2nd one even more), depending on what you think would work well with your employee population. I hope this helps!

Erin

[turboguy]

Hello Erin,

I have never tried that and it is something I will seriously consider.

So while I am posting in this thread and since I was the OP I will give a little update. Last year when I ran an ad I was lucky to get one applicant. It does seem to be getting a little better. When I run an ad now I get one applicant but usually they are pretty qualified and we have hired that applicant. (actually on one ad I got two applicants but the second came in an hour after I hired the first.

A little over a month ago I was a happy camper. We had hired a welder a few weeks back and hired an assembly guy that Monday and for the first time in ages felt we had all our vacancies filled. The happy days didn't last long. Wednesday of that week the new assembly guy quit. He was older but lots of mechanical ability but even though the work here isn't that hard he did not feel his body was up to the work. The following day the new welder quit.

We did hire the welder back at 3 bucks more an hour than we hired him at and ran an ad and filled the assembly position so for the past 3-4 weeks we have had a full staff.

I always sort of felt the advertising media should match the job you are trying to fill. I think if I were looking for a sales person or management person Linkdin would be the best choice but for something like an assembly guy or a welder I do think CraigsList is the best option. Ages ago I wanted to hire a plant manager and used Monster.com and got 120 applicants. I tend to think they have fallen by the wayside. The world changes fast these days.

[PatrickM]

The solution to the employment problem is how to become the employer of choice in your area so that people want to join your company. When you post an ad there are many applicants!

If welding is a critical element is there a big difference in production output between the best welders and the average? If there is you could have more than one category and then pay the best a premium (ideally linked to their output). A kind of average annual bonus is not very motivating for the best performers.

Also you could consider paying the annual bonus more frequently or adding a "best" performer quarterly bonus. Also there may be other incentives that you could offer - one of the best I've ever seen is complete your quota and take the rest of the week off or carry on working and get paid a premium rate.