A Few, Quick Thoughts on ‘Help Wanted’

Every once in a while I check out the help wanted listings, either online or in different newspapers that post online. It amazes me how poor many of the ads are. I’ll define that in a moment. If your ad stinks, good candidates won’t reply. Help wanted is a two-way street. You have to like the candidate, and the candidate has to feel you will respect him or her and that they can grow with your company.

Don’t use words like ‘boy,’ ‘girl’ or ‘young’ in your ad. This shows you don’t know the law or our current culture. Three-line ads don’t work either. Give enough information about your company and the job you are looking to fill to entice someone to call you or send in a resume. A three-line add says you are cheap. It is not a good way to lure employees.

Currently there are as many, if not more, ads on the internet as in the paper. If you are not advertising on the net, you are missing a huge segment of capable and computer-savvy people. Ask any teenager about current sites in your area where people browse.

Don’t use ‘apply in person’ either. Most people are working, especially in our industry, and may not be able to change their schedule to fit yours. In the current labor market in the glass industry, you have to make it as easy as possible for the candidate to contact you!

Don’t list the wages for the ad. If you list $18 per hour, the person who is currently at $17.50 may say that is not enough of a bump for him to seek you out. Also, the lady that is at $19 per hour won’t call you, either. The best line is: salary commensurate with your abilities and experiences. And, don’t be penny-pinching right now. Glass people, whether working in your shop, or on a field crew, or estimating are scarce.

Talk about your benefits programs in your ad. Today, that is generally more important than salary. If you have scaled back your benefits because of the expense, I feel, you are shooting yourself in the foot. People will leave you to get a job that has medical insurance for their family, even if their new wages are lower. 

Hiring is not just about the basic wage. This is the most important statement on my blog.