Don’t Settle For Second Best When You Hire Personnel

I know the job market for experienced folks in the glass industry is an ever-increasing problem. Two people arrive at your office to apply for a position you have created due to your business expanding. Neither ‘Alan’ nor ‘Bob’ is great, but each one might be able to do the job. How do you pick the right one?

The really simple and elegant answer is you find candidate Charlie. Settling for second best will lower the quality of your company’s work and drag everyone around to a new, lower company-wide standard.

It is better not to hire someone who doesn’t meet your minimum standards. Just because he or she is the best candidate you found, it doesn’t mean they will do your job. Go on another search for the right candidate.

But how?

Here are some off-beat ways to find Charlie, that good candidate.

• Create a “positions available” link on your website and Facebook page with a link where an applicant can send a resume.
• Call your customers who were extremely satisfied with your work. Since they know the quality level and courtesy that is your company’s hallmark, ask them if they can recommend someone who might fit with your firm.
• Contact every local church, temple or mosque asking their leaders for references to good workers. This works better than most people expect.
• Contact the parole office for the police in your town. It is a slight risk, but my company hired many folks who were recently paroled and they were extremely appreciative of having a job. For the most part, they were excellent employees!
•  Look outside the traditional glass industry. Hire a carpenter who has good hands or a steel worker who is tired of highrise work. A good tradesman will learn glass very quickly.
• Reach out to the career counseling office at local high schools and two-year colleges in your area. A rookie that you can train in your methods often is better than a pro who brings bad habits to your place.
• Offer a serious bonus to a current employee who brings in a new recruit. $500 works, but only payable after 90 days worked by the recruit.
• Look at your benefits and wages. Are they at market levels? Benefits are more important than wages, especially in healthcare.
• Try starting your benefits after 30 days worked rather than a longer time period. This is important to people with families.
• Be sure to mention your company name in your help-wanted advertising. Many folks will not reply to a blind ad.
• Even though the economy is strong, companies are still closing for various reasons. Contact each closing company and ask if you can meet with their people to offer jobs. Every closing company is looking to help their now displaced employees.

There are more ideas, but the gist of this whole thing is that you  have to think creatively in your job hiring. Good luck.