The joy of the employee search

[townlineterry]

Until last year my son worked for me, kind of an iffy situation at times. But, he finally decided to go do something else, so now I had to hire an operator. First guy I had was agood operator, better than good, excellent. Seems he was also a pathalogical liar and a kleptomanic.

He talked like he was a class A welder, so I gave him a couple jobs to do. One piece he did the weld broke first time we used it. On the lighter side, he welded in shorts, can you say third degree flash burns on the shins? When tools, fuel and the pettycash started dissappearring he had to also.

So this spring ran and add, understand this is for and expireinced backhoe, dozer operator with a class A cdl. Here is a sampling of the repsonse.

The guy who pulled into my drive way, sat in the car the whole time, didn't get out to talk to me face to face like a man. He couldn't even get dressed, no shirt or shoes. He was holding and open can of beer, had four cans of a six pack on the passenger seat, and doesn't even offer me one. Now while there was a principle invovled we are talking warm Blatz, so I WAS kind of okay with that. I ask how his driving record was, he said he didn't have a license.

The phone call from a chick trying to find a job for her boyfriend.

Phone call from a guy that lives three hours away and didn't know where my home town is.

Phone call from a guy that lives two hours away and was drunk.

Phone call from a guy who gave a sob story about not working for two years and ended up telling me my equipement wasn't up to his standards

Couple of highschool kids

I did schedule three people for an interview, two of them never showed up. The one guy that did show I hired, he has no operating expirience but he told me he can weld.


I can't wait to see what turns when the economy gets better.


Terry

[Lavoy]

Isn't it amazing, high unemployment, but no one wants to work.
Lavoy

[digitup2]

Terry you hit a sore spot man my son Scott left for a better job and as we all know the old man is a child slave labour specialest Well Scott is back and working for the slave driver with out any chewin back at the old guy.So give him time the slave driver of an old man isn't so dam bad in his eyes after a while .He worked for the competion and saw first hand how people in charge dont know what they are doing but they are in charge.He walked in the office the other morning and said.Well I know the competitions down falls now Dad .He even asked me to kick his ass more often so I think it was for the best .I have had several guys like you mentioned with the beer in the pasengers seat .Three weeks ago a young woman started working for me and the guys laughed about it till they saw her run a dozer .She is a GPS machine control specialest they aren't laughing now She dosn't stop for a cigerett break or just to talk to the boys.Don't stop production for somthing stupid or she will be the first to get things rolling again in a hurry .She dosen'ttake crap off the boys either she marched into my office and aqnounced she was trying to move things along !!Just keep looking for good help it's hard somtimes I know but your right hand man should come back and see the old guy with a different attitude Good luck you may need it .Digitup.

[townlineterry]

You're lucky Digitup, don't think my boy will be back,he is doing very well, drilling water wells. And I wish him well.

I know a lady who is head or human resources for a local company. One of the best places around to work, good pay benies etc, she says even they can't find qualified people. I used to think companies that hire illegals were taking advantage of them , useing slave labor and takeing away jobs from the rest of us. Now I think it's because they need people that will actually work and be grateful for the chance to.

My son-in-law is on the Border Patrol, maybe I could have him find me somebody.

Oh well, 5 oclock, got to get ready to fire up the big green machine. Just remember, if you are looking to hire someone first thing to check is for burn scars on the shins

Terry

[digitup2]

Gees yes you do have that cheap labour down there .It's too cold up here and the mexicans dont bother sneeking in our country just every one else's riftraft want in.I think Scott noticed the bennifits around me are better he likes the four mud trucks and the three stock cars in the back shop on the weekends and the fuel bonus he has worked out or should I say helps him self to.I included his name in the latest bussuiness and added[ and son ]on all the dump trucks and small float trucks Last year I know it's even harder when you are smaller operator as well as a right hand man is important I hired two retired farmers this year and these guys know how to check oil and maintain dozers and excavaters they showup on job sites and go right for the dipstick sas the operator shuts the machine down and the oil had better be close .We are keeping equipmentmore in the up time and that is what I wanted as we have some dozers and three excavators that are getting some high hours this is a good way to keep up time as well as track oil change intervals as well good luck Terry I am thinkin about you .Digitup.

[Ray III]

Isn't it amazing, high unemployment, but no one wants to work.
Lavoy

Why work when the government pays you to sit on your ass and keeps extending and extending this privilege?

[oldtanker]

Isn't it amazing, high unemployment, but no one wants to work.
Lavoy

Why work when the government pays you to sit on your ass and keeps extending and extending this privilege?

LOL Lavoy knows better than most because of where he lives. On his side of the border in ND welfare isn't so good.......but cross the Red in to MN. My son who lives and works in Fargo says that most of the lazy folks wind up moving to the MN side of the river. He sent an ad from craigs list. Guy begging someone to sell him a small SUV on payments....."our car is dying.....GF and me are having a baby....currently living in Fargo but moving soon to Moorhead so can still make payments no problem" Son says read between the lines.....Wants new car and can't get credit.....knocked up GF......out of work and need welfare so going to MN cause it pays better......if you ever see a payment.....and last time I looked there were a few job openings in Fargo.....maybe flipping burgers but jobs.

Rick

[Lavoy]

You can't drive 5 blocks on 13th Ave South in Fargo and not see half a dozen help wanted signs. No such thing as minimum wage here, nobody would even come talk to you. We have about 3.6% unemployment for the whole state, yet something like 9-12,000 unfilled jobs, now tell me again that people want to work?!?!? UPS driver the other day was complaining that she was working her normal shift, plus a full other shift cause they can't get enough drivers. I asked what they started a new driver at, $28.50/hour, daily overtime, good benefits, great retirement, anybody want to buy a crawler business?
Had relatives in for the 4th, sister in law's husband was telling me his brother came home to ND to see their Dad. His brother sets up trailer houses and such in ID. He stopped at a trailer place in Williston just for the fun of it and was talking to the owner. He happened to mention what he did back in ID, guy looked at him and said "when can you start?" Right now in that part of the state, the only qualification necessary to find a job is you have to be breathing. Qualified skilled people can make a killing.
Lavoy

[Willyr]

Too bad your so far away. I would love to drive for you. Only 22,500 logged miles tho. Verticle welding is iffy (dont do it enough). I dont drink or smoke, with a clean license. Only one ticket recently 10 mph over for passing some one, wife was sitting beside me, she said I must go faster for her sanity, wouldnt you know it, that white car sitting in a drive way was the sherriff coming on duty. Sigh I wish you luck finding some one.

Care to relocate to Maine?

[townlineterry]

Turns out business has been so godawful I really didn't need to hire anybody this year. Lot of drilling in the area, but I don't have big enough equipment to do oil field work. I do mostly residentail digging and logging and sawmilling. T he logging and lumber business is in the cellar.

Most of the property in the this area are hunting camps and summer cottages, people from Pittsburgh, Erie and Cleveland and they aren't coming. Lot of places for sale, a lot of them the grass hasn't been cut all year nobody been there, so that part of the business is way way down.

If next year shapes up this bad I'm taking it off.. the wife and I want to build a new house I'll work on that.


Recovery my ass, at least in this part of the country.

Terry

[Willyr]

I hear ya. I have a woods F-23 ZTR. In 2004 I had 14 lawns, for the last 3 I have only had 2 (my oldest customers).

Most contractors in this area have declared that this is a make it or break it year.

[Tigerhaze]

Recovery my ass, at least in this part of the country.

Terry

Recovery really isn't happening here in the Midwest either. Most of the small business owners and craftsmen I know are just hanging on and hoping that an upswing will start soon. I don't see that happening robustly with so much regulatory uncertainty right now. Maybe the business climate will change after the elections this November.

[townlineterry]

If this comment is breaking the rules I apologize in advance.

The thing that realy enrages me is that the greedheads who caused this mess got bailed out, they didn't suffer a thing.

I like to think I'm like most working people, I'm not out to get rich, jsut want to make a decent living and do it honestly, not at someone elses expense.

What have we gotten, nothing, we've paid the price for someone else's selfishness and do we get a goverment handout?

How many times do you hear "small business is the backbone of America"? If you are a small buisiness it really means is "bend over and assume thhe position."


Terry

[digitup2]

I cant help think most parents have not helped create this mess as well I have had six or seven young first jobbers start recently and had to send them home you don't work for me with your pants crotch down by your knees and the last one thought he had a management job from the get go that didn't go over well with the management [ME]I find most parents don't want their kid working too hard .Responsibility is also not taught to most young kids as they can stand and watch you work all day .Digitup.

[Willyr]

How many times do you hear "small business is the backbone of America"? If you are a small buisiness it really means is "bend over and assume thhe position."
Terry

Tis true Terry. Alas where I live the state has made it anti small business with some legislation meant to crack down on the irresponsible. The Satate of Maine now requires all contractors that wish to get paid by either the State of Maine or any of its towns, as well as any company that the contractor may work for, must now carry Unemployment and workers compensation insurance. This was originaly aimed at the contractor that hires a high school kid to help shingle a roof, where the contractor falls off the roof and tells the kid he is unemployed till the contractor heals up.

Alas for my small buiness, it means 5 grand a year in overhead. I only average 4 grand and that is more than I can swallow with out enough customer base. So I sold the farm tractor and most of the equipment and will be part time retired. Unless some thing can come along to make things wonderful again, Willy's Mowing Service (founded in 1985) is just a hobby.