Who are you looking for and where to look

Who Are You Looking For?

This can be broken down into three parts.  The first part is, “Can this person do the work?”  Each position in your company will need to have an accurate job description, spelling out the experience, skills and responsibilities so that you may consider that question.

The second part, which compliments the first, is, “Will they do the work?”  Just because a person has the skills does not mean he/she likes or even will do the required tasks.

The last part is compatibility that can be defined as, “Will this person fit into the group?" To answer that, you will need to know yourself, what type of personality suits your style and personality.  As your company grows, this will become a more difficult and complex question to answer.  Yet, as you gain more experience in the handyman field and in hiring, you will start to develop a mental picture of who you are looking for.

Where To Look

One of the most common concerns is, “Where do I find the type of people I want?”  The key is to find the best source of getting the phone to ring with good, potential applicants.  After each time you recruit for your company, review the results of your advertisements.  Using a simple spreadsheet, keep track of the type of advertising used, how much you spent, how many phone calls and applications you received, the quality of those applicants and how many did you hire or could have hired.  With this information, you can break down the cost per applicant and per hire.  In a short while, you will be able to determine what works for you.

Here is a list of possible sources for team members along with a brief statement about each:

1. Referrals From Within Your Company- Probably the best source of team members.  If you have hired quality members, they will want to work with good people.  Therefore, the better the team member, the better chance the recommendation will be a quality one. This method often produces results when you reward (bonuses) for referring people that you hire.  Unfortunately, in the beginning, this option is somewhat limited.
2. Hiring From Within Your Company- If you own a sister company, this may be an early source of known personnel.  If a sister company is not an option, this too will be a limited option in the beginning.  Promotions from within the company can be very good for morale throughout.
3. Referrals From Associates- Like referrals from team members, referrals from your associates, especially valued ones like your main lumber yard, paint supplier, other supply houses, and subcontractors, can be a terrific source of employees at a minimum of cost.
4. Applicant Tracking- Sometimes, you may get more qualified applicants than you have positions.  Keep these files handy if a position becomes available. This method is low in cost.
5. Newspaper Advertisements- Arguably the most popular and where you may receive most of your applicants, advertising positions in newspapers, journals and alike can be very hit or miss.  They can also be the most expensive.  Tips on placing ads:
   • When placing an ad be sure to put in the ad a phone number, which is answered and does not go to voice mail
   • If you are only available certain hours or only want to field calls, let's say between the hours of 8am – 11am, be sure to state that in the ad
   • We require the use of the Case Handyman logo in the ad.  This will help set your ad apart from the others
6. Job and Truck Signs- Magnetic hiring and job signs give your company more visibility to others in the trades.  Quality people are attracted to quality companies. Truck signs are rolling advertisements, easy to put up when you are looking; easy to take down when you are not.
7. Internet- More and more people are using the Internet looking for jobs.  Odds are that they are also somewhat computer literate.
8. Open Houses and Job Fairs- Open houses and job fairs are time and money consuming affairs.  Their advantage is that they may draw significant numbers of potential team members.  Advertise these events as “career” open houses or “career” fairs.
9. Posters and Flyers- Posters and flyers are an inexpensive method for looking for team members. They can be placed at local supply houses where a steady stream of candidates visits each day.
10. Employment Agencies and Recruitment Companies- Employment agencies are not a very reliable source of quality employees, but every once in awhile, you may find a gem.  Recruitment companies are often better (read: more interested) in helping with higher paying positions such as management and “other professionals”.   The main disadvantage here is the cost, often being 30% or more of the annual wages of the position.  The military’s T.A.P. (Transition Assistance Program) is a program that assists ex-military personnel find work in their field when they are discharged.

Referrals from team members can be encouraged using recruitment bonuses.   These bonuses should be payable in increments, such as half after the referral has been employed for 90 days and the balance after one year.

All your advertisements should instruct any interested persons to call the office.  This will minimize disruptions and allow you to control your time and the hiring process.  If you do allow walk-ins, be sure you are setup with application packages.