Over the last couple of years we have had a run of bad unreliable staff, We have a core group that have been with me for years but are struggling to find new younger people to come and work as us older guys are in our 50s and early 60s the lady I have is late 20s. The guys and lady who work for me all say they love there jobs and I am a good fair chap to work for, they to are at a loss as to why we cant find staff that want to work and turn up. I have had a couple of good lads but they were offered positions by clients that provide them with a house and a wage I couldn't compete with. Any ideas how to sort out the rubbish at the interviews as I need to find two more staff for the coming year. I always take references and always ask if the ex employer would re-employ them.
I know I am not always as articulate in explaining things as I could be but I always make allowances for that, but I do expect people to work as hard as I do in all weather with me and to a high standard, to do the job correctly and properly and to always clear and clean up behind them leaving the site clean and tidy.
We have a good reputation and most of our work is referral or repeat business at present we do not advertise.
Any help would be gratefully received.
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the wording of the last bit should read I ask the ex-employer if they would re employ the person.
Hi Andy. I recently posted a discussion on this very topic and I think you even commented on it. However after going through an interview process and now with a new member of staff I'll give you my findings.
Initially I went through Universal Job Match (Job Centre). Over 150 applicants of which only 2 were suitable for phone interview. basically the job centre is for people who want dole not a job. I then advertised on Indeed.com. Over 50 applicants which I narrowed down to 10 phone interviews and then to 6 face to face interviews. 2 candidates of which turned out to be exceptional, 1 of which I recruited.
Lessons I've learnt are
1. I need to pay more to attract better candidates
2. Our industry is not seen as a long term career by most and we have to accept that most applicants want a 'job'. Finding the ones under 25 that want to be a gardener/landscaper and haven't got designs on running their own business is tricky. We in the industry have to change this by offering better packages but also accept it for what it is.
3. You really have to probe them at interview as most have skeletons or tell-tale signs of short termism that their CV's don't show.
4. There are many candidates (in my case 3) who've had their own gardening round/business. These are arguably more appropriate than those that haven't had one, as they've discovered that self employment is maybe not for them but want to stay in the industry.
5. Its a lottery. You can stack the odds in your favour by applying a well thought out, detailed recruitment process and reward employees as much as you can but it will still remain a lottery to some degree.
Hope this helps to some degree. Neil
Hi Neil
Thank you for the feed back, I did comment on the forum before and I agree that we need to put a good package together but it seems to me that for domestic customers the margins are just not there to do this. We are changing tack to more commercial clients where the vat is not an issue this is make a bit of difference.
I will let you know how I get on, looking to advertise in the next week or so.
While I agree that 'putting a good package together' is important, compulsory regulations mean that the very basic 'package' (20days paid holiday and 'living wage') can stretch a small company carrying out garden maintenance or basic landscaping.
Allied with new pension rules, I can see it challenging a lot of small businesses viability
I reckon VAT is worth only 10% additional cost to a customer. For a good gardener they'll pay it don't you think. £30 verses £33?
Hi Andy,
we're going through a recruiment process at the moment and as always it's a trial.
My advice would be to keep going and only take on someone who has bought into what your doing as much as you've bought into them as a candidate. Dig on their motivation, work practices, history, reasons for being available etc and only then offer. A niggle in the mind at this stage will normally point to a problem later on.
Big risk when you think you've found the right one is that their existing employer wants to hang on to them and counter offers - has happened to me twice recently.
Another test I like is to get them to do something in my garden - we're lawns, so I concentrate there. Amazing what some people who claim mowing proficiency will do with a mower and strimmer! Really sorts out the BS'ers. It's about how they do the little things, eg checking cut height, oil, petrol, unloading etc. You often know they are wrong before the've even got to the lawn.
Also don't focus on age; I've just offered on an older chap who would run rings around any 20 something across the board, knowledge, energy, enthusiam, technique. If he comes on board, I'm confident of having an asset for the next 7-10 years.