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Thread: Staff.

  1. #1
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    Staff.

    If i may ask, where do you guys hire staff from.

    I know that sounds silly but I really really battling to get people to assist.

    I have hired and fired over 25 - 30 people in the last 3 years and interviewed many more.

    The kind of work I'm asking people to do is really quite simple (not just saying that it really is a lot of plug sockets and lights in shops)

    I get people who are N6 trade tested and all that and in my mind if someone is calling themselves an electrician I should be able to go - Here's the drawings, here is the material, this is how it needs to be done, you need to watch out for this watch out for that, here's my number if there is a problem, I'm going to go take care of business - see you tommorow.

    I don't offer crappy wages, I pay electrician rate for electricians and I pay electrician assistant rates for electrical assistants.

    Some people don't even last the day.

    I have tried the Gumtree thing and been VERY clear what we are after (must have experience in xyz, must live with in this area ect.) and I am still filtering through over 600 CV's and "I'm interested - Phone me 071 can't be arsed to send you details 123 4321"

    Basically I'm tired of paying someone a fair days wage and then I find myself on working half the night and Saturday and Sunday fixing stuff that been done wrong or they haven't finished.

    I think I'm just grumpy because I have only had 3 days of this year and I'm just burnt out.

  2. #2
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    My experience is:

    You need to be specific about what you require, and stick to it.
    You need to get good at interpreting CVs.
    You need to be quick to go "prospect", "suspect" and "flush".
    (And if you have enough prospects for a shortlist, flush the suspects too).
    Don't be shy to call previous employers and references given.
    Don't assume anyone is ready made to go. Know that you are going to have to invest time (and probably money) to induct whomever you employ into your way of doing things.

  3. #3
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    A good Recruitment Agency can help you. We as an agency don't just mix and match. We would get a proper spec from you and our consultants are trained to get all the necessary info from you to find the suitable candidate. We have data bases that we can search from. We then narrow them down to 5, we interview all of them, do the necessary checks which may includes criminal checks and credit checks. Once we are happy with the 5 we then refer them to you to interview whereby you will interview and make your choice. We do NOT refer unless we have interviewed them. Some recruitment agency's short cut and just refer - our reputation depends on it therefore we do not. Yes there is a fee involved but this eliminates you doing the work and we have a much bigger data base to pull from. We also supply a 3 month guarantee if the person does not work out.


    And what Dave says above. If there are gaps on a cv find out why and don't just believe them.

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    Hi

    Can you not give possible candidates a quick skills / aptitude test to see how they work?

    Would also suggest using a good recruitment agency - especially if you are getting 600 CV's.

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    Ok so I took all the advice onboard.

    Filtered through the C.V.'s as Dave said

    Noticed that some were exactly the same (there must be a cut and paste C.V. for electrician jobs in S.A.)

    Got down to crunch time (needed electrican ASAP) so rather than looking for electrical assistant I went for time served N6 trade tested guys.

    Conclusion - Pathetic. No nice way of putting it. I have no idea what they are doing at college or who is dishing out these N6 certificates but after apparently 7-10 years experience some guys can't even handle cable. I promise you, the work we do is very simple, on this project just sockets and lights on trade stands.

    I wish I still had the pictures of the S*&t they produced and called electrical work. Unfortunately I lost my cool and threw my phone and it was destroyed.

    I had one guy who had the job to install LED extrusion (4 screws per length) onto wood(not rocket science). It worked out that, at the pace he was going at he was installing one screw every 7 minutes.

    I took him to one side and whilst I explained why this was an unacceptable pace (a 5 minute conversation) I manged to produce more work than what he had done in 4 hours. Not to mention he some how butcher a good quantity of extrusion and LED strip. 7 years and N6! Can't even use a battery driver and hack saw. My mum could do better.

    I'm sorry but I think if you are N6 with 7 years experience (and getting paid for such experience) I should be able to give you the drawings the materials and see you at the end of the day job done. I don't have tiem to think of 10 differnt way to explain how to screw something to a piece of wood.

    One guy, who recently applied for his license, was confused as to why I was not impressed with him grinding the front cover of a DB to fit a samite rail breaker in a din rail board even though I had given him a DIN rail breaker (which he broke) and had linked accross from the main switch with with some rip cord.

    I'm going to work now (a public holiday) and tomorrow and Sunday to try and fix this mess.

    On the plus side I am putting my prices up. I may sound arrogant but having filtered through the available "electricans" out there - you are not going to find someone who can do what we do for the price we currently do it at without kak.

  6. #6
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry but laughter won. I do feel for you because I've been there, done it, got the tee shirt and also needed a new phone.

    DB butchery used to be a national pastime in years gone by mainly due to a certain circuit breaker manufacturers history of legal action to prevent samite to DIN adapters. You often see old samite boards with bits of din rail pop riveted into them and covers adapted accordingly.

    I think you're on the right lines with your price increase but go one step further and if you've got good employees give them a pay rise as well now you know how you kak to find find decent guys.

    Enjoy your holiday.... **sigh**....what I'd do for a few days off with a broken phone.

    **edit**

    Out of interest, where are you based nowadays?
    _______________________________________________

    _______________________________________________

  7. #7
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    Still in Germiston...... Always looking at those tempting pay offers from U.K. side.

  8. #8
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Seems you missed one and I missed one.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    Don't assume anyone is ready made to go. Know that you are going to have to invest time (and probably money) to induct whomever you employ into your way of doing things.
    Done?

    And my missing one -
    If at first you don't succeed, flush and repeat until you do.

    I'm with you though - It is very frustrating...

  9. #9
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    Its that time of year and we are incredibly busy and I start looking for more hands. I think the situation is getting worse or maybe everyone is busy and the 'cream of the crop' are already employed.

    I find it completely pathetic how much effort some (well 99%) applicants put into there job application.

    I make the adverts very clear. I don't think asking for 'experience in the commercial side of electrical work' is unreasonable

    Even if you don't have the skills at least make some sort of effort

    "I want job - 071 xxxxxxx' is not going to get you a call back.

    I don't think there is a shortage of work in S.A., not for electricians. There is definitely a shortage of skills but there is also a massive shortage of effort.

    Maybe those that apply get fed up applying with no results and those wanting employees get fed up of sifting through the useless ones.

    I think its less exhausting to just to do all the jobs yourself.....

  10. #10
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    I think a lot of what you're seeing with the poor applications is down to the unemployed person probably getting completely demotivated by applying for probably dozens or scores of jobs, most of which are underpayed and 99% of the time receiving no feedback from the prospective employer. I'd suggest you do what most other companies seem to do which is just blatantly try to poach the good employees from other local companies. On a slightly more serious note, rather than trying to scoop up as much seasonal work as possible by employing more staff maybe use the fact you're turning work away as an opportunity to be able to show the door any customers that aren't profitable, you may fine the results on your income are just as good and they carry better into the off-season as well.
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