1. Constant Awareness

We do a really good job of identifying employees when we are visiting another business that provided poor customer service.  We complain about poor customer service at a business establishment to everyone with us.  How often, though, do we really make a note of people that we come in contact with that provide superior customer service?  We are not in a business where we can not teach someone the technical side of the business.  As the saying goes, this isn't "rocket science."  We don't need a nuclear physicist to work as a technician in the cleaning industry.

Think of some of the places that you visit that could be difficult to work at?  Do you encounter people who are providing outstanding customer service, or who pay particular attention to an important detail, simply because you are their customer?  Why not be more aggressive in asking them if they might be looking for a new career opportunity?  Some people hesitate at talking to someone else's employee about a potential job.  Surely, we have to be sensitive about what is the right or wrong situation to do this.  Yet, that is one of the key ways you will ever be able to find "good" people, because you witness them being "good" in a workplace environment.

It seems a little odd that if we do seek out potential employees, we always have a tendency to look within our own industry.  We try to "steal" another company's technician.  Look at this logically though.  Why do we do this?  We probably feel that hiring an "experienced" employee cuts down on training time and expense.  What we are usually getting, though, is someone who finds a reason to be at least somewhat disgruntled at another cleaning and restoration company.  At least disgruntled enough to consider working for you.  What do you really have to offer that the other cleaning and restoration company did not?  Certainly there are times when a superior cleaning company offers a great opportunity to an "experienced" technician.  It has been our observation though that more often than not, if the technician found a reason to be disgruntled at his/her other cleaning or restoration job, he/she will eventually be disgruntled at your company too.  Forget the "already" trained reasoning as well.  Technical training, the "how-to" of cleaning and restoration, is abundant and fairly inexpensive.  Computer CD-ROM's, on-line training, manuals, audio tapes, and videos all complement traditional classroom training.  We can train people quickly in the technical side.  It's the idea of being self-motivated and being good with the customer that we really need.  It's something that is practically impossible to train.  That's why constant awareness is so important.  We need to hire people that are "experienced" at being self motivated and providing superior customer service.

So, how do you practice constant awareness?  And what do you do when you spot somebody?  Pay attention to your surroundings.  Slow down long enough to notice the counter help at the fast food place, or the oil changer at the "quick-change" oil place.  Then, understand that those companies who practice constant awareness successfully, consistently tell us one thing that you need to learn.  IT'S NOT THE MONEY!  Sure, money is important.  But in this job market, there are an abundant number of higher paying opportunities out there.  You already have to pay more money anyway.  Create and foster a workplace that someone else would want to come to.  Ask the employees you have have who have remained steadfast and dedicated what really attracts them to stay with you.  That is what you market in constant awareness.  Then be aggressive and start handing out business cards right and left with a simple statement of, "If you are ever looking for another opportunity, give me a call."  It's not that hard, and will often lead to immediate conversations.  Finally, offer career opportunities, not jobs.  How do you do that if your potential employee really wants to be an airline mechanic or pilot, or some other job that requires specialized training?  Your career opportunity can often be presented as a pathway to get them where they really want to go.  Let them know you will work with them and encourage them to get to their "goal" job.  Then do it.  Another consistent message we get from successful companies is the story that the people they hired got so excited about our industry, they decided to make this industry their career.  Take the right approach and it will often go there.

2. Birds of A Feather, Flock Together

Do you have a good or great employee?   They can become great resources for finding good people.  People generally spend time with people who are like themselves.  Oh sure, we all have a few eccentric friends.  We may even spend time with some people who are remarkable different than us once in awhile.  But our comfort zone, the place and people we spend the most time with, is usually a place that is like us.  Why not mention to your present employees how valuable of a resource they can be in new employee recruitment?

This usually works better when it is limited to friends and acquaintances, rather than relatives.  People will usually not recommend a friend whom they know has a poor employment record, or a friend who is a bit flaky, if they know they would have to end up covering for them on the job site.  However, they feel a responsibility often to help "family," even when they know the family member may be less than a perfect candidate.

Have your own good employees help you recruit new employees.  They may have friends who are in dead end jobs, or are looking for new career opportunities.  Give your employees a recruitment bonus.  If they help find and identify a new employee, reward them.  Whether it be a straight bonus or something as simple as buying their family dinner, it is certainly less expensive than running a classified ad, doing interviews, and other related activities.

3. Contact Local Community Colleges and Junior Colleges

One of the best sources of talented, yet admittedly relatively short-term employees, may be your local community college or junior college.  Most people who attend these types of schools have to work their way through school.  They may even bring a special skill to the job site that they are learning in school.  Most of these institutions have placement offices or offices for financial assistance for students.  Why not set up a meeting to introduce yourself to these counselors?  Leave business cards and general job descriptions to give out to interested students.  This can be an especially useful tool for restoration companies who need part time workers that have to be available at a moment's notice.

4. Plan for Tomorrow...and We Mean Tomorrow

If you are thinking of expanding your work force, you need to begin to look for the proper employee at least 6 months before the time you plan to expand.  Too often, we will get calls from customers who want to add a truck mount because the spring cleaning season has taken off, yet they have not even found a reliable person capable of running their own truck. Start planting seeds at least six months prior to the time you anticipate the expansion.  Utilize some of the other suggestions within this article to let people know that you will be in the market for a person capable of running their own truck.  Be sure to communicate the type of individual you are seeking.  There is a significant difference between being a good technician and being capable of the self management that running your own truck requires.  It may be necessary sometimes to move up your plan to expand if you should find the right person.  When you find the right person, hire him or her, and speed up your plan for expansion.

5. Let Your Friends and Business Associates Know You Need Their Help and Seek Their Help

Look to your circle of business associates and friends.  Let them know of openings or future openings in your company.  There is nothing more powerful for employee recruitment than having several other business people in your community familiar with what your needs and related opportunities are.  They may interview someone for their company they can't use at the present time who impresses them.  They can refer that person to you.  If their companies experience cutbacks or layoffs, they may be able to steer the best people in your direction.

Your friends may know of people moving into town or that are unhappy in their present positions.  Let them know the type of person you need and what the expectations of the job are.

6.  Build Relationships With Government Agencies Who Handle Unemployment

Your success at this idea will depend a lot upon the size of the local agencies that you would be working with.  In a large metropolitan area, it may be difficult to establish any kind of a relationship with the people at these agencies.  In less densely populated areas, you can get to know people at your local agencies just by dropping by and saying hello.  Unemployment counselors are some of the wisest people you'll meet about a potential employee.  It is there job to find a job for everyone who comes to them.  But they have seen all the tricks and deceptions.  They have strong fundamental feelings about what kind of a person talks to them that appears to be a strong candidate.

The more they know about your jobs, the better they can screen candidates for you.  Communication skills, physical strength or endurance, and attendance consistency are usually three key ingredients you would be looking for in a good technician candidate.  Communicate these facts to the people you are dealing with.  We even had a customer who did a free carpet cleaning demonstration at an agency, and let the people take a few strokes with the cleaning wand so they would have an idea of what this was all about.  The more you communicate with them, the better candidates they might be able to send your way.

NEXT WEEK, PART TWO