Can't seem to hire an employee

[kkottemann]

Any advice on getting help. I have been in business for a little over 2 years for myself. One year of that was a part time venture for me. Since going full time I have continuously struggled to find some permanent help. I have had a few people come and go, but nobody stays. I have been getting my work done with two of my buddies who are state foresters and only work 3-4 day a week. They are always there for me Friday, Saturday and Sunday but that is not making it any more for my business. My business is growing and I think I have a good chance of making it, but now I cannot get jobs done fast enough for costumers who are looking to other tree services to get it done.
I have tried ads in the classified section, I have ads in the student papers at two local universities. I have put the work out within my family ect....I know labor is always a problem, but maybe some of you could give me some advice on this issue.

kkottemann

 

[frashdog]

What are you offering an employee? Pay? Decent equipment? What are you expecting from them?

How come I feel like treeinnovator's gonna post something with all kinds a smarts here. opcorn:

 

[vharrison2]

I feel your pain. Qualified tree workers are very hard to find, climbers nearly impossible. We are always looking.

 

[kkottemann]

All I need right now is groundsmen. $10 to $13.50 DOE is the pay offered. My only true requirement as of now is that they have a valid drivers licsense. Curently I am not offering any health insurance. Equipment includes: grapple truck, stump grinder, skidsteer, chipper, pickup tuck, saws and climbing gear.

 

[Treeinnovator]

here's some words of wisdom:

(1) always hire people who are making less than what you are offering...ex: i hire from fast food and grocery stores.
(2) create a social atmosphere. people will put up with less pay if they enjoy hanging out with the others. i tend to hire one guy and tell him to get his friends to come aboard. they seem to like this.
(3) don't ever let them know what your customer is paying you. if my guys knew i made over $400,000 a year, they'd get all pissy and demand more or start their own company.
(4) pay your groundies $8/hr and climbers $10/hr. NEVER more. if they need more incentives... give them free water and every monday, pay for their lunch.

 

[clearance]

here's some words of wisdom:

(1) always hire people who are making less than what you are offering...ex: i hire from fast food and grocery stores.
(2) create a social atmosphere. people will put up with less pay if they enjoy hanging out with the others. i tend to hire one guy and tell him to get his friends to come aboard. they seem to like this.
(3) don't ever let them know what your customer is paying you. if my guys knew i made over $400,000 a year, they'd get all pissy and demand more or start their own company.
(4) pay your groundies $8/hr and climbers $10/hr. NEVER more. if they need more incentives... give them free water and every monday, pay for their lunch.

This guy is a tard, listen up, go to a construction site and watch for a while. If you see a guy who is working hard, constantly producing, say packing lumber, using a jackhammer, etc., walk up to him after work and say, "how much are you getting? How about X an hour?" You get what you pay for, a guy working construction already knows how to work, advancement in a tree company comes a lot faster than in construction, treat him good and he will stay.

 

[Fireaxman]

This guy is a tard, listen up, go to a construction site and watch for a while. If you see a guy who is working hard, constantly producing, say packing lumber, using a jackhammer, etc., walk up to him after work and say, "how much are you getting? How about X an hour?" You get what you pay for, a guy working construction already knows how to work, advancement in a tree company comes a lot faster than in construction, treat him good and he will stay.

Good advice, Clearance. Also, the construction guy already knows how to take the heat down here. Vitally important when temps are 95+ and matched by humidity. The grocery store guy has been working in air conditioning all his life.

Where are you working, KK? Just Poplarville and New Orleans or do you work on the North Shore? I have some property up there pretty close to you.

 

[kkottemann]

Fireaxman,
I spent alot of time both on the southshore and northshore. I have been around the folsom area the last week. I was born in NO But live on some property near poplarville. 100 acres off of Hy 43. Crane work at the end of the week in poplarville then on to a large pine in mandeville. Cabling and bracing in folsom next week. All of this work is pending I find HELP!!!

Thanks for the advice on the construction job. I thought about that same tactic on larger tree services in the area but find it to be a morally wrong to do that to someone in the business. Now if I run into some guys at a safety training seminar or saw shop I would feel a little more comfortable talking than on some one else's job.

 

[Shaun Bowler]

I have worked all over the western US.
In EVERY aspect of tree work.

If you want to get good people PAY THEM!
Pay is sick days, vacation, and medical benefits.
Otherwise, tell us why you got into business for yourself.
I think it is a crime that you are trolling for "Bottom Feeders".
Also, that you come to this site for sympathy. This work is hard, challenging, and GREAT!
I think what your question title should be is "How can I take advantage of people interested in tree work". LIKE I WAS!

 

[clearance]

Fireaxman,
I spent alot of time both on the southshore and northshore. I have been around the folsom area the last week. I was born in NO But live on some property near poplarville. 100 acres off of Hy 43. Crane work at the end of the week in poplarville then on to a large pine in mandeville. Cabling and bracing in folsom next week. All of this work is pending I find HELP!!!

Thanks for the advice on the construction job. I thought about that same tactic on larger tree services in the area but find it to be a morally wrong to do that to someone in the business. Now if I run into some guys at a safety training seminar or saw shop I would feel a little more comfortable talking than on some one else's job.

If they are at a safety seminar or saw shop, they are most likely working for someone else anyways. If you walk up to a hardworking man and ask him to work for you for more money, he can ask his boss for a raise, either way it will be more money for him. Unsure why Shawn has taken a dislike to you, don't really know the going rate there, with exchange it sounds about the same as here for groundsmen. Out in the bush we make more, our groundsman gets $175 for a 61/2 hour day, I get $275 to climb. Do what you gotta do, sounds like you are in a jam, watching someone work when they don't know they are being watched is very valuable, worth more than a resume, talk, bs, etc. Might have to pony up more jake, whatever, good luck.

 

[Husky372]

Problem with hiring someone from another job for maybe a buck or 2 more is, he will leave you when better offer comes along. Best advice I can give is when you do find someone pay well and treat right.

 

[Fireaxman]

Fireaxman,
I spent alot of time both on the southshore and northshore. I have been around the folsom area the last week. I was born in NO But live on some property near poplarville. 100 acres off of Hy 43..

Dang. Me and my brother got a hundred acres off 43, 16 miles North of Crossroads. You haven't moved in with Bill have you? I'm staying on the place in Madisonville, have not been up there in a few weeks.

Thanks for the advice on the construction job. I thought about that same tactic on larger tree services in the area but find it to be a morally wrong to do that to someone in the business. Now if I run into some guys at a safety training seminar or saw shop I would feel a little more comfortable talking than on some one else's job.

Couple more thoughts. Drive around some of those hayfields and look for a farm boy. No rain, no hay, and if you can find one that's been handling square bails all his life he would be tickled to death to learn about easy money dragging brush. Farm boys are used to working around heavy equipment and they are not afraid of the heat.

Or, talk to some of the foresters up there about the pulp wood crews they've seen working. Most of the guys that have worked on my place were fresh out of prison, but one of the local foresters may have seen somebody who was really looking and working for a better opportunity. I expect a pulp wooder would be GLAD to get out of the woods right now, and he might even be able to run your bobcat for you. If he hasn't been working on a bobcat crew, he'ld be all the hapier to drag your brush instead of stackin' those sticks.

 

[squisher]

Construction? That's a little suprising. Most construction I've seen takes two guys to do one mans work. Pay well good people will always go where the money is that's why people work. Tree work is tree work try to get people from silviculture or forestry because coming into the citys and working on level landscaped ground will seem like the walk in the park that it is.

 

[Jumper]

Pay them well, provide benefits as an added incentive, and number one in my book, treat them the same way you yourself want to be treated. Yell and carry on over minute situations/problems, whip them like a beast of burden,or/and behave like a general jackass, I can just about gaurentee you will be looking for yet another groundperson. Behave like a rationale human being, offer to develop the person's abilities, etc and the person will want to stick around, provided there is a financial incentive to do so. There is a little sticky on the desk I inherited this week at my new job-"Avoid misunderstanding by calm, poise and balance"-good words to live your working day by, especially when dealing with subordinates. My last boss ( a nice guy most of the time BTW) liked to bark at inopportune times, and I finally got tired of the bite, and daily yap, especially at $12 an hour, given I now earn more than $60K a year. Good luck finding that employee.
Concur with clearance re the tard above.

 

[kkottemann]

believe me when I tell ya'll I will absoulty treat my worker with respect. He will also be paid well for his work. I am not trying to get something for nothing. I just have had zero luck with finding someone (besides my temporary guys) who sticks. I have verbally hired two people who quit before their first scheduled day. Some people show potential but simply disappear. I know what it is like to be treated like a steak. I broke out with a very successful local company. I could not please the guy. I ran a crew as a climber and foreman. I also did a little phc for them. But at $12 per hour and a earfull of BS each and every week I decided to move on and promised my self that if I ever had the opportunity to do this for myself my guys would be treated like gold. I am not looking for sympathy, just advice. So far i've recieved some good stuff. Thanks for the replies.

 

[John464]

All I need right now is groundsmen. $10 to $13.50 DOE is the pay offered. My only true requirement as of now is that they have a valid drivers licsense. Curently I am not offering any health insurance. Equipment includes: grapple truck, stump grinder, skidsteer, chipper, pickup tuck, saws and climbing gear.

for that position I recommend someone who was raised Latino(Mexican, Elsavadorian, Gautemalan, etc.). Ive found they have the strongest work ethic for this type of job. Yes they can be found w/ driver's Liscene and will normally outwork most American's loading wood, dragging brush etc. Sad, but true. They are lower to the ground which makes it easier for them to push wheel barrows and lift logs. They are loyal if you treat them right and will not go behind your back. $10-$12 is what they enjoy making and will work for you 10-12hrs a day

 

[John464]

Interesting statement John. We had a fellow working for us some years ago that was 5'5" tall and about 190 pounds and no body fat.. We would jokingly call him 'Tow Motor'. He could push and pull like a dozer.

Dan

of course there is is always exceptions. generally speaking , my statement makes a lot of sense, but not entirely. I have one mexican guy that is under 5ft, 120lbs who will push an 8 gallon double wheeled wheel barrow overloaded with pine logs up a hill loaded. not take a break excpect for water once in a while. and for lunch. Not any of my americans are that ambitious, nor want to do it, nor can do it for lengths my latino's can . most american's don't want the grunt work.

I myself employ a lot of Latino's. Davey Tree service who is also a very reuptable company has a statistic of 80% (Ibelieve) Latino workers. this is not a coincidence. there are strong supporting reasons why.

 

[avalontree]

do looks really matter?

Obviously they do...But, I've worked with guys who are covered in tattoos...have 6 inch goattees...and chest that are even bigger than their guts...and the money comes in...If you do good work and get a good name, people will hire you..havin a nice truck helps and all, but you cant buy a reputation...

Let em pay you and say whatever they want. I guy i iknow used to say "Take their bullsh*t and take their money"...

Ya definity need you teeth, though
and tuckin in the shirt helps...
and being sober is always a plus

 

[beowulf343]

Kkottemann, here in NY we have something called the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). They teach kids who are not intellectually inclined, skills such as auto mechanics, welding, etc. One of the courses they teach is called conservation. They teach juniors and seniors several things such as basic operation of heavy equipment, tree id, running a chainsaw, felling trees, basic climbing techniques, etc. (emphasis on basic.) Probably half the guys working for the company I am employed at have graduated from this course. Of course not everyone coming through this course is worth it, but every now and then you can find a good worker who already knows some of the basics (predominately seems to be farm boys-after working in a haymow, everything else seems easy.) I don't know if there is anything like this where you are but it may be something you can check into.

You are right about respecting your workers. If you treat your groundies with respect, they will stay with you. Both my groundies have been on my crew for over four years and though they have been offered better money by other companies, part of the reason they stay is because I show them respect. And it it worth showing respect-it is nice having a crew that know what they are doing without you having to explain every step (take another wrap!) I have gotten so used to the way my guys work that I shudder to think about starting out with new groundies. And as a bonus, if you can keep a good crew together for a long period of time, your production rates go way up!

 

[lazeyjack]

you sir are a foolish employer

here's some words of wisdom:

(1) always hire people who are making less than what you are offering...ex: i hire from fast food and grocery stores.
(2) create a social atmosphere. people will put up with less pay if they enjoy hanging out with the others. i tend to hire one guy and tell him to get his friends to come aboard. they seem to like this.
(3) don't ever let them know what your customer is paying you. if my guys knew i made over $400,000 a year, they'd get all pissy and demand more or start their own company.
(4) pay your groundies $8/hr and climbers $10/hr. NEVER more. if they need more incentives... give them free water and every monday, pay for their lunch.

I never read such a bad post You do NOT deserve to be in Business
Please do not listen to this man
I employed men all my life, I picked intelligence and the will to work, I paid the highest rate in my field and paid em a bonus too I was insistant on their being punctual and honest, I was rewarded by loyalty, many of them staying up to 10 years
My advice, follow the above, pay peanuts get monkeys tree inovator, you are a user on people