How do you find good employees?

[Gino]

Ya don't. Go steal your competition's.

Really, unless you have some sort of training program set up..... it doesn't really matter that much anymore in today's sign shop environment. Most of it revolves around technical knowledge and one's ability to cope with computer stuff. [stuff - a technical term for 'junk' ]

Unlike the days when it was a trade and you needed certain areas of competence.... I don't see the need to get too crazy with interviewing.
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Can you spell, can you speak, do you sound like a dummy on the phone, do you say uhh, ahh and like..... in every sentence two or three times ??

Someone said it earlier, hire based on smarts and not what experience they have in most of today's shops. Now, if you're welding, blowing neon, screen printing, slinging a brush or doing hand-painted stuff, then you want to see how they handle themselves and if they can't talk or understand simple words.... just put them in a room by themselves and let them knock out their work and not come in contact with other humans.

 

[Fred Weiss]

My favorite question from the old Wonderlic test we used to use is:

A boy is 5 years old and his sister is 8. When the boy is twice his current age, what will be the age of his sister?

In my experience, about 80% of those being tested will miss that question. Also, in my experience, we never had a successful hire of a person who missed that question.

 

[Fred Weiss]

.........13? Did I pass!? Lol

Yes but you're a sign guy and would require a much closer evaluation. :ROFLMAO:

 

[mark galoob]

ive had employees have temper tantrums before but never laid a hand on me after i fired them...
of course they all know i am packin heat so that prob makes someone think twice...lol

mark galoob

 

[CanuckSigns]

My favorite question from the old Wonderlic test we used to use is:



In my experience, about 80% of those being tested will miss that question. Also, in my experience, we never had a successful hire of a person who missed that question.

please tell me that no one actually answered 16

 

[Gino]

Do they live east or west of the Mississippi River and are they both or only one alive ??

 

[Fred Weiss]

please tell me that no one actually answered 16

An average of 80% will answer 16. Try it yourself on the next 10 people you converse with.

Do they live east or west of the Mississippi River and are they both or only one alive ??

No in both cases.

 

[Rick]

Ummm, I know a few shop owners that would get that question wrong. You should really trying looking for a job in the sign business and listen to the crackpot questions I have been asked on an interview.

Finding a good employee is just as hard as finding a good employer. Especially in the sign business.

I have read countless threads about employment, it's almost always... find a person you can train, avoid the experienced. This should not be the standard hiring practice in the mom and pop sign industry unless you are only looking for production monkeys. But remember, production monkey is usually code for one day I want to be a designer. Do not disqualify someone who jumps around. This is usually the only way to get a raise, get experience in other types of signage or do better work in this business. Hire someone from a college? They will leave... why? No intelligent person would spend 100k and 3-4 years on an education for a 10 dollar an hour job.

After reading the type of work you do though. You do need a drone. I have done this type of mindless work and I'm sure a thinking, career sign person will not last long. You need a personality type that will do this type of work. Experienced or not. And expect them to leave.

 

[Gino]

Well, here's one that will backfire on ya. My 10th grade year end health exam was about 30 of these questions, but this one won't work anymore.

If it is 7pm in the evening and you set your alarm clock for 8am the next morning... how many hours of sleep will you get ??

 

[signage]

Well, here's one that will backfire on ya. My 10th grade year end health exam was about 30 of these questions, but this one won't work anymore.

If it is 7pm in the evening and you set your alarm clock for 8am the next morning... how many hours of sleep will you get ??

Come on now Gino every one knows it depends on what time you go to sleep/bed not when you set the clock:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

 

[Fred Weiss]

Well, here's one that will backfire on ya. My 10th grade year end health exam was about 30 of these questions, but this one won't work anymore.

If it is 7pm in the evening and you set your alarm clock for 8am the next morning... how many hours of sleep will you get ??

Only one because the alarm doesn't keep track of AM or PM. It looks like the attached image.

 

[signage]

Only one because the alarm doesn't keep track of AM or PM. It looks like the attached image.

Yea you old farts didn't have digital clocks

 

[Fred Weiss]

Yea you old farts didn't have digital clocks

One might argue that we were better off in the age of low-tech.

 

[thewvsignguy]

OK, thanks again for all the input.

I did download the wonderlic test and passed it around the shop. And yes I took the test myself (no comment) but I was rushed! But it is a very good starting point for sifting through the rubbish. I know we will have to find someone in the next month or so. I will take notes a few suggestions from this thread and incorporate them into the next set of interviews.

Thanks to everyone for the help and now i know it's just not me picking the duds, seems like quite a few out there.

 

[signage]

One might argue that we were better off in the age of low-tech.

I would have to agree with you on that

 

[Farmboy]

My two employees have been with me going on 6 years. One can't spell to save his life, but designs like a mad man and is worth twice what I can pay him. They both do anything I ask of them and are the life blood of this place. There are diamonds in the rough out there, you just have to sift through the coal to find them.

 

[veloxgraphics]

Is this where we apply?

I'm 30yrs old, there are 12" in a foot, 32ft^2 in a 4x8 sheet of whatever, 2.5cm / inch, I am decent at 2D Autocad, illustrator, photoshop, flexi, etc. I grew up working in a welding shop building trailers, so if metal fabrication is a plus... woot. Right now i'm a senior systems support specialist for a huge publishing company, but my passion is signs and graphics. I have run and maintained my own roland equipment for the past few years, and have a shop of my own. My grandpa was an old-school sign painter in the 40's and 50's. Seeing what he was able to do with a brush and pouncing wheel inspires me.

I like long walks in the park and drinks on the beach. Hah.
:signs101:

 

[cdiesel]

The Wonderlic test is crazy accurate.. we passed it around the shop when we started using it too. I could've told you what people would score before they took the test!

 

[tomence]

You give me any kind of a test, I'm walking out even before you say yes or no.

You will find a good employee when you start paying right, not if you pass the test or not.

Who do you think applies for a job that pays $8 an hour?

 

[cdiesel]

We test every applicant. Don't want the job because of that? No problem--you wouldn't fit in here anyways.

By the way, our average pay including benefits is over $19 an hour. Just calculated it earlier this week.

 

[Fred Weiss]

You give me any kind of a test, I'm walking out even before you say yes or no.

You will find a good employee when you start paying right, not if you pass the test or not.

Who do you think applies for a job that pays $8 an hour?

Disagree completely. All kinds of people apply for jobs at all sorts of starting wages. If their career minded, they're looking for an opportunity more than a better than average wage. The only thing we ever experienced by starting someone higher than entry level was disappointment.

The best employee we ever hired started at $4.50 an hour in 1984 and passed the Wonderlic test with flying colors. Four years later she was supervising three employees, handling all production and training, had the title of General Manager and was earning $50K plus bonuses.

 

[tomence]

We test every applicant. Don't want the job because of that? No problem--you wouldn't fit in here anyways.

By the way, our average pay including benefits is over $19 an hour. Just calculated it earlier this week.

That's why i am better off on my own and making more than $19 an hour.