Day one, new employee...

[Mikey P]

What are the signs you look for in a potential new hire?



Wont stand around, needs to help/ stay busy..

Friendly with customers

No cell phone use

Takes notes

Chatty

What else?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Finding someone in the "age and stage" level most carpet cleaners aim at for new hires who will not use a cell phone at all is sort of like finding a unicorn.

Maybe just get one who can keep it under reasonable control...

Such a person is a "zebra": Hard to find and exotic, but at least they really exist.

 

[Mikey P]

True.

 

[Willy P]

Finding someone in the "age and stage" level most carpet cleaners aim at for new hires who will not use a cell phone at all is sort of like finding a unicorn.

Maybe just get one who can keep it under reasonable control...

Such a person is a "zebra": Hard to find and exotic, but at least they really exist.

All I end up with is the unicorns.

 

[Brian H]

The first couple of days, I look to see how well they take direction and work unsupervised.

Do they have to be told to move the sofa on every job or do they get it after the very first time.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Are they workers or watchers? I don't need watchers, someone that "needs a job" can find one somewhere else. I need people that can see that work needs to be done and are interested in "what they can do to help".

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Careful in someone else's home.

 

[Willy P]

Are they workers or watchers? I don't need watchers, someone that "needs a job" can find one somewhere else. I need people that can see that work needs to be done and are interested in "what they can do to help".

Yeah cause you slack ass enough for the entire company.

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[Zee]

One that is not waiting for the same exact instructions to move the hose (*carefully you dumbass$$, can't you see you just scraped against something!?!*) after the second day on the job.

One that doesn't require me to carry a European Union passport to show when he accuses me of being a discriminating/tall/white or middle-easterner/American or whatever the heck would be an offending type for him...... Just because I was telling him off for something, that I already explained 17 times in the past four days.

One that doesn't look at the clock every half hour sighing..

One that understands that we are the serving party in this few hour long relationship with the customer. And we kiss a$$ and look for their wants and needs. In other words make your facial expressions your speaking voice and words proper and your body language ready, as you are the slave of your master that you need to please..or else. Ok that came out weird...

 

[Askal]

Shows up early every day.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Serious character flaws, I cant change.
If they will cheat on their wife they sure as hell will cheat on you.

 

[GeneMiller]

Someone who shows up. I'm gonna start with that..

Gene

 

[Mikey P]

Im pretty sure this was the best first day experience yet!

Jazzed...

 

[Mark Saiger]

Can they do any simple repairs such as change out a coupler or shut off?

Any other repair Skills....Not a deal Breaker, but helpful....and most of the time, if your machine is not operating correctly, they will be smart enough to at least shut it off and call you....

 

[Dolly Llama]

show up for work
be able to work alone without the crew chief there
don't bust thru work doing halfazz work...in particular when you been told a half dozen times it doesn't have to be done fast, it just has to BE DONE RIGHT
Don't tell me you know how to do something when you;re actually clueless
Don't lie and tell me it was the "other guy" that screwed the pooch on a job ...especially when I KNOW you're the one that did it.
Don;t tell me you finished something when a 1/3 of it isn't finished

I sending one down the road tomorrow

..L.T.A.

 

[Dolly Llama]

What are the signs you look for in a potential new hire?

able to get out on work release thru the week
(or only serve time on weekends)

alcohol ankle bracelet has to be covered

No felonies and/or restraining orders pending


..L.T.A.

 

[Willy P]

Funny how easy it gets to give them the boot when it doesn't work. I gave a guy the heave when he told me he "doesn't want to learn" how to coil hoses, do vct, clean grout etc.Good bye.

 

[ruff]

You guys are freaking perfectionists.
Here in San Francisco, I would have compromised on the guy verbally being able to say a complete sentence.

That's would have been a crew chief.
But Joe Apples thinks that's asking too much. Maybe we just have too high expectations here.

 

[Mikey P]

sheesh...

challenging upholstery today too


Bunch of bleached and faded Linen and I even had to whip out the Velvet Carding Brush today..


Been years I think.

New guy jumped right in and asked to scrub the pieces down with shampoo.


Has good upright vacuum skills as well.

​

 

[bob vawter]

Has good upright vacuum skills as well.

translation: he's able to stand on two feet.................

 

[Goomer]

Unfortunately being limited to only part time "helpers" at the moment, as opposed to a "tech", I have just about given up trying to get them to rise above anything but the basics.

The only other thing I do expect, which I do not believe is too much to ask, is to simply keep and maintain even a minimum level attention on me and what I am doing at all times, and shock me every once in a while by actually anticipating a need of mine or by actually being present, attentive, and "on the ball" at the moment I ask for something, as opposed to a blank stare followed by a "huh?" or a "what?".

I don't want or expect them to think too much, other than to pay attention and be my bitch.

 

[Mark Saiger]

After reading all this, I think my son in law needs a pay raise!!

 

[Jimmy L]

Sounds like the perfect employee just might be that retard grocery bagger down the street?

 

[hogjowl]

How do you know he's retarded and not just mocking you?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Maybe MAYBE jImMy is the reeeeeetard?

 

[Danny Strickland]

How do you know he's retarded and not just mocking you?

That might be the first funny zing from you in a while!!!

 

[Mikey P]

Day two..


Lets learn what everything is called..

 

[Desk Jockey]

LOL

I had a tech that's been here 8-years or more not know what a Hydroforce is.

I was cleaning the carpet in a limo bus and asked where the Hydroforce was on their truck. He just looked at me and said "We haven't had that in a long time". I told him I had just bought new one's for all the trucks. He said "Oh you mean the pre-sprayers?".

 

[Mikey P]

Ooof.

Helper or lead?