Need your thoughts on a new tech....

[Kellie Hiler]

I really need someone to help me on the jobs, basically George is out of commission. At least for a while that we know of.
The wife of my pastor friend who is also a long time customer called today to schedule a clean.
I mentioned my need to her and she told me about a 25 year old guy who is homeless. He has a record but has been clean and crime free for 5 years. He does day labor a lot, and is involved in the church. He has spent the night at their house when their daughter wasn't there, and has been alone in areas of the church and nothing has ever come up missing. She said he is a nice guy and a hard worker. He does smoke weed on occasion though, which, even though it's legal here, it bugs me.
I have a record too, and if George hadn't taken a chance on me, who knows where I'd be, because it is almost impossible to get hired with a record, no matter how long you've been crime free.
So I am in great need even around the house, and this guy needs a place to live and a job. Is it coincidence? Do you guys think I should meet him and take the chance?
I am extremely leery about it but don't want to miss out on the opportunity to have a tech that would be ready for any job and working for free room and board with some side cash, plus the opportunity to maybe help give him a start in life.

 

[rjwood]

Why would it not be coincidence?

 

[rick imby]

I have given people a break many times. The success rate is about 1 in 10. Often they come to hate me. Yup...

This is a monster leg up.

With what little I know of your situation, I would keep looking.

What many people do not realize that many people that need a leg up have gotten a lot of them. If they are needing a leg up, they have already gotten a little or a lot of help from family, old friends, and strangers.

It is probably a pattern they have developed.

If you want to give him a leg up, start with some part time work.

Don't offer the whole enchilada---It is really hard to take a half eaten enchilada away.

It is Christmas time and it is great to think good things about everybody. But I want to remind you, it often works out poorly when you give someone something they have not earned. It is a strange twist of human nature. They ususally turn on the hand that gives them something.

Good luck

 

[rick imby]

I have always come out on the short end when I have traded their work for something I value but they don't. Expecting them to put value on your sparre bedroom and a little food? Oh come on, she makes a ton of money---$100+ an hour when she is working. It is no skin off her back.

I am just a bitter old man....

 

[Lee Stockwell]

No

Just no.

 

[rjwood]

What's his record? What crimes has he been guilty of?

 

[steve_64]

you are not in a good position to be taking on a task like that.

we need good reliable help too but cant find it. Genny has gone through quite a few and we are glad they are all gone except one.

 

[rick imby]

What you are looking for in your business is a great Tech. Don't hesitate to try out a few. Work them for a day before you decide. Don't offer them long term until they have earned it.

If you need help with your husband, I have had great luck with Craiglsist adverizing for elder care help. Again you might have to try 3 to get one good one--my history.

 

[Barry-QDCC]

The disclaimer needs to be up front that every situation is different....BUT -

Many years ago I hired a person who had recently gotten out of jail. He was recommended to me from someone in an administrative position in a church and convinced me that this guy would be a hard worker, just needed a chance, had a family and just wanted to take care of them, blah, blah, blah. I took a chance. Suffice it to say it didn't work out big time.

Everyone needs a chance, and it sounds like you know that as well as anyone. But when we are hiring someone to go into people's house, somewhat or completely unsupervised I think we need to be REALLY picky. The advice of maybe just part-time work might be a option. Just don't rush to go from the PT to FT quickly. Sometimes it takes a while for the REAL person to show itself. The comment that Rick made just above of people justifying things that aren't cool just because "we make over $100 and hour" is very true.

Again, I've been given chances in my life too so I get the dilemma you are in. Good luck!

PS - Be careful too...desperately needing an employee will sometimes allow you to hire someone you know you shouldn't. And THAT usually doesnt work out either. When it's all said and done, trust your gut!

 

[hogjowl]

There's only one way I'd ever do it.

And it doesn't involve advice I'd get here.

 

[Cleanworks]

Kellie, I think you have a great heart and it is admirable that you want to help someone in that position but this is a business. Employess must meet certain criteria, like a neat appearance,valid drivers licence, ability to show up on time, etc. I did hire someone like you mention years ago when I worked for someone else and it worked out great but listen to the people on this board who weren't so lucky. Don't let your situation make you desperate. You sound so smart. Use your brain not your heart. Wish I could something to help.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I think there are many ways that church and community may be able to help this man through his difficulties.

Working for you during your time of need, and when trust is such an important part of what you need to have for your employees, and what your customers expect from you, should not be one of those ways.

Your example of pulling yourself up out of a bad situation is one of unique character, and you can't always expect that others have your own sense of values.

I see far too many bad outcomes here that outweigh any possible good outcomes.

 

[Nate The Great]

We used to clean up foreclosure properties back in the late 1990's and would get guys from the drug programs... They all got released out of jail to the programs... The places we cleaned up were called trash outs... We'd clean up all the "trash" left behind and then clean the house itself... Some of the guys stayed out of jail while the big majority went back in... It was either drug related or woman related that lead to them using again...

I wouldn't let them in someone's residence... If the guy is using weed, he's only shooting himself in the foot... Priorities need to be in place... If smoking weed is more important then fook um... The job requires attention to detail and being aware...

 

[jcooper]

Don't let your situation make you desperate. You sound so smart. Use your brain not your heart.

Well said.

I'd be terrified for my wife working in "that" type of situation. Stranger, x con, drugs, who knows, etc...

Always consider YOUR safety first, this does not seem as "safe" as it should be for you.

What does your husband think?

 

[Zee]

I will respond without reading the other posts.

I would say no.

There are a lot of people that need help that didn't make choices that earned them a "record"...

It's always going to be an argument... Who deserves help: the guy that jacked up half his life with drugs/crimes/etc that were all HIS choices or the guy that always worked, don't have a "record" but got laid off from a company?

Obviously guy number 1 will be in a lot worse overall shape...but why do we reward that guy right away with 2nd 3rd 25th chances? Why not reward guy number 2 that was doing decent already and it wasn't HIS choice to lose a job and start going under?


I'd say: look for guy number 2.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I agree with everyone, the plan was to meet him first, without his even knowing why we were meeting. From there, if My gut said yes, I was going to have a sit down with him and not only interrogate him but also let him know, that I won't take any weed smoking, that I would do drug testing, and that he would never be alone in a customers house, I wouldn't do that. I had planned on copying his ID and running a background check on him and asking for any kind of reference he might have. If he had no references built up in 5 years I would walk away, that would be a very bad sign.
My husband says no way. I am just going to have to pass and maybe like @Zee said, I can find guy #2.
Meanwhile, I guess it's just me. Doing everything.
I guess I am just desperate for some kind of help. It is really hard to find good part time help here in the weed capital. Ugh.....

 

[Mikey P]

type his name and your city in on Google...

thats what your customers will see...




does he have a reliable cell phone?
how will he get to and from work?
I can tell you from experience that it's beyond frustrating to have a person not show up for work and have no way to find them..

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Why not a "she"?

 

[Mikey P]

and most humans are no where as appreciative as a stray dog you take in.



most homeless are angry at the man for being in their position.


don't become the Man.





in America you are exactly where you want to be. Why did this guy want to become homeless?

 

[Mikey P]

Why not a "she"?

agreed.

work it.

 

[bob vawter]

Run Kellie.....run fast...at the first mention of bed and breakfast...i guaranty his brain will be spinning faster than a hamster wheel.....

she's........is a great idea!

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Yeah....I wish I could find a woman who could keep up with me. I'm not trying to sound like I'm all that, because trust me, I am not. But honestly, I have tried to find a woman that can handle the work and have been unable to.
The real bummer is that my sister in law is supposedly looking for a job, she's been laying around the house while my brother works his ass off to support her and her kids (his choice). but she is so unreliable as there is always some drama or excuse why she can't work. I need someone who is going to show up.
Someone told me today that I should look into college courses that require the students to take urine tests because they cannot smoke weed due to the nature of their majors and try to find some part timers there. I think that is a great idea.

 

[Cleanworks]

Lee stockwell says "why not a she?". Best employee I ever had was a she. Gabrielle, where are you? She got married and her husband didn't like her working alone with me at night. Gabrielle did everything the way I said it should be done and I only had to tell her once. I eventually hired her husband and fired him after a week. He just had to do it his way. Find a woman tall enough and strong enough and who wants to work and you'll neve look back.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

That's just it though, not too many women want to work nights when their husbands and or kids are home. I need a tech for night work. Then there is the issue of during the day they have to pick their kids up or be there when they get home from school, and the last minute...my kid is sick and can't go to school, or the babysitter didn't show up. Ugh, bad memories!!

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I'm just going to look for some college guys. Maybe put up ads on the bulletin boards in the main campuses.

 

[Donwand]

Contact your local VA office.
Good chance of finding eligible candidates.

 

[KevinD]

He has spent the night at their house when their daughter wasn't there,

Big red flag there if you are saying he could not spend the night if the daughter was there.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Damn!!! That is a freakin awesome idea!!! I will absolutely do that tomorrow! Ugh...how could I not think of that?!

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Big red flag there if you are saying he could not spend the night if the daughter was there.

I agree, but I think it was a nice gesture of them but also smart considering this was not long after they met him. I did not get his details because it was a quick conversation and we had planned on discussing it further on Thursday.

 

[Desk Jockey]

People make "errors in judgement", we are human and to be understanding and want to help is commendable.

However in this case there is just too much to risk. Not that you can ever be certain about anyone's honesty but in this situation it my prove too tempting for someone in such need.