How We Built a Hiring Process That Works

For us folks here in the North, it’s that time of year when the exterior work is rolling in and we need to staff-up to meet the demand. Every painting company needs a healthy amount of guys and gals on hand to cover the seasonal increase in workload, and a solid hiring process will insure that you have employees ready to go when needed.

 

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED

For years, guys who could show up on time, do the work required without complaint, and conduct themselves professionally were few and far between.   We would hire people, they would flake out or be fired for non-performance, and we’d be stuck without enough help. This problem prevented us from growing and was a huge drain on my time [and faith in humanity].

HOW WE CREATED A SOLUTION

After this went on for a while, I resolved to change the way this worked in my business so I came up with a hiring process that we used for the remainder of my tenure with my company (before moving on to do different things).

Our hiring process looked something like this:

1. Generate lots of online job postings
2. Prescreen Applicants
3. In-Person Interviewing, Hiring, and Onboarding

WHERE TO FIND YOUR APPLICANTS

Many people underestimate just how many applicants you need to get to actually generate a few good hires – there are a lot of undesirables (people who no-show interviews, no-show on day 1, or don’t have their life together) in the unskilled labor pool and you have to do a lot of sifting to get to the good candidates.

We mainly had luck with Craigslist, Indeed, our state’s local talent bank and sites like Painter Job Hub. You should be looking to get 10 names for every one hire that you make. Anything short of that leaves you with less-than-optimal options. This means putting in hours on the front end to cast that wide net, but it pays large dividends once you’ve brought the right people on board.

KNOW WHO YOU WANT TO APPLY

Our ideal candidate was someone searching for more of an apprenticeship than a ‘fast money’ job. We let prospective applicants know we were looking to invest in them. We focused on finding candidates that would want to grow with us.

Here was a typical job posting that we used:

Job posting for painters employees/ subs:

Click here for sample template you could use.

Job posting for painter employees only:

Click here for sample template you could use.

We pay $12-14/hour depending on experience: New guys all start at $12/ hr. Through trial and error, we found that paying less than that (in our area) didn’t bring in the caliber of people we were looking for.

PRESECREEN YOUR APPLICANTS

You have to prescreen candidates before spending time interviewing them. After receiving a resume, the initial call looked something like this:

• Build rapport
• Why is the candidate looking for a job?
• Is candidate willing to work 40 hours/ week (including weekends if necessary)?
• Is candidate allergic to bees/ latex?
• Does candidate own a car and have a valid license? (catching a ride from someone doesn’t count)
• Is the candidate able to pass a drug screen?
• Does the candidate have any prior felony convictions?
• If answers satisfactory, schedule an interview for the next day – text and email location and time

At every step in the process, striking while the iron is hot and while you have the candidates’ attention is extremely important. That’s why I always kept the ‘time-to-next-step’ short and within sight. I’ve interviewed candidates for low-skill positions and candidates for high-skill positions and the low-skill candidates usually tend to have a shorter horizon and lose interest if the next step (reward) is not within line of sight.

Most of the people I’ve interviewed respond best to texts or phone calls over email. Many potentially good candidates don’t check email or would have to go to the library to check their email, but everyone could send and receive a text message or take a phone call. After the initial call, I would text them the details.

INTERVIEW IN PERSON

As part of the hiring process, interviews should happen one to two days after you pre-screen a candidate but no later than that. I always set up my interviews for the same day and time block. All interviews were scheduled to be 30 minutes long.

I had a lot of no-shows for interviews before I started texting the meeting location/ details to confirm the interview the day before. Always require confirmation – less people will show up for interviews if you don’t ask for a “got it” or “see you then” confirmation text from them.

I put together a list that includes some prequalifying questions as well as our in-person interview questions. You want to use the questions as tools to get a feel for the personality of the candidate and their willingness to learn. They will be part of a team and you will be working closely with them in many cases. I always started out by talking about the job and what would be expected of them; then the second half of the interview can be spent asking them questions.

When interviewing a candidate, I’m making a determination on where the candidate sits in the following areas:

• Does the candidate meet the pre-qualifying criteria for the position? (confirm that the answers received on the initial call are still true)
• Will the wage and hours of this job meet the candidates needs or will he/she quit/ be fired after the first week when we figure out he/she isn’t earning enough to feed the family/ drive to work?
• Attitude (does the candidate speak poorly of previous employers, general outlook – has a positive outlook or has a negative outlook and may tend to complain more)
• Coachability (can I teach this candidate or will he/she be closed to feedback)
• Is this candidate reliable? (what might past employers say about his/her performance, look at job history, amount of time spent on jobs, number of jobs, does this candidate stick with a job or does he/she move around a lot)
• Self-awareness (can this candidate identify his/ her own strengths weaknesses, can they critique themselves, do they know where they stand)
• Intended trajectory/ goals (what does this candidate want to achieve, where do they want to be in a year, consider how this job will get them there, is this position a good fit for them)

HIRE, HIRE, HIRE

Hiring decisions were delivered the day after the interview. You want to keep the turnaround quick, while the interest is still there, but you want to make candidates feel like they earned they job, as opposed to gifting it to them at the end of the interview.

The day after the interview, when you call to offer the candidates the job, setup an appointment to come in and get on payroll for that same afternoon. It won’t feel real and they won’t feel committed until they do this.

Always over-hire – you are going to have a lot of names at the beginning – people will drop at every stage of the hiring process and some after they are hired – don’t overexpose yourself to the risks of a new hire quitting or being fired. It’s going to happen, so plan for it as part of your hiring process.

This hiring process worked for us but it’s certainly not the only way to do things – have a process that works for you?

Let us know in the comments below.

 

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Michael Henry

Owner at CorkCRM

Michael's owns CorkCRM.com, a business management software solution for painting companies and other residential renovation contractors. Michael's background is in residential painting.

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Paint Prices

Paint ball is growing to be a very popular game for all ages. There is lot of different things that you can do with a paint ball gun. Paint ball is considered a sport because it does involve a lot of physical activity. The object of the game is to shoot small balls of paint out of a paint ball gun and successfully hit your target.

There is a lot of running and jumping when you are playing with a paintball gun. There is a lot of physical movement to try and avoid being hit by the paint ball pellets. The person that is most covered with paint is none the less the loser of the game.

There are a lot of places that you can go to play with your paintball gun safely. There are so many obstacles that you have to go through when you are playing this sport. You can play on a course or you can play this fun sport in your own back yard.

There are many things that you are going to need in order to play paint ball. It is not going to be cheap to play this sport, as most of the equipment is costly. You will need to have a paint ball gun, paint balls, air for your tank, paint ball mask, and of course the will to have fun. You can get most of these items at a sporting goods store in just about any area.

There are a few rules for paintball. The first thing to remember is that you has to play safe. You do not need anyone to get hurt when playing after all it is all in fun. Masks have to be worn at all times to make sure that your eyes and face are protected. You should always know what you are shooting at and never just shoot at anything. One thing to know is that the paintball guns need to be tested on a regular basis.

Paintball is one of the most fun and safest sports there is today. As long as people play along with the rules and wear the correct safety gear, anyone can have a lot of fun and exercise playing paintball. There is no reason why you should not get started on this fun and exciting game. You can have fun while you burn some calories at the same time.

Children and adults can play. You should never shoot at animals or people that are not playing the game. Although this is just a game, a paintball gun can potentially harm someone that is not expecting a hit and does not have safety gear. Always play safe and fair and it will be a fun sport to play.

The following blog post Paint Prices is republished from Wimbled Painters Plasterer Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2016/05/paint-prices_21.html

What Does “Licensed, Bonded, and Insured” Mean for You?

As a painting contractor, one of your main concerns is building trust with your clients. After all, you’ll be spending lots of time inside their homes. Making sure you are “licensed, bonded, and insured” is the first step in building that trust. But what exactly does it mean for you? Let’s break it down.

Licensed

Most industries require various licenses before they allow individuals to conduct business. Painting contractors are not required to obtain a license in every state, but may be required to register with the appropriate state department. Sometimes painters are licensed the same way as regular contractors, and sometimes they need a different license. And occasionally, the city or county you live in will have its own regulations for painting contractors. Verify whether or not you need a license with your local and state contractor licensing departments. (“Bonded and insured” is just as effective a phrase if your state doesn’t require a license.)

Bonded

“Bonded” means that the painter has purchased a surety bond, a measure that protects the consumer. Surety bonds are an agreement between three parties:

• Principal – the person purchasing the bond
• Obligee – the entity that requires the bond purchase, usually government
• Surety – the company backing the bond and providing the line of credit if the principal does not uphold their obligations

To put it simply, the surety bond can provide reimbursement if the painting contractor violates any of the conditions of their bond. Purchasing a bond is the principal’s agreement to adhere to all laws—local, state, and federal—that govern their industry. If you don’t, the client can file a claim against your surety bond. If the claim is proven, the bond can reimburse the client for the amount of the claim up to the full bond amount. For example, if a client files a $6,000 claim on a $50,000 surety bond, the surety will pay the full amount if the claim is proven.

Some states might require painting contractors to get a license like many other kinds of contractors. In that case, you’ll purchase a contractor license bond. You’ll have to include proof that you are insured and bonded when applying for your license. Regulations vary widely, so contact the department that handles contractor licensing in your state for the best information.

If you’re not required by law to buy a surety bond, you can choose the bond you buy. Two popular bonds for client protection are business service bond and employee theft bonds. Cleaning companies, pest control companies, and other professionals that spend time in clients’ homes buy business service or employee theft bonds.

The purchase of a surety bond is an indication to clients that the painter has their best interests in mind and is willing to take additional steps to ensure they are protected. Verify your surety bond requirements with your state, county, and city before purchase. Whether or not you purchase one may be up to you, but check your local laws first.

Insured

Business insurance is different from surety bonds because it offers protection for the business, while bonds protect the consumer. Painting contractors usually purchase liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and commercial vehicle insurance. Clients love a well-insured contractor; it shows trustworthiness and dependability and ensures they won’t be responsible if an accident occurs.

Being “licensed, bonded, and insured” is an easy way to convey to potential clients that your painting business can be trusted. You didn’t skirt around any laws to save yourself a dime and you put your clients’ well-being first. The phrase can be used when marketing your business, and you can tell your customers why you’re bonded: for them! Begin at the beginning when establishing yourself as an honest and upstanding businessperson—get licensed, bonded, and insured.

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Home Paint

Buying a home is a huge investment. You should use a checklist when sizing up potential homes. In this article, we cover a home buying checklist for paint and stucco.

Paint and Stucco

The exterior of a home generally makes the biggest impression when you first view a potential buying opportunity. Several homebuyers, however, generally make the mistake of looking at color schemes as the principal issue. In truth, a close review of the exterior of the prospective home can tell you a lot about the quality of the structure.

A person selling a home is not stupid. Before putting a home on the market, they are going to take steps to spiff it out to raise buyer interest and the rate you're willing to pay. There is nothing devious about such conduct. It is natural to want to put your best foot forward and a person selling a home is not going to act differently. This is why you want to take a close look at the exterior paint and stucco on a home.

1. The first thing to look for is peeling or flaking of paint on the exterior walls. If you notice this in an apparent place on a wall, run for the hills because the house needs a total repaint. Typically, you're not going to find such apparent problems. Instead, you need to poke around behind bushes, up under roof overhangs and in nooks and crannies. If you find problems of this sort, it tends to mean the paint job on the home was not applied correctly. Once these problems start occurring, you can count on them getting worse over time.

2. The second thing to look for is stains around perforations in the paint. For instance, look for an area where bolts or nails penetrate a painted surface. If you notice rust around the hole, you may be seeing an indication of poor maintenance. Even worse, you may be seeing an indication of a water drainage problem. Investigate such occurrences very carefully.

3. With stucco homes, you're generally going to find some cracking do to earth movement and temperature changes. As long as these areas are relatively small, you should not have problems patching them for a nominal price. The more massive problem, however, is if you find stains or soft spots on the bottom section of a stucco wall. This can mean there are problems with the drainage screen behind the stucco wall and water is not getting out. If water is not getting out, the stucco will continue to degrade and you may have a mold problem at some point. Both situations might be very high-priced to fix.

When checking out perspective home buying opportunities, the exterior of the home should be looked at very closely. In this case, the merits of the home all come down to the details.

The following post Home Paint Read more on: http://www.wimbledonpainters.co.uk

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Painting Prices

Word painting what brings first in your mind it's non other than scenery painting. Even if you will ask any child to draw painting they will also draw a scenery painting. Its there in our mind form our childhood is not it. As well all think at scenery painting is easy than all other types of painting.

Scenery painting seems to be very easy, but in reality its not. Painting is a art to express your thoughts and if you are not able to show it properly then simply you are wasting your time and energy.

You can show your more ideas and creativity with scenery painting book. These scenery painting books are easily available in the market. This book has all the guideline step by step to help you in proper manner. So that you can use your time in give a good output.

Now you don't have to go to any stores, one can easily find scenery painting book online and this books provides you all the information and guidance step by step so one can understand it. This book has all information related to using the type of brush and color schemes to your scenery painting to look your painting more attractive, good and interesting.

Scenery painting books are not only used by beginner but also by the professional painter to get any more knowledge to improve and express their thoughts in a better way. So if you are thinking about to improve you ability then today only get scenery painting book.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Painting Book . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail. com

The following article Painting Prices is republished from Wimbledon Painters Interior Decorator Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2016/05/painting-prices.html

Outdoor Living

What started out as a yard in the great American dream has evolved into an outdoor living space, encompassing dining areas, living rooms and even play areas that go way beyond the swingsets of the 1950's. These spaces extend the livable area of your home, while saving you money and increasing your home's value. This is particularly true in the Southwest, where bug-free, temperate outdoor conditions predominate for much of the year. In fact, a little further south, Latin American homes often blur the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces – a bedroom might open to the garden or the dining room might call for outdoor eating all year 'round.

To take advantage of the wisdom of outdoor spaces, it's important to remember that you'll be more likely to use them if they are close to the entrances of your home. One exception to that rule, however, are retreat spaces – sanctuaries you'll want to remove from the house to create a sense of privacy and solace.

One of the most popular outdoor spaces is the outdoor dining room/kitchen. Plans for outdoor dining rooms can range from the basic to the outrageous, depending on your inclination and budget. Merely placing tables and chairs to take advantage of (or avoid) the sun, with a barbeque set up nearby, may be all you need. Even so, consider accents to dress up the space, like container gardens and solar-powered lights.

If you want to go for broke, install an entire outdoor kitchen with weatherproof cabinets and outdoor-ready appliances. Often the cabinets and appliances form the "walls" or boundaries of the space which you can then dress up with Spanish tile and a dining set. Use a pergola to provide shade and some cover.

Another popular option is the outdoor living room. Some families create not one, but two outdoor living spaces, one on the east side of the house and one on the west side. When it's hot out, they always have a shady respite, and during cooler weather they can soak up the sun's rays all day long. Planting greenery around these areas will help defray cooling costs in the summer and provide privacy and protection from the wind. Consider making these spaces more cozy with weatherproof fabrics, rattan furniture and pillow-draped seat walls. And to add interest, build your outdoor living room around a focal point such as a view, water feature or even a fireplace.

There are many reasons to consider creating outdoor living spaces. They not only raise your property value, but can be a place to entertain or simply an easy way to enjoy the great outdoors without having to leave your home.

The following blog post Outdoor Living was first published to Wimbledon Painters Blog

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2016/05/outdoor-living.html

Kitchen Design

There is no place in the house that is used more generally than the kitchen. The kitchen is the nerve center of a family's operations; meals are created there, snacks prepared, generally it is the area where the family will get together. It is also one of the most important rooms in the home in terms of determining the value, and is a vital area when company comes to visit on their impression of your lifestyle. It is very important, then, that kitchens be modeled not only for convenience and function but also for great visual appeal.

A good kitchen design will mean that everything, from the kitchen cabinets to the furniture, will complement the look of the kitchen as well as function in such a way that the flow of operations in the area is ensured. Any piece of equipment that sticks out too far or doors that do not close properly will prove highly annoying at the least, and at the worst may also prove to be dangerous.

When you are designing a kitchen, space is by far the key area to focus on. There needs to be adequate space for the storage of food and equipment, easy access to those spots, a good and functional sink, plenty of countertop workspace, and the whole thing should be easy to clean. One method that people use to determine the right amount of space in their kitchen area is known as the triangle of the kitchen, or the work triangle. This is the area in your kitchen where the most of work will take place; imagine a line that starts at the sink and extends to the stove top, then down to the refrigerator, and back to the sink. The sides of this triangle should be about 26 feet long when added together, and no one side should be less than four feet or more than nine feet.

Remember as you design your storage space that you will accumulate more tools in the kitchen as time goes by. Everyone inevitably realizes that there's something important in their kitchen that they do not possess, and when you get that new food processor or blender you will want to have somewhere to store it. So, do not just plan for what you've at the moment; plan for the future as well.

The measurements and the placing of the various crafted parts of the kitchen are also very important. Make sure that all the doors and drawers of your cabinets both open and shut without banging into each other or into pieces of equipment in the kitchen.

Open kitchens are the style these days, and with good reason. The less walls that are in the kitchen, the less potential there's for food stains. Also, easy access to the kitchen is good for any cook who also is responsible for monitoring the activities of children in the house. Any walls that you do put in, as well as the roof, need to be coated with a durable, stain-resistant paint. You should also make sure that the kitchen is well ventilated; windows are a must, and many will have a door nearby. Even the best cooks sometimes leave a pot on too long!

Paying careful attention when designing your kitchen is a massive step in making sure that you love your work space for years to come.

Kitchen Design is republished from Wimbled Painters Plasterer Service

Read Full Article: http://wimbledoninteriorpainters.blogspot.com/2016/05/kitchen-design.html