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CROSSHIRE: LESSONS IN RECRUITMENT My quest for a replacement for Young Arnold has led to a number of interesting meetings in recent weeks. The first batch of candidates I interviewed came from the Labour Exchange, which is an emporium that has illusions of grandeur, as they seem to take offence at being called the Labour Exchange these days. This probably did not endear me to them judging from the depleted band of hopefuls that eventually arrived at my office. I say depleted because, out of eight starters, four actually turned up on the day, with only one making it within an hour of their appointed time. No matter at what level I am interviewing, I always present every applicant with a sheet of paper and ask them to write their name and home address in their own handwriting. In these days of paper trails being more important than doing the job properly, I reckon that, if I can read their writing on a job card, I am in with a chance of proving my systems are “robust” as one safety geek had recently described our systems. Two of my four heroes produced something that looked like a spider had fallen in an inkwell and walked all over the paper, the third said he had only just moved and couldn’t remember how to write his address, whilst the fourth declared that he only produced the written word on a keyboard. My next batch of recruits came via the local paper and included the inevitable applicants from competitors, in addition to one desperado who had recently been working as a mechanic for the local banger-racing baron. He had thought better of claiming for unfair dismissal, as he still required the use of his kneecaps. The competitors’ contingent turned out to be a dreary lot with those from large hire groups only too willing to slag off their existing employers - in most cases rather unfairly because I know that, if they were any good, their companies would encourage their development. Big
Fred,
who
had
a
vested
interest
in
seeing
a
new
member
of
staff
appear
as
he
had
been
“under
pressure”
since
Arnold
departed,
suggested
that
he
put
out
the
word
at
the
local
motor
cycle
club.
A
couple
of
days
after
I
had
agreed,
Fred
announced
that
Sam
had
read
the
job
spec
on
the
back
of
This sounded promising so I told Fred to arrange a meeting. My post-lunchtime siesta was rudely interrupted by the unmistakeable and ever pleasing sound of a Harley Davidson arriving in the yard. Fred opened my office door and ushered in a rather slender figure wearing leathers. “Here’s Sam, Boss, I’ll leave you to it, as I have got to go out on a breakdown.” The door closed and, as I looked up, Sam was removing the helmet to reveal a long length of attractive blond hair and a wicked grin that confirmed that Sam was definitely Samantha. Within minutes I discovered that Sam was the only daughter in a family of bikers and was obviously well acquainted with all things mechanical; in addition, she was computer literate and could write clearly. She wanted a job working with machinery and it turned out Fred had briefed her well on our industry. I pointed out that, apart from the statutory dragon in our accounts department, she would be the only female employee. I had some reservations about the stereotyped attitude of our resident truck driver Rocket Raymond, but Samantha proved the depth of her qualifications by pointing out that if I needed to put the wind up the old pervert (whom she knew socially) she had an HGV ticket and could do his job any day! It will be an interesting summer now we are back to full strength and it goes to show that there are groups of individuals who have the right background for working in our industry if we take the trouble to look. Another group that are potty about mechanical kit are those who restore vintage tractors and farm machinery. A local competitor has two young lads he recruited by asking the announcer at a local tractor rally to ask if there were any teenagers looking for work to report to him in the beer tent! It may not be as politically correct as the Labour Exchange, but it has its merits. No doubt our major trade associations will all have a stand at SED. Why not have notice boards at each one where any plant hirer with trainee vacancies can post details so that young people or their parents attending the show can get career advice? Now, that would prove how really useful trade associations can be at times. Executive Hire News › Archives › May 2007 › Crosshire › Lessons in recruitment
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