Help Wanted?

[Donny]

I've hit that tipping point, I need help. I have a guy that's been my go to helper for about 3 or 4 years, he's good, knows my layout, my tools, and how to do everything I do, but, he can't be there all the time I need him, between his other job, and sometimes jobs (alcohol issues) but doing what I'm doing nowadays, I need someone like him (assuming he's going to migrate on) that can weld, read a tape measure, and has experience doing Fabrication, and of course can Media Blast, etc. The stuff I'm doing has evolved from the Blasting side. Customers see my personal projects as they peruse my shop, and say "Can you do that for me"? And I say "I can, ah when do you need it, and it will be expensive". I have 3 cars waiting to get in, under contract, and three in the shop undergoing massive surgeries. I am out of room, and the aforementioned help wanted! GMs are coming out of the woodwork so to speak; 2 69 Camaro's, Corvettes, and older Chevrolets. Got a 40 Ford under contract, and things are busting like crazy! So, my problems are getting bigger and better, and these are the problems I like to have!

 

[Hemi Rebel]

I wish I was in Texas.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Same here if was in tx. I'd be willing to do a career change

 

[Meep-Meep]

Glad to hear it Donny because a while back you were looking for stuff to do. And I'm not in TX either. Maybe Cranky can help?

 

[snakeoil24]

Good luck hope you do well. watch cash flow!

 

[Donny]

I'm watching it flow right out the door! As I step it up with the both of us working, I'm having to bill more frequently, I had been billing once a month, but, if I'm on it daily, it's every 2 weeks from now on.

 

[Duda]

I am self employed with 50 employees, we are a communications contractor with all the work done in house. I have 3 full time mechanics, supervisors, and of construction workers. I have been in business 28 years and have leavened a lot, the employee issue you speak of is normal with the type of business we have, the only ones that understand this is the self employed. You have some choices. Try contacting the Texas employment office, career links department and ask them to help you locate good people. They also offer a program here if we hire someone from them they will refund us $4500.00 if you pay the employee a minimum of 10.00 per hour. I also post jobs on indeed.com and this website post the job to several other sites. Feel free to pm me with any additional questions, I do not mind helping if I can. We also do all the billing on a daily basic so we can get it submitted to shorten the waiting timeframe. Most of the utility companies payment terms are at 90 days. I personal interview all employees, we do a pre employment package, drug and alcohol testing, 10 year background check, physical with approved dot medical card to drive any company vehicle. All new employees must have a drivers license, any current employee with a DUI cannot be insured to drive a company vehicle fir 5 years. Sounds a limitless extreme but the claims we have had has forced us in to this employing a risk management company. All in all I still have the same employees but they do show up every day. Let me know if this helps.

 

[conv67bdere]

Hey Donny - that really sounds like a lot of fun - but I think the commute from NC would be murder ! !

Oh, and I'm still learning about welding - you'd pass on me for that.

Hate it when you find a good worker only to lose them to alcohol . . . that really sucks. G'luck in your search ! !

 

[HawkRod]

Donny,

Glad to hear business is good enough that you need help! That's a nice problem to have, and I am sure it speaks to your quality work!

Just a thought - how about hiring an armed forces vet? Typically they have great discipline and work ethic. Plus, if you can find someone who meets your qualifications, it is a great way to pay them back for their service...

 

[Donny]

Hey all, thanks! Hiring a Vet, I'd love to! I guess I need to beat the street to find 'em, no need to look too far though. My past experiences with Vets has been wounded ones, remember my rant and thread on The Thief, and his one-legged buddy? It was a "Look at me and my wounded buddies people at SEMA, give us tools and stuff so we can play". I saw this mantra gestate, and the tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools and stuff get pilfered and scattered to the 4 winds because these Veterans were careless and had that mentality that equates to an Obama voter; Low Information and the 'gimme' mentality. So, I excused myself from those circles of them getting nothing done, and went on my own whereas I am getting things done.

Yeah, my guy is a huge liability, he's driving his truck on a suspended license and has to blow into a device to determine if he's DUI, then the computer allows his truck to start, he's on the border of going to Jail, in fact, the only reason he's not in jail is b/c the jails are full! I hope he cleans himself up. But, I won't leave him alone, the liability is too high.

 

[Finallygotmine]

Does the person you hire have to have all the skills you possess? Is there any way you can hire someone to do all the "odds and ends" kind of stuff so you two can concentrate on doing the craft of your business? It might buy you some time if you could hire someone to do all the little things that eat up your time. It does sound like you are ready for expansion,...Good for you!!
You might want to try some temp help services first. sometimes a good guy who is down on their luck can be found through these type of services. Then you don't have to officially hire them at first and you can gauge their skill level. Kinda like renting an employee and you can go on a day to day basis to try them out.
One of the construction companies I worked for in the past used this. Went through quite a few folks and finally found some keepers. Just a thought.

 

[Donny]

Hey Finallygotmine, good ideas for sure! It's also if they want to work with me, or for me, or, in the environment, etc. Today, my guy Vince wrapped up the Detroit Speed Engineering (DSE) Mini Tubs for the 69 Camaro after a LOT of modifications and fabrication and re-fabrication on the attaching coupons tieing the Inner wheelhouses to the Shock Crossmember. Vince was able to capture the big picture with a large gap at the beginning; where to make the cuts in the Frame! We were able to gain about 3/4 of an inch wider than the original DSE kit indicates. Being able to capture the vision with an end state and formulating the idea just a few steps ahead of executing is what is a blast.

 

[Budnicks]

Donny good luck finding good help, some really good suggestions her already... I hope your business continues to grow/expand... cha ching

 

[wedge69]

Move me there and I am your man ! Yea I wish also !!!
Good luck with it as good help these days is harder to find than the car's them selves.

 

[Cranky]

Glad to hear it Donny because a while back you were looking for stuff to do. And I'm not in TX either. Maybe Cranky can help?

Shoot....going on 63, looking for work like that isn't in any plans lol plus I'm at least 200 miles away.

 

[snakeyes]

that's not that bad of a commute to work