What Employers are Looking For

Any person that writes an article claiming to know exactly what ALL employers are looking for is lying. Period. Me? I'm no different. I don't know what all employers are looking for! But I will tell you what I do know. I am an employer. There's no other way to look at it, and I am going to tell you, you who might be looking for a job, what I look for in a new hire.

Like I was saying before, every job is different. Just because you follow what I say, or what someone else says, doesn't mean these "tips and tricks" will work for you. But rather, I don't want to direct you. It's not my place. I'd rather just toss information out there and hope it helps someone! And that's exactly what I'm gonna do right now.

1. Reliability
This is one of the biggest values I look for in a new hire. Someone that wants the job, sets up an interview, shows up for the interview, and then (if hired) shows up to work every day more or less on time. Punctuality is nice, but not as much as reliability. They are closely related, true. But I'd rather someone show up every day 5 minutes late than have a punctual person that calls out two or three times a week.

2. Honesty
Of course, I don't want thieves, thugs, or other shifty people running around in other people's homes, so I look for honesty and honor in those I hire. Let's face it- Budget is a cleaning business. Our work isn't glamorous or easy, but it is a job nonetheless. And I expect any new hire to act professionally, do their job, and do it as best as they possibly can. Don't lie. Tell the truth, always. It's not lost on employers believe me, and if it is? They're a bad company to be working for anyway.

3. Autonomy
After training is complete, I look for people that can make their own decisions (where possible) when out in the field. An employee that's basically a robot has no use to me. If there isn't a brain, then longevity in a company where often you must make choices on the fly isn't in the cards. I also look at how they handle pressure, or how a new hire approaches a task they are unfamiliar with. Do they smile and fake it? Or do they take it upon themselves to admit they need help? All things I look at.

4. Humility
As a new hire, you will be told to do things. You will be trained, and you may be criticized. These are not because we enjoy belittling others. It is done to shape you into a better employee, and make your time at Budget less difficult. Not working well with others, bullying, gossiping, name calling. Big turn-offs for an employer.

And that's it. I'm not dancing around this one. Wanna know what an employer wants? Ask them. Wanna know what one employer wants? You just found out!

Best of luck if you're looking for work. It's a jungle out there...

Hiring in Today's World

Finding people that fit your team is rough.

Many are hopefuls, some work out, some don't. But things have changed. A lot. And if you're not posting jobs on the Internet, you are far behind schedule. I'm not trying to be harsh, I'm simply telling you the truth. You see, Budget did all the usual stuff a long time ago. Paper ads, signs at laundromats, supermarkets. We'd do background checks on those we would hire, and then they'd work! Life was good.

Nowadays, those signs are almost useless. And I don't mean the quality of person. I mean that they're basically ignored (I know from personal experience). Before I came to Budget, I was a master at online job searches. I could even spot the stupid pyramid scheme "jobs" before I even read the company name. So I knew then, and I know now, that most people are looking online to find gainful employment.

Budget is no stranger to progress, and we also aren't afraid of change. So, we tried it out! First of all, it is best if you try out a free site first. We used/are using  Craigslist.com, where you can post a job for free as long as you have a valid e-mail address. The response from this was...pretty damn good I must say.

As you start to explore your options, another online site we tried was Snagajob.com. For roughly 70 bucks a month, this website will help you find hourly workers to swell your ranks. Out of all the applications we got (which weren't many) we hired one person. This person worked out really well fortunately, but it's still just one person out of many applications.

Indeed.com was another avenue that we explored. It is actually Cost per Click, meaning that whenever a prospect clicks on your job "ad" you get charged money- whether they apply for the job or not. Needless to say, this did not work for us, and we didn't get a single. Damn. Applicant from that experience.

As I broadened Budget's search for more good people, I checked out many other job posting sites. It was strange- some were free. Some were not, like to the tune of anywhere between $65 to $215 and up for a listing. Damn again. It's not like we have a money fountain in the back, you know?

Why am I telling you all this? The reason is simple.

Hiring has changed. The world has changed. And the people that survive such things are not ones that completely resist, or go along with change. It's the ones who remain cunning, and take from both sides of time and combine what worked in the past with what works in the present. You see, there are thousands of different angles to approach any problem, but there is only one that works for you. When you hire, don't hide from change. And don't embrace it blindly. Use it, use your hiring process, and find out what works for you, and your business.

It's all just a bunch of trial n' error man. What are you waiting for?