Too busy

[Volta]

So, here in Columbus it costs $325 to place an ad on Monster. I have had pretty good luck through other venues, but not enough to fill the current crunch. Has anyone here used that resume service, is it worth it? The bulk of our work is commercial, a smattering of resi or light industrial.

Other ideas?

 

[ramsy]

it costs $325 to place an ad on Monster. Has anyone here used that resume service, is it worth it?

Desperadoes hitch-hiking at big orange, craigslist, electrical-temp agencies, and trade-school students don't usually run jobs, but Union halls may provide foremen to merit shops willing to pay their salary.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Desperadoes hitch-hiking at big orange, craigslist, electrical-temp agencies, and trade-school students don't usually run jobs, but Union halls may provide foremen to merit shops willing to pay their salary.

usually, (read i've never heard of it NOT being required)
you must become a signatory contractor.

that is sorta very much like being married. usually not
easily undone.

saying "i divorce thee" three times won't do it. sorry.

 

[renosteinke]

I don't see any job described, let alone that of foreman for a union shop. I daresay 90% of the readers of this board fall between the 'apprentice' and 'management' extremes. Maybe I missed Ramsy's point.

Otherwise: The challenge of advertising is getting your message to those who can respond. When a lion wants fresh antelope, he goes to the waterhole ... maybe folks looking for electricians might start their search at the counters of the local parts houses.

Other ideas:
-Recruit promising maintenance types you've encountered in the course of your work, and train them;
-Ask fellow contractors if they've laid anyone off recently;
-Watch Craigslist and pawn shops for someone selling their tools;
-Look for promising part-timers at the box stores; and,
-Run a CL ad for some household electrical work - say, bring power to a hot tub - and see what trunk slammers appear. Consider making a promising one 'legal.'

 

[K8MHZ]

usually, (read i've never heard of it NOT being required)
you must become a signatory contractor.

that is sorta very much like being married. usually not
easily undone.

saying "i divorce thee" three times won't do it. sorry.

A union hand can work at a non-sig shop under the guise of 'salting'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_(union_organizing)

 

[Dolfan]

usually, (read i've never heard of it NOT being required)
you must become a signatory contractor.

that is sorta very much like being married. usually not
easily undone.

saying "i divorce thee" three times won't do it. sorry.

Why is it hard to undo and what can they do?

 

[Smart $]

So, here in Columbus it costs $325 to place an ad on Monster. I have had pretty good luck through other venues, but not enough to fill the current crunch. Has anyone here used that resume service, is it worth it? The bulk of our work is commercial, a smattering of resi or light industrial.

Other ideas?

Couldn't tell on first read whether you are looking for work, or looking for workers. Assuming the latter and a merit shop, try Tradesman International... <click here for website><click here for Ohio contact info>

 

[Fulthrotl]

Why is it hard to undo and what can they do?

usually there is a clause in there about becoming non signatory,
and not able to contract in the geographic territory covered by
the local union for a period of time... say three years.

violate that, and they sue you, is the short version.

 

[Fulthrotl]

A union hand can work at a non-sig shop under the guise of 'salting'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_(union_organizing)

yup. around here, that was supposed to bring contractors into the fold.
lawsuits, and claims for back pay, and lots of other stuff happens.
it's not very pretty, and some open shops were driven out of business,
having to reopen under other names.

what it did, was make anyone with a union background almost
unemployable outside the union environment. nobody wanted to take
the risk of hiring someone to find out they had been "salted".

i'm pretty sure i got a "salting" call yesterday.
got a phone call from a guy seeking work, total cold call.

i explained patiently that i am a one man band, and as
i have no employees, i am not bound to carry workers comp,
and am unable to employ *anyone*.

he was very insistent, offering to work for just a day so i could
see how good he was. nice, personable, and persistant.

anyone looking for help in the 951 area code? (riverside, calif.)
PM me for his phone number.

the three caveats that apply here are:

as is, where is, and let the buyer beware.

 

[ramsy]

Maybe I missed Ramsy's point.

Since OP wanted to see resume's, I figured he wasn't looking to train.

 

[ramsy]

lawsuits, and claims for back pay, and lots of other stuff happens. it's not very pretty, and some open shops were driven out of business, having to reopen under other names.

what it did, was make anyone with a union background almost unemployable outside the union environment. nobody wanted to take
the risk of hiring someone to find out they had been "salted". .. let the buyer beware.

Have you heard of such regulatory stings against employment irregularities occurring where journeymen do side work, for themselves, or merit shops?

 

[Volta]

... maybe folks looking for electricians might start their search at the counters of the local parts houses.

Other ideas:
-Recruit promising maintenance types you've encountered in the course of your work, and train them;
-Ask fellow contractors if they've laid anyone off recently;
-Watch Craigslist and pawn shops for someone selling their tools;
-Look for promising part-timers at the box stores; and,
-Run a CL ad for some household electrical work - say, bring power to a hot tub - and see what trunk slammers appear. Consider making a promising one 'legal.'

A couple good ideas here. I'm not sure if I really want to do the switcho-chango of the last one, but I've gotta say it sure could work. I'm meeting with an orange guy this week.

Couldn't tell on first read whether you are looking for work, or looking for workers. Assuming the latter and a merit shop, try Tradesman International... <click here for website><click here for Ohio contact info>

True that, looking to hire. I think that while TI can be a little pricey for long run, might be perfect for the current workload.

Since OP wanted to see resume's, I figured he wasn't looking to train.

Yes and no. While I have no mandated ratios to deal with, it is a simple fact that there needs to be balance between high-skilled and newer people. I do have a person absolutely new to this work starting this week. I think there is always a position for a good worker, specific skills can be taught, but I have so much customer contact and design-build work that it has to be the right kind of person too.