This week’s post comes Barry Streett – owner & president of Rolling Ridge Deck Company in Evergreen Colorado. For more information on Barry and his company, visit www.rollingridgedeck.com.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that hiring can be one of the toughest things to manage. Hiring “warm bodies” may fill a short-term need, but can cost you valuable production time in the long term.

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Here are tips that I’ve found work for finding the best help:

• Dissect the resume:  Assume that all resumes have been tailored to fit the position that’s being applied for. Read between the lines and know that just because someone has experience with “all aspects of carpentry,” that doesn’t mean that they have specific experience in the area that you need help.
• Details of past projects:  “Helped manage multiple projects” doesn’t necessarily mean the applicant was a supervisor or project manager. Ask for specifics on how they managed the projects. Being able to provide details helps clarify what exactly their previous position entailed.
• Always check references:  Just because an applicant was with a company for several years doesn’t mean they were a top performer. A lukewarm reference can tell you as much about an applicant as an enthusiastic reference.
• Short-term and long-term goals: If they just need work but are still looking for their perfect career, they may not be what you need at that time. If they are looking for a company where they can learn and advance, they may be more invested in their job.

Hopefully these tips can help you weed through the many applicants you get to find the best crew members you can. If you have any tips that have worked for you, please share them in the comments section below.