Finding Awesome Employees

[Amy_ISS]

We all know how it goes. You create a post to solicit applications for a new opening and you're bombarded by unqualified people. In a new video on SSTV, self-storage owner Jon Griffeth, aka The Storage Guy, shares advice on where to find great candidates and how to write a job post that'll entice them.

How do you find quality employees? What key phrases do you use in your job posts to weed out unqualified applicants?

[MamaDuke]

I am so thankful that in my current position it is NOT my responsibility to hire. (To be fair, I did recommend my part-timer just weeks after I started).

I will say that I delete far more resumés than I keep, and many I don't read past the first paragraph. I can't tell you how many hundreds over the years have had an "objective" in the medical field in some way. UMMMMMM..... Then why are you applying for storage???? I'm not interested when 1) I know you're not intending to stay because this isn't what you're looking for OR 2) You can't be bothered to update the resumé for the position. I also toss any that don't have a record of job stability. If they're changing every 2-3 months, I'm not interested. I don't want to have to do this again in a couple months. I HATE interviewing and hiring, even though I have a good track record of great employees.

Then I do a phone interview next. That weeds out a whole lot more. I ask direct questions that many would hold for the in-person interview. I don't have the patience for that!

When they finally make it to this point, I start the in-person interview with a test on following directions. If they can't pass that, I'm not interested!

[pacnwstorage]

Thankfully been here 7 years end of this month. I am not going anywhere and have been offered higher paying jobs from 3 other facilities here in town. I like where I am at. My maint man is the same one that was at the last facility. He is still here, 7 years later as well. That is it and the family guaranteed me that the facility will always be in their family. The last place just went thru an upheaval. The owner had the one here in town and 2 other facilities out of town. He hired a management company that came in and fired all employees and they installed their own people in those positions.

The running joke here is that they will never get me out of this place unless it is feet first. Having done hiring and firing when I ran auto repair shops, I do not miss it at all.

[ams]

This forum is a good resource. You can check the posts of the candidate to see if they would be a good fit.

[wc1974]

Our problem is lack of good candidates and low pay for the area. For example, maintenance guys who work at local apartment complexes are making $25-$28 per hour with benefits. We offer $16 an hour with no benefits because it is not full time, or at some locations its 32 hours a week with some benefits.Some locations need nothing more than an energetic janitor. Other locations need someone who can perform major physical labor. What I find is that the majority of applicants are either ancient- just this side of hospice ( not joking!) or really young with no experience,or maybe they have some experience but covered in meth sores or have some sort of addiction problems.( We have gone through 2 of these in the last 3 years.) My favorite one showed up asking me to sign a form saying he was looking for work, then he left before the interview started. What we need is able bodied people who can walk, lift 50+ lbs, pull and push heavy items , climb ladders, do minor repairs, some major repairs if needed. Someone willing to travel to other stores to fill in. Offering $16 an hour in WA state where $13.50 per hour is minimum wage is not going to get you that person.

[Lisa T]

We found our 2nd job in storage on WorkingCouples.com and our 3rd job in storage right here on this forum. We've been here 11 years on this 3rd job, so I guess it will be our 3rd and last job as we are approaching retirement age.

[MusicCity Gal]

I have just had to staff a brand new location and let me tell you, it was the most challenging time I have ever had! I am not sure if it was the area or what, but I literally only had about 20 apply for the full time manager position. I typically get 60 - 80 resumes. Finally, after searching for over a month, I got a fantastic lady who had recently relocated back to Missouri from Tennessee. It was cool that she had lived in Tennessee though.

At this particular location the part time staff was much easier to fill.

[Grizz]

My best advice after interviewing 100's of people is hire slow and fire fast

If something during the interview (phone or in-person) makes you concerned then question them at that time and continue to question them about it until you get as satisfactory answer or thank them for coming in and move on to the next person.

[PeterL]

I'm in Los Angeles and it is really hard to find people. I don't know how Public Storage and the big companies fill their positions at minimum wage.

On a side note, does anyone have someone have experience having employees who manage both U Haul and self storage? If so, how much did you pay them? (the hourly wage vs your state's min wage would be helpful as cost of living here in CA is insanely high so $15/ hr here is a very different number vs other states)

[MamaDuke]

I'm in Los Angeles and it is really hard to find people. I don't know how Public Storage and the big companies fill their positions at minimum wage.

On a side note, does anyone have someone have experience having employees who manage both U Haul and self storage? If so, how much did you pay them? (the hourly wage vs your state's min wage would be helpful as cost of living here in CA is insanely high so $15/ hr here is a very different number vs other states)

When we added Uhaul at previous properties, the pay didn't change. Honestly, at most storage properties, there is enough downtime that Uhaul doesn't create over-work. Therefore, we are just filling the day with more to do than sit at the desk waiting for customers! So no extra pay was necessary.

The only difference was that since our bonuses were based on total dollars in the bank, those increased as the Uhaul business increased.

[PeterL]

Just throwing this out there but do you all have had better experiences with younger people or retirees, people with or without college degrees, etc?
And if they haven't had prior self storage experience what is a good substitute to where they might be able to learn quickly?

Is there anything in someone's resume that would catch your attention good or bad?

Thanks!

[pacnwstorage]

Sales experience is a plus. The older people tend to be the ones that are self motivated and are on time. Not always but mostly. Management experience is also helpful.

One thing I also watch for is when a prospective employee shows up I look to see if they look self assured or confused. Walk confidently or shuffle their feet. Pays attention to signage when pulling in. Looks me in the eye instead of avoiding my eyes. Enunciates properly and for God sake, does not have to use the word "like" in every freakin' sentence. If they do, well, "Like, get the hell out of here".

[PeterL]

This is the tricky part (and I am a total newbie to all of this) is we got a facility that is 1/3 empty so leasing is super important (sales skills/ communication key) but we also need someone organized and good with the management software. I see some smarter folk applying but pretty sure once they find something better they are gone.

[PeterL]

Sales experience is a plus. The older people tend to be the ones that are self motivated and are on time. Not always but mostly. Management experience is also helpful.

One thing I also watch for is when a prospective employee shows up I look to see if they look self assured or confused. Walk confidently or shuffle their feet. Pays attention to signage when pulling in. Looks me in the eye instead of avoiding my eyes. Enunciates properly and for God sake, does not have to use the word "like" in every freakin' sentence. If they do, well, "Like, get the hell out of here".

Yeh right now on weekends we have a retired construction company owner who is doing us a favor. We is awesome as a communicator but he is just doing this because he's a relative of one of our investors and said he is bored on weekends and doesn't mind doing something low key. I'm hoping we can find that next guy in time.

[pacnwstorage]

Self motivation works in so many directions.