Hiring an employee that has had a lot of jobs

[pfseeley442]

I have a help wanted out for a technician. A tech that I know applied for the job. He is a very nice person , ASE master, L1, and about 10 years of experience . He is a very smart and capable tech,His down fall is that he has had six different jobs , after a year or two his performance drops and he leaves. The reasons vary : performance, personal reasons etc. I have had very little response to my ad. Do I take a chance and get some time out of him or pass and keep looking? Thank you for any responses .

 

 

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[lmcca]

we get that too, if your desperate it will most likely get you out of a jam but really, its your choice. We have done it...

[mspecperformance]

Those definitely sound like red flags however something to keep in mind is what kind of environment and culture are you bringing this new technician into? Some people are self starters and highly self motivated. They can also keep that motivation up in the face of a bad environment. Most people are not and things can wear on them over time. These things might not even be your fault. I have been on both ends of the spectrum. I've had a technician that had a great work ethic and highly self motivated however after 2+ years he became the opposite. I also have a newer technician that has been with me for about 8 months now. He has had many many positions at various different shops. Some shops he was only employed for 2 weeks before deciding to leave. Since hiring him he has become one of my best technicians and at least up to this point has a high motivation level. The difference between the two scenarios for me was the first tech was brought into a unhealthy environment. At the time for lack of better words I didn't have my shit together. First impressions go both ways. Even though we had started making improvements, the damage was already done. My newer tech on the other had came into a shop environment and culture that was much more conducive to team work and ethics. I think that has made all the difference. I guess the point I am trying to make is as much as you are analyzing this tech you should also analyze your shop situation if you are providing all the necessary things a new tech would need to thrive.

[Joe Marconi]

I agree with M-Spec. We don't know all the reasons for his multiple jobs. Now, with that said, I look for reasons NOT to hire. What I mean by that is we tend to make allowances and tell ourselves that we may be able to cure or somehow make this person a good fit. This may not be so.

 

I totally understand that qualified techs are hard to fine, but do your homework. Have a long meeting/interview with him. Find out as much as you can about the person, not the tech.

 

If you can provide a workplace in which he feels secure and motivated, then the odds of him staying are a lot greater. But, if he is the type of person that fizzles out on his own (for whatever reason), you will be the next shop on his resume.

 

Many Master Techs get burned out too because the shop puts so many demands on them to be the savior of the shop. It takes a team to win a game, not one superstar.

 

As with any potential hire, take your time and do your homework. The more you do in the beginning will pay off down the road.

 

Good luck!