Replies

1. 
   SawdustSteve | Apr 02, 2003 05:40pm | #1

   Try the local High School or Vocational School.  Ask for recommendations from the Woodworking teacher. I'm sure they have some excellent candidates for your job opening.  These students will have lots of enthusiasm.   Yes, like anyone new to the job, their skills will be a bit raw but with a bit of training to YOUR work system, you should get a 'keeper'.  Like any job aplicant, some will be better matches for you while others will not seem to meet your standards.  Don't be put off by strange tatoos, purple hair or pierced eyebrows.  If they know how to read a ruler and a set of plans, you're half way there.

   SawdustSteve   

1. 
   donkon | Apr 02, 2003 06:21pm | #3

   Morning,

   Sheridan College - http://www.sheridanc.on.ca

   Ryerson Polytechnical University - http://www.ryerson.ca

   Mohawk College in Hamilton - 905-575-2878

   Humber College in Toronto - 416-675-3111

   George Brown College in Toronto - 416-867-2000

   Fanshawe College in London - 519-452-4100

   Conestoga College in Kitchener - 519-748-5220 -Ext. 467

   Cambrian College in Sudbury - 705-566-8101

   Algonquin College in Nepean - 613-727-9400

   Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto - 416-977-6000

   All of these are listed in the Furniture Society Directory...

   Don Kondra - Furniture Designer/Maker

2. 
   user-164983 | Apr 05, 2003 04:11pm | #4

   thanks for the imput.  It seems you amy have hired using this criteria.  It is sometimes difficult to estimate the long term interests and skills of a person during the interview and 'honeymoon' period.

2. 
   RANGERP75R | Apr 02, 2003 06:18pm | #2

   @Birdland

     Ditto Sawdust Steve's comments. Might add that they'll be so enthusiastic, you will have to defuse them a bit. When you do hire, make it very clear what to do and what not to do. ha..ha..

   sarge..jt

3. 
   pauld | Apr 05, 2003 10:38pm | #5

   Young people today seem to pick up on inconsistencies rather quickly, and can be fairly vocal compared to us older folks who may just grin and bear it when we see something that goes against our grain.

   I don't recall who said it, but I try to remember the quote "Environment teaches where precepts often fail." when hiring youngsters: it's a reminder to maintain my shop and tools, and comport myself, in the manner to which I would like to see the young people aspire.

   If I say one thing and do another, they'll call me on my inconsistency very quickly.

   FWIW,

   Paul

4. 
   foghorn | Apr 06, 2003 12:51am | #6

   Hire anyone who asks to be hired but under the following conditions:

   He/she should consider the job temporary; literally one day at a time until you tell them otherwise. If you tell them not to come back one day, whether or not they are told why is YOUR decision to make. That should be put in writing and they should sign it.

   Within a week, odds are you will know who will earn a paycheck or at least try damm hard to.

   Knowing who has or will develop a love for this kind of work will probably take longer but at least along the way you will have someone who follows instructions with a will because it is their nature. I don't think that can be faked for any length of time.

1. 
   mrles | Apr 06, 2003 06:16am | #8

   Mike

   I like your concept, it's probably the way most of us feel if we have been on the hiring end for any length of time.

   A good example EXXON in Baytown in 1965 had the first hiring in several years, tested 1200 potential operators trainees. Hired 7 people one was my brother. A year later when my brother left because he didn't like shift work there was one person out of that 7 people hired a year earlier left. If EXXON with all their resources and personnel programs can't do any better than that why do I think can.

   Gods Peace

   les

5. 
   mrles | Apr 06, 2003 06:02am | #7

   The easiest thing I have ever done is hire an employee. The most difficult thing I have ever done is to tell how that person will turn out. Use your good judgment do a background check and good luck. I've been hiring people for over 30 years, I have taken chances on a few people and had good results and some failures. Don't expect anyone to do things the same way you would do it, as long as they get the job done safely and in a timely manner. I have long term employees.

   Gods Peace

   les  

6. 
   davamoore | Apr 07, 2003 11:27pm | #9

   Don Kondra referred to the Furniture Society.  The Society also has a portion of their website dedicated to connecting apprentices with established furnituremakers.  They've just revised that section of the website, and I can't remember the new name of the section (it used to be called "Onsite Learning"), but it's in the Forums.

   It's for members only, but -- and again, I haven't looked at that section myself for a while -- sometimes you can "View" certain areas of the forums without being able to actually post messages.  After taking a look, it might be worth it to you to join, for that reason only.  As is often the case, there tends to be more applicants than openings, so you may have some leeway in choosing just the right person.

   David

   "The world that was not made is not won by what is done" -- Mundaka Upanishad