Where Maintenance Managers Find Qualified Helptest

By Dave Lubach, Associate Editor

August 2014

Where to look for qualified employees is a challenge that managers face constantly. Van Hook says he hired his last technician after the prospect applied to a different department within the organization. Brantley says he often finds qualified technicians who previously worked in the construction market.

“(Finding candidates) has tended to be more from personal networking than it has by advertisement of positional vacancies by our human resources department, and such an approach has tended to work better for us over the long haul,” Brantley says. “Because we are a full-service facilities management organization, we maintain a constant interface with the local construction community. This has enabled us to make a couple of key hires.”

When searching for new front-line technicians, managers can focus on three key tactics:

Exhaust all possibilities. “Don’t settle for less than you need because you think that’s all that’s out there,” Van Hook says. “Even if you interview 20 candidates for a $10 an hour job, getting the right person will make it worth the pain of the process.”

Embrace change. “Be ready to adapt your organization to meet with the changing conditions of technology, budget, and managerial expectations on a moment’s whim,” Brantley says.

Appreciate employees. “For one to ever be successful in facilities management, a leader must realize that employees are an organization’s greatest assets,” Brantley says. “I personally adhere to the teachings of the Golden Rule and try to be open and honest as a manager can possibly be with their employees at all times. Finding the way to foster family amongst workers is perhaps our most well-kept secret.”