I need to add another carpet cleaner to my staff.

My main concerns are that the person is reliable (rarely misses work), presents well to the customer and is smart enough to learn the technical details.

I am torn, do I put an add in the paper and interview?  If yes, do I look for experience or do I train? If no, do I steal from my competition?

What do you all think?  Where would you look?

Get the new one the same way as you got the others.................you're not in business and business is definately not in you...............go sell socks door to door.......while you get an education

                               Nightrider

I'm currently looking for an employee

I would rather hire someone inexperienced but I'm injured and can't even really train right now

experienced cleaners tend to have bad habits or are set in their ways

You have to make your own good employees.

when you mold a good employee... you spend time to train then... they get really good... you feel so proud

UNTIL THEY QUIT to open their own...

Hi Adwa, yes to clarify, I am a woman. 

Some cynics here. I guess I shouldn't be surprised!

Steamer, yea lots of risks, people definately aren't that loyal but then again, I guess I quit once to "open my own" too!

I guess you have to get the most you can from people for as long as possible and then start again... hopefully you don't lose too many clients in the process.

I thought I would throw it out there and see what you all think.  I am sure that if their are any great sources for finding people that some of you would surely know what they are.

Jodi...  the thing is you have to find someone that is all that and a bag of chips... it is hard... you don't want to hire some idiot thats going to wreck carpet and furnitures and cost you more than he's worth...

good help cost a lot of money.... 

pay a tech well and hope for the best....

good luck

Yea, I definatley agree with you.    I am paying quite well now and let me say that it has sure upset some applecarts that the carpet cleaners make more than the managers on the other side of the business.

BUT the work is harder, longer hours and way more demanding.  I just tell them they can change jobs if they want... so far no takers. lol

I love cleaning carpet...  I started out on my own for this season... it's going well.  Thanks to all the people here pushing and cheering me on.  I have been subbing for a long time, and as a semi-employee I feel taken for granted.  They make all the money and I do all the work.

I'm glad your pay structure favors the people in the field, because at the end of the day it's the work of a happy cleaner than brings in the money, not some pen pusher

I couldn't agree more.  First, the carpet cleaner is who the customer sees and knows and is who represents my business.  If he/she is unhappy or feels disgruntled and leaves odds are a bunch of my residential client base will go too.

Also, my current tech works till midnight some nights when we get on-call stuff.  I may take the phone call but I doubt very much that I am going to haul out and do it.  I have to respect that and pay for it. The work is physical and technical.  If you don't pay enough to have smarts and the dedication to the job I guess you'll pay more in wrecked furniture and carpets!

Steaminpile wrote: I'm currently looking for an employee   I would rather hire someone inexperienced but I'm injured and can't even really train right now   experienced cleaners tend to have bad habits or are set in their ways

I'm with Steaminpile on this one. Hire a newbie and train them to do it your way. Then you have no old habits to break. I hate hearing "at xyz company we did it this way".

doug wrote: This is not an industry noted for people making a career of.

I guess we're just a bunch of weirdos then

People always feel sorry for Carpet cleaners... giving you food money clothes...a place to live...