Tips for Avoiding Wrong Hires for Machine Shops

The wrong employee in any industry creates a ripple effect that reduces productivity and causes riffs among faithful staff. Not only does is it costly to fire employees after short spans, it also wastes company time. Hiring the right employee is more than placing an advertisement, interviewing and selecting someone. There's the training process to consider, as well as evaluating their skills. Machining companies face a larger struggle, due to a vast amount of openings and a lack of skilled potential employees to fill these slots. This increases the need for spending more time on the hiring process to determine the right employee for your specific line of work. The best worker for this type of industry has demonstrated his skill in a similar line of work and has the ability to adapt to normal machine shop situations that can appear. From a broken tool to measurements, it's these little items that hinder productivity; at the same time, these are norms in a shop. Your employee must be able to handle these situations and remain calm under pressure. The goal is to figure out who these employees are during the interview process.

• Do not rush the hiring process. Talk to recruiters to determine potential leads of interest to your shop. Keep in mind that their star recruit may not be the right fit for your company. The idea is to have an initial interview, and then several more to diversify the topics and find out more about these potential hires. The more you talk with an employee, the more comfortable they will become. As a result, you can discover their true personably and whether they'll fit in with your current staff.
• The right attitude goes a long way in the machining industry. Creating a product can sometimes be wholly frustrating, as tools break and measurements may be off, amongst other challenges. Sometimes the best qualified for the position carries an all-knowing attitude, which is detrimental to productivity. These are employees that aren't willing to learn and who struggle with roadblocks that are naturally occurring in this industry. Avoid these types of employees to find a worker with the right attitude. They may have less experience, but they are more malleable: both to criticism and to frustrations.
• Don't hire an employee on the spot because you like them. This is one of the biggest mistakes any employer can make. The initial interview brings out nervousness in people, but also their best qualities. You need to thoroughly assess them before a hire. In fact, those that hire in this way, often find the true nature of this employee is much different on the shop floor.
• Instate a trial period for hires to create a training window that allows your workers, the employee and yourself to determine if they are the right fit for your company. Additionally, some hires will fight a termination notice, which can cost your company precious money. By creating a one- to three-month temporary hiring period, you can both be certain you made the right choice, without repercussions.
• Create a training program, including education about processes specific to your shop. Allow for a learning curve, but also be strict about errors that are off-limits in your shop. These established rules will ensure your hire is aware of how to work and behave.

About the Author: Toby B. Jackson is a contributing author and former owner of a machining company. For 20 years he produced, designed and manufactured both medical equipment and small engine parts. He still consults with other local businesses in the area, helping them find welding products to increase productivity.

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