I can hire guys all day long for $75/day in an obama economy

[CITY PARK CUTTER]

Have 'em standing in line for work. Think about that the next time you walk into the voting booth. Even though I didn't think much of Bush, I had to pay $100 for that same worker. So I kind of like this crappy Obama economy on one hand...tough call. Mitt will be better for financial responsibility but Obama keeps my lackies down on the farm.

[JimLewis]

I feel you on that one! Ever since the recession hit, I got guys I could have only dreamed of hiring before willing to come and work for me for 25% less than they would have before. Every time I post a job, there are always more qualified candidates who respond than I can respond to. That never used to happen. In Jan. '11 we posted an add for a new office manager. It's a decent position. But only starts at about $15.00 per hour. Within 2 days we had over 250 resumes to look over. Over a dozen of the applicants had MBAs! Are you kidding me? MBAs fighting for a $15 an hour office job? It was crazy.

Fortunately, we found the best lady in the world to fill the position. She has a college degree from my Alma mater, always a cheerful attitude, excellent phone etiquette and she had 3 years experience managing an office for another landscape company. She's been absolutely amazing (which reminds me, I need to give her a raise. I'll have to do that tomorrow.)

I have an irrigation tech. working for me who has a degree in landscape architecture, graduated magna cum laude, and designed and managed large landscape projects for a large firm in CO for several years before the recession hit. He's been here a year now just happy to have a job - even though his current position isn't really what he was trained for. But he's been very happy just being an irrigation repaid technician and he's very good at it. It's just bonus that he also knows landscapes in and out too! I never could have got a guy like that for that wage, 4 or 5 years ago.

It's like that across the board. In every department of our company I've been able to snag some really good employees.

In the past, we used to have to settle for someone who was less qualified than what we were looking for. Sometimes we were just happy to have someone show up for an interview. These days qualified candidates are beating down our door, even when we are NOT hiring.

I do love that part of the recession. But despite that, I still want Obama gone. He's been a disaster. I don't think Obama caused the current economic disaster. But I do believe he's hindered and delayed the recovery. And I'd rather have a great economy and have to fight to find good workers than have a crappy economy and great workers.

[lotsagrass]

I like how Steve Wynn puts it: "I'll Be Damned If I Want To Have Him Lecture Me"

Video:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...ecture_me.html

[Green_Pips]

Originally Posted by JimLewis

I feel you on that one! Ever since the recession hit, I got guys I could have only dreamed of hiring before willing to come and work for me for 25% less than they would have before. Every time I post a job, there are always more qualified candidates who respond than I can respond to. That never used to happen. In Jan. '11 we posted an add for a new office manager. It's a decent position. But only starts at about $15.00 per hour. Within 2 days we had over 250 resumes to look over. Over a dozen of the applicants had MBAs! Are you kidding me? MBAs fighting for a $15 an hour office job? It was crazy.

Fortunately, we found the best lady in the world to fill the position. She has a college degree from my Alma mater, always a cheerful attitude, excellent phone etiquette and she had 3 years experience managing an office for another landscape company. She's been absolutely amazing (which reminds me, I need to give her a raise. I'll have to do that tomorrow.)

I have an irrigation tech. working for me who has a degree in landscape architecture, graduated magna cum laude, and designed and managed large landscape projects for a large firm in CO for several years before the recession hit. He's been here a year now just happy to have a job - even though his current position isn't really what he was trained for. But he's been very happy just being an irrigation repaid technician and he's very good at it. It's just bonus that he also knows landscapes in and out too! I never could have got a guy like that for that wage, 4 or 5 years ago.

It's like that across the board. In every department of our company I've been able to snag some really good employees.

In the past, we used to have to settle for someone who was less qualified than what we were looking for. Sometimes we were just happy to have someone show up for an interview. These days qualified candidates are beating down our door, even when we are NOT hiring.

I do love that part of the recession. But despite that, I still want Obama gone. He's been a disaster. I don't think Obama caused the current economic disaster. But I do believe he's hindered and delayed the recovery. And I'd rather have a great economy and have to fight to find good workers than have a crappy economy and great workers.

Sure, you may have provided a job, and these people may be happy to work...But, what you just described, is one of the reasons why the job market is weak. Everybody seems to be happy exploiting the weak economic conditions with low wages. Unfortunately the job market is too far gone to make a strong come back, at least in my opinion. I will leave it with this food for thought. I certainly would not boast about how I have over qualified employees which I am happy to under pay, simply because the economy allows it?

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by Green_Pips

Sure, you may have provided a job, and these people may be happy to work...But, what you just described, is one of the reasons why the job market is weak. Everybody seems to be happy exploiting the weak economic conditions with low wages. Unfortunately the job market is too far gone to make a strong come back, at least in my opinion. I will leave it with this food for thought. I certainly would not boast about how I have over qualified employees which I am happy to under pay, simply because the economy allows it?

Great post. Don't take it wrong Jim but I completely agree.

[JimLewis]

Originally Posted by Green_Pips

Sure, you may have provided a job, and these people may be happy to work...But, what you just described, is one of the reasons why the job market is weak. Everybody seems to be happy exploiting the weak economic conditions with low wages.... I will leave it with this food for thought. I certainly would not boast about how I have over qualified employees which I am happy to under pay, simply because the economy allows it?

I never said anything about under paying them. You sure do assume a lot. Employees typically stay with our company for 5-10 years. I have 5 guys who have been here over 9 years now! That's because I treat them well, pay them a respectable wage, and don't take advantage of them. Our office manager has been here almost 2 years now and has had 2 raises since she started. She has benefits and is happy with her position.

The irrigation tech. I was referring to is making almost $20 an hour, plus benefits. And he gets 5-15 hours of overtime every week, if he wants it. He also gets time off when he requests it. Like yesterday he requested half the day off. The only job he was able to find before we hired him in this industry, after being in Oregon for over 6 months, was a low-paying job at the Japanese Gardens just taking tickets and answering questions. Now, unfortunately he's not being used as a landscape architect, as he was trained. But the reality is we don't have a position for a full time landscape architect here. And neither does anyone else at this point. So he's been very happy at least taking a job in the same industry in which he was trained and making fairly good money.

Don't assume so much. Just because I had people who are well qualified doesn't mean I abuse the privilege. You misread what I was saying. My point was: Before 2008, we could never find qualified people and always ended up having to hire someone who wasn't quite right, just because they were the only ones who applied or showed up. But after 2008, we now have an abundance of choices. It's only smart to choose the best candidate. And in a pre-2008 economy maybe they could have made more elsewhere, but not now. Right now they're getting a good wage, a stable job, and good benefits. If the economy improves and they are hiring people trained in landscape architecture at big firms my irrigation tech. who was trained as a landscape architect will have the opportunity to move to that firm, if he chooses. But for now, he gets a really nice respectable job, a company vehicle to take home every day, good pay (at or better than industry norms), benefits, and a good working environment. So far he's been really happy with that situation. Who are you to tell him he should not have taken this position with us and should have held out for a non-existent job in landscape architecture???

[ed2hess]

Originally Posted by Green_Pips

Everybody seems to be happy exploiting the weak economic conditions with low wages.

Don't give us lectures just go ahead and pay your guys a lot more if it makes you feel good. I feel good just providing people with a job.

[krzys555]

Originally Posted by JimLewis

I feel you on that one! Ever since the recession hit, I got guys I could have only dreamed of hiring before willing to come and work for me for 25% less than they would have before. Every time I post a job, there are always more qualified candidates who respond than I can respond to. That never used to happen. In Jan. '11 we posted an add for a new office manager. It's a decent position. But only starts at about $15.00 per hour. Within 2 days we had over 250 resumes to look over. Over a dozen of the applicants had MBAs! Are you kidding me? MBAs fighting for a $15 an hour office job? It was crazy.

Fortunately, we found the best lady in the world to fill the position. She has a college degree from my Alma mater, always a cheerful attitude, excellent phone etiquette and she had 3 years experience managing an office for another landscape company. She's been absolutely amazing (which reminds me, I need to give her a raise. I'll have to do that tomorrow.)

I have an irrigation tech. working for me who has a degree in landscape architecture, graduated magna cum laude, and designed and managed large landscape projects for a large firm in CO for several years before the recession hit. He's been here a year now just happy to have a job - even though his current position isn't really what he was trained for. But he's been very happy just being an irrigation repaid technician and he's very good at it. It's just bonus that he also knows landscapes in and out too! I never could have got a guy like that for that wage, 4 or 5 years ago.

It's like that across the board. In every department of our company I've been able to snag some really good employees.

In the past, we used to have to settle for someone who was less qualified than what we were looking for. Sometimes we were just happy to have someone show up for an interview. These days qualified candidates are beating down our door, even when we are NOT hiring.

I do love that part of the recession. But despite that, I still want Obama gone. He's been a disaster. I don't think Obama caused the current economic disaster. But I do believe he's hindered and delayed the recovery. And I'd rather have a great economy and have to fight to find good workers than have a crappy economy and great workers.

i totally agree with you.
this economy is ridiculous.
i just put on a 4th crew last
i had people from wall street applying.
eventually hired 3 people with mba and a 4th with a bachler
all have experience in lawncare with another company that went under.

[32vld]

Originally Posted by JimLewis

I feel you on that one! Ever since the recession hit, I got guys I could have only dreamed of hiring before willing to come and work for me for 25% less than they would have before.

His words not mine.

[RussellB]

This very same logic can be used to describe current and future customers. Karma.