I have ran a couple of help wanted ads last couple of years. I always have a couple of females call me up for the job. I just cant bring myself to hire em. I am not a male chauvinist by any means. I had one female try out for the position. I handed her a weed whacker an said "ok weed whack around the house for me". She looked at it for a couple a minutes an said "could you start it for me?" No problem, I showed her how, and started it up for her. She commenced to weed whack everything except the grass stickin up around the house. Scuse me miss, but could I have that weed whacker back? I'll call ya...
Just ask everyone who responds to your ad what past experieince they have had, suck as weed whacking, mowing, planting, etc. But make sure you ask EVERYONE and not just the females. I would hire a female if they had experience and knew what they were doing.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my wife of 24 years. She would be lookin out the side of her eye at me all the time...
I know one LCO who only hires them and says they are more dependable. I dont know from my own experience.
I would hire them. Any good worker is hard to find. Hear women are better at some things. Would prob. have to work hard for 3 weeks, and take one week off a month. (never been married) Really, I always wondered why more women didn't do what we do. Know some that really enjoy doing their own. (well, 1 and she has a Hustler)
I bet women would be more reliable. Might be a good legal labor source to tap. I hired one years ago, but she had no common sense. Even after a week she could not replace trimmer line in a spool, and once she even started trimming at the house next door to the one we were doing and where we were parked. How do you make THAT mistake?
I have only hired on one female worker ever. Nothing against them, just this one didn't work out. She didn't like doing physical labor, stood around a lot, and oh yeah...rolled her eyes at me. She was gone after about 3 weeks.
An all female company from my former town of London Ontario was on the cover of Turf and Rec our national trade mag. The name of the company is Dirty Girls Lawn Care. they wear pink sweatshirts and are doing VERY well. Brilliant to use the fact that they are female as a marketing tool to get noticed, im sure they do good work. http://www.turfandrec.com/issue1.html if the link works its a pic of them on the cover.
Hate to bring this up but we often work 10-12 hour days with out going to any place that has a public bathroom. I think my next question becomes rather obvious because if i have to lose time driving them to such places how is this a good thing for my bottem line. one other note most of us do not offer health insurance but if you did your in for one hell of a surpize when you find out what women cost. men dont get pregnat and any money we over pay on auto insurance we more then make up for in health.
I currently have 6 employees with 3 being women. They are one of my companies best assets. I would hire another qualified women in a second. The key is that they have a passion for the work and have lots of education in horticulture or pratical experience. If a women calls looking for work with some credentials I would recommend giving them a chance. The only task that they have difficulty with is handling the wb on slopes. They are able to lift 21" mowers by themselves, use the lazer very efficiently and with a little practice trim quickly. Scott
