Hiring good help.

4575 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Joewho, May 23, 2007

BenPaintinTooLong

Discussion Starter · May 13, 2007

From what I see and here around my area NY. are crews made up of mostly Spanish guys. I see it every where, maybe it is time to join the majority and hire the minority in order to have a successful business and get out of the bucket.
What are you guy's take on this, how many Spanish painters do you have % wise on your crews?

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

Rich

· #2 · May 14, 2007

no comprende

ProWallGuy

· #3 · May 14, 2007

0% :no:

Roadog

· #4 · May 14, 2007

I live in Maine. Dont see any Spanish till I get to Mass. We got a lot of people from Jersey though!

ProWallGuy

· #5 · May 14, 2007

Roadog said:
We got a lot of people from Jersey though!

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Dave Mac

· #6 · May 14, 2007

just because they are spanish doesnt mean they are good workers

MAK-Deco

· #7 · May 14, 2007

0% - Spanish mostly in taping around here, we have a lot of Eastern Europeans in painting, (Mostly made up of Polish).

Once had a tradesman on a job that sounded Polish and said a little something to him in Polish and he looked at me and yelled in English I'm not Polish I'm Czech!

That was the last time I tried to speak another language to someone w/o knowing where they were from.

aaron61

· #8 · May 16, 2007

I put an add for painters in sat and sun to hire right away
I had maybe 4 good prospects out of 30
They were all The Best Painter 2 didn't show up for interview 1 had no tools or whites hired 1.
Most of them were over 40, 2 were 26.
The young guys want to start out at the top
I think blood is shooting out of my eyes

MAK-Deco

· #9 · May 16, 2007

I have heard similar stories here in Chicago, but there was a thread not long ago but how we all complain that there's no good help and we aren't looking hard enough!

If a painters good, he should be working either for himself or a reputable contractor

BenPaintinTooLong

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 16, 2007

MAK-Deco said:
I have heard similar stories here in Chicago, but there was a thread not long ago but how we all complain that there's no good help and we aren't looking hard enough!

If a painters good, he should be working either for himself or a reputable contractor

I had the same thing when I tried to hire some help last year and many other years as well. It is next to impossible to get any help that can paint, I don't care what ,on a post not so long ago said, maybe 1/10th of 1% got lucky and found good help or they have dependable Mexican painters (most likely). That is the route I am taking, I have had enough of it ,white America will not work I am getting out of the bucket by what ever means necessary. :yes:
BPTL

BenPaintinTooLong

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 16, 2007

aaron61 said:
I put an add for painters in sat and sun to hire right away
I had maybe 4 good prospects out of 30
They were all The Best Painter 2 didn't show up for interview 1 had no tools or whites hired 1.
Most of them were over 40, 2 were 26.
The young guys want to start out at the top
I think blood is shooting out of my eyes

I feel for ya , been through it for 15 years, still working alone, getting too old to continue much longer, so I am going to do what I see most successful paint co's do ,hire the Mexicans, they want to work and will learn fast, show up every day. This way I can get out of the bucket and own a profitable paint co. to retire with at 57. Beats waiting until 65 for sure.
BPTL

Brushslingers

· #12 · May 16, 2007

Just takes a few minutes.... well in southern time anyhow, a minute could be a day or two

I have found that no matter what the race, if you take your time and pay for/hire the very best... the only thing you will have to worry about is keeping em busy.

MAK-Deco

· #13 · May 16, 2007

There are a lot of white males good or not who want to make top dollar right off the bat (and aren't worth it), and that has to do with companies paying non white less money to work. White males feel they are above working non whites. IMO

No matter how great a non white is big companies feel they can get way from paying them top dollar, they may make good money but never the top dollar. (now I am sure there exceptions) No different then a female vs male thing either.

welovepainting

· #14 · May 17, 2007

aaron61 said:
I put an add for painters in sat and sun to hire right away
I had maybe 4 good prospects out of 30
They were all The Best Painter 2 didn't show up for interview 1 had no tools or whites hired 1.
Most of them were over 40, 2 were 26.
The young guys want to start out at the top
I think blood is shooting out of my eyes

That is exactly what happens to us everytime we run an ad. I find a good way to find workers is through your local paint stores, and or ask your current employee's.

Dave Mac

· #15 · May 17, 2007

From everthing i have studied and from my own experience, you just have to face the facts, it takes about 20 bad ones to find a good, either deal with that, and start building, or continue to work alone, is the conclusion i came to. also once you find a good one, i have found they usally know good ones as well, and if your a good company they will more then likly turn you on to some other good painters

aaron61

· #16 · May 17, 2007

Dave Mac said:
From everthing i have studied and from my own experience, you just have to face the facts, it takes about 20 bad ones to find a good, either deal with that, and start building, or continue to work alone, is the conclusion i came to. also once you find a good one, i have found they usally know good ones as well, and if your a good company they will more then likly turn you on to some other good painters

This seems to always be the case. No matter how much I talk with them or go through policies and procedures the bottom line is out in the field.
The younger of the 2 I just hired ,just got fired.I think I'll start making over 40 part of the job requirement

Joewho

· #17 · May 22, 2007

In chicago proper, lots of poles paint. As you get into the suburbs, more hispanic.

Here in Vegas, the entire commercial industry is hispanic. The residential sector is a mix of caucasian and hispanic.

Problem here is that they must hire bi-lingual supervisors. Hispanics are generally good reliable workers. But, they do average basic work and in general don't seem to be open to learning extensive professional painting. Yet act as if they are the quacha. I've walked onto several jobs where the hispanics just assume they know everything. Yes, they are good at production but don't know jack about a high quality job. I think they'd be lost if they had to work on smooth walls. Bottom line, that attitude prevails here.
Outside the union, commercial painters don't make more than 18/hr. for spraying. Brush and roller make 15/hr. or less. I still don't know what the custom companies pay. They all want me to fill out an app to find out.

I have e-mailed a very highly rated company in Vegas, owner says to call and ask for him. Two times now, I've gone through this and only reach someone in the office who will not foward a message or give info. Says to come in and fill out an app.

I would much rather have a converstaion before doing any of that. Am I being an uppity white guy?

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Brushslingers

· #18 · May 22, 2007

I think you should change your name to uppitywhiteguy.... hehe

Joewho

· #19 · May 23, 2007 (Edited)

Brushslingers said:
I think you should change your name to uppitywhiteguy.... hehe

LOL, right after that post, the phone rang, a guy in the office said they are conducting interviews tomorrow.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

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