I need an assistant
 

Put an ad on Craig's List, got no qualified response whatsoever. My sense is living in an automotive wasteland, I won't get a great response but was hoping for better than I got.

Any ideas on where I can find someone? Any suggested changes to the ad? Is $15/hr enough? I just started getting Ferrari stuff in and think that will really blossom once I get a few jobs back out to customers, so need someone very soon.

Here's the ad.

Tru6, specializing in vintage Porsche restoration, is looking for an assistant. We focus on surface preparation for best possible hardware plating, chrome, aluminum window frame anodizing and parts polishing, painting and powder coating. Previous automotive experience is a plus, but not a requirement. We are more interested in someone that has good focus and excellent attention to detail. This person must be eager to learn, ready to work with serious commitment and should have a real passion for these cars.

This is an entry level position as a general helper. Duties will include:
• unpacking and set-up of customer jobs and photography
• disassembly and cleaning of parts and machinery
• parts pick up and drop off at suppliers
• parts packaging and shipping
• shop clean up and organization

Must be able to lift 50 lbs.

This job is a part time position that will usually require between 20 to 30 hours per week.

Starting pay is $15/hr.

Absolute requirements
Drivers license
No recent tickets
Need to demonstrate a track record of good attendance at your previous jobs
Please provide 3 references

Maybe try a chem major from the local university/community college...
15 $ hour sounds very fair.
I would not mention porsche. Just mention plating methods. Maybe mention must know cathode from anode?

Maybe change assistant to shop helper?

I think this is your biggest issue, and a sentiment shared by many, spanning every profession/employer that posts a job listing there.

You might eventually find someone that fits, but with CL you will just have to fight the maddening signal/noise ratio.

You may have better luck with social media, or posting on sites like this one (and Rennlist/F-chat/etc.).

For specific job-search type listings, you might check out indeed.com. Still no guarantees there either. Good luck...

Talk to the guy who teaches auto repair at the local community college.

Or high school auto shop teacher.

He just did!

Brilliant way to place an ad without placing an ad. ;)

I have to agree that Craigslist is not a place to do recruiting. The suggestions to reach out to local schools is probably your best bet. I'd expect the community colleges and vocational/technical schools should have a career development/counseling department. That's who you want to connect with.

Facebook has been our best recruiting tool. $15/hr is reasonable out here in the corn fields, but I don't know about in the city. "Cleaning parts" seems vague. Cleaning with what? What kind of parts? Could be anything from sandblasting frames to dropping carb parts in an ultrasonic tank. Just MHO.

Good replies, thank you Gentlemen, I feel newly invigorated, and have some work to do tomorrow.

blast cabinets and paint stripper, working with the tumbler.

Have you tried "looking for a stripper" Shaun? :D

Seriously it looks like you're asking for entry level general shop help so I think your rate is more than sufficient.

Facebook and Linked In. Someone might know someone. That's what works for me.

Back in the day when newspapers where newspapers printed by skill pressman, the local paper routinely had a classified advertising for a 'Stripper'. Apparently it was/is a job dealing with presses or some other aspect of printer a newspaper.

Local jr college or high school. If high school, talk to their teachers and don't believe only one. They don't have to be interested in automobiles to start(I rather have it that way). People can be trained and their interest will come along as long as long as you are able provide training and the patient.

I used to think hiring from the trade schools was the only way. No go, everyone single of them want to build sky scrapers and none of them want to carry anything or clean up. Somehow, their instructors told them cleaning around the job site or facilities were not part of their job. They all seem to want to do the most interesting and difficult work, but no one (all four that I hired out of trade school) want to start at the bottom.

I would omit the cleaning part. Tell them in the interview.

My son, who will be a senior in H.S., is involved with a local Career & Technology center at a different school for the mornings during the week. I think if you have something locally like that, and talked to the auto shop teacher, he could find someone to help you.

Find a retired engineer/machinist/mechanic, looking to make some spare change? Other than the 50# lift, I'd post on the bulletin board of a local active adult community.

I pay a neighborhood kid to do the grunt work. Not just on the cars, but around the house and yard too. No kids in your hood?

You mention "taking things apart" and the shop that used to take care of our Porsche collection used to say "You learn an awful lot about what is wrong when taking things apart". In thinking back to my days as a nuclear machinist in the Navy, we always were careful when taking something apart, might tell you something.

I would suggest a couple things, the chance to start at $15 per hour, if really good, more money. Or a sliding scale depending on what you have the person doing, I.E. a Ferrari pays $25 per hour and a Chevy pickup pays $10 per hour?

Modify the post you made on FB with the suggestions here. Post it from your business page, do a boost post and target local car groups and clubs. Spend like $20 and I bet you will find someone. If you need help let me know, Facebook will put it right in front of the guys who need to see it!

Agreed with the high school and tech school shop classes. Can you offer flexible hours? Might make a difference for a student. Is $15/hr fair in your area? Around here the local QT has signs up for $12.50/hr starting, and that's in KS. Totally agree that CL isn't the best place to look either, typically 3/4 of the job listings on there strike me as a scam anyway.

High school kid may be problematic the way this reads. Here in Mass they don’t get their license until beginning of junior year and then it has restrictions against driving someone else, driving in the dark etc. for 6 months. They get out of school at 3 so in winter that leaves 2.5 hours a day they can drive for you and get back home? That most likely means a HS senior. And what HS senior has 3 references, “previous jobs” yet no experience?

So how can they do 20-30 hours per week? In the summer yes but you will lose them in the fall. That means you are looking for high school summer help which I don’t think is what you want.

What about splitting this across 2 kids in trade school doing 10-15 hrs per week and opening this up to a broader training opportunity at less per hour to give them a resume builder. “entry level position as a general helper” will probably not work for a trade school kid. Tell them they can post selfies in Porsches and Ferraris on day 1.

Maybe call up UTI in Norwood and tell them what you are looking for. They can probably help with pay/duties and wording more then any of us who are not living it. And the schools are kind of nannies to these kids so they can recommend a good fit and if they screw you they will get in trouble with the school. I can’t see a high school kid being able to work for more than a summer. If not try halfway house or work release program-there is pride in helping someone get back on their feet.

I would entry drug test ... not sure how to implement when you are a 1 man company without HR.

G

You offer the kid a joint. :)

Haha!

I am saying "entry" drug test on purpose. You just don't want a weed head that can't stop for a few weeks when job hunting. After he/she is hired on, keep the rule that there is random testing possible, but don't go there unless there is poor behavior. With druggies the main issue is that they need money to fuel their habit. And secondary is reliability. Can't get up or work well when you are high ...

G

Hired an assistant today. Summer job only, home from first year college, but seems like a good guy who will get whatever job I throw at him done and done well. I might be able to finish the Cerakoting oven now.