True Story: Strategies for Successful Hiring

Marcianne Kuethen

July 14, 2014

It’s always educational to hear about an employer’s strategies for successful hiring. Here’s an excerpt from a trade magazine article* written by Sonya Jennings after interviewing Dave Triepke, owner of Universal Metro and a client of Amtec’s. Universal Metro is a 30-year-old commercial flooring contractor in Santa Fe Springs, California with 1 store and an annual revenue of $12 million.

Finding and hiring good employees is a challenge, but through experience Triepke has successfully honed his process. When he first started, if he had a position to fill, he would reach out to various industry professionals and friends to ask if they could recommend a prospective employee. Often, he was given the name of someone who was either not working or unhappy in their current position, instead of someone who wanted to learn and grow with an ever-changing industry Now, Triepke seeks educated people with a great attitude who are open to learning new things. “I’m not looking for an industry expert when I hire a new person,” he says. “I’m looking for an educated person who is teachable with a positive mental attitude.”

He also lives by the “ABR” principle–Always Be Recruiting. When going about his daily life, if he notices a stand-out person or employee, he takes the opportunity to plant the seed about working for Universal Metro.

About three years ago, Triepke started working with Amtec, a staffing firm, to help him recruit and hire new employees. Amtec screens potential employees in the areas of personality, history and integrity. One simple screening test, which requires the potential employee to call in at a certain time, answers one of the main questions employers want to know before they hire someone: Is this person going to do what they say they are going to do?

The article goes on to say that, to retain the great employees he finds, Triepke has a chaplain available for confidential personal or professional counsel to meet the personal and emotional needs of the company’s staff.

In review, here’s a synopsis of Triepke’s strategies for successful hiring:

1) Know what competencies a candidate must have to fulfill the role for which you’re hiring.

2) Always be recruiting!

3) Partner with a staffing agency you can trust to deliver candidates who are a good match.

4) Establish meaningful ways to retain the employees you’ve worked hard to attract.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. We wish Universal Metro and all our clients the best as you employ these strategies for successful hiring!

Are your employees really engaged in their work? Here’s how to tell if they’re not.

By Marcianne Kuethen

*www.floordaily.net