Hello Aunty B,
Well, after 18 months of battling with an apprentice, he has left!
At first I was extremely disappointed, as I put a lot of work into him, then I was angry (as it was he who not only wanted the job, wanted to learn everything, but he also wanted the apprenticeship). In the end he has done me a favour as he was struggling with the work and it turns out he has been thinking of leaving since last year.
Just when I thought I could start getting back with my work and charging out more hours, with him starting to do likewise (so I could recoup some money and start moving the business ahead again) he has walked.
This however has left me with the problem of having to do everything myself again as my part timer is not due back for some months, the apprentice has of course gone and the other position that I have not been able to fill in the last six months, is still vacant.
It is the old story (catch 22) – without charging out work, I do not have enough income and I am only one person! (Which is why I need staff but getting them to the country is nearly impossible!)
The plans were to put on another employee to have a chance of financing our own premises (our lease ran out six months ago) so with the work I have, I should be able to cover another employee (well, two now) but at this stage I am going to have to contact all my current customers and give them the bad news of delays, plus not take on anymore work, though work has been booked in for the future too (I have been also turning down a lot of work). Unfortunately, reputations build very quickly in my industry and all I want is for them to be good with us.
So much for my business plan and goals that I have been working on – it’s all out the window and I’m starting back where I was five years ago, just after we had been nominated for the small business awards and things where looking good (though still tight). I have reinvested everything back into the business so have received no profit in the five years yet and no pay for me, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel if we can get over this hurdle, though I expect there will be plenty more to come.
Any suggestions on how to attract staff to a small country town?
Do I have to drop all my business plans because of serious staff shortages?
Any ideas??
Thanks,
Rod
Dear Rod,
I would come and work for you myself if I knew how to hold a spanner. Readers, know this. Rod has a great little business working on cool cars, based in the SA countryside with a terrific logo: “quality through passion”.
Rod, you are going to be just fine. You are not back where you were five years ago. You have built a reputation, you are well-known in business and the work is coming in. You are older, wiser and you are making a go of your dream life!
Do you know Rod, it’s raining in Melbourne today and I am sitting in my windowless box of an office in a nondescript high rise, breathing air recycled from other people’s lungs romanticising your country life like thousands of people reading this. Now that’s got to make you feel better!
What you need to do is consider other options. Can you take in a business partner? Can you hire a bookkeeper to do some bookwork so you have time to work on the cars and find someone for the business? Are you making use of social media? Join some cool car forums and see if you can attract any young enthusiasts to come and work for you.
Contact local government programs looking to put apprentices in jobs. Can you expand out your idea of apprentices? Are there women, older people, maybe someone with a disability you could train?
And our readers will help! Anyone know a great young guy or girl who wants to work on cool cars in SA?
Be smart,
Your Aunty B
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