“Hey, I have a situation”. When you hear this statement – RUN! What they’re really saying is “I’m not qualified”.
For example, this is a common occurrence in my rental properties. Potential renters will say this and to me it’s an instance disqualification. Their credit score isn’t where it needs to be or they have issues meeting the income requirements.
This can also occur when you’re hiring a potential employee. What we do as business owners is put these “situation” people in critical positions because we’re desperate and it turns into a nightmare!
These people have trouble managing themselves and what that means is you will have trouble managing them!
Here are some “situations” I have come across.
Lack of Responsibility
I had a guy bring a birth certificate for his child TO OUR PAYROLL OFFICE to try to get paid. He had all the excuses why he didn’t have the proper paperwork so we can process checks to him but he think he can get checks made out to his four-year old?
Jail
I had a guy asking to get off early on Fridays because he had to spend time in JAIL on the weekends. I will absolutely give more grace than most people. I actually hired this person and he turned into one of my best employees. When I hired him, I gave him an entry-level position.
Personal Hygiene
Early on in my contracting business I hired painters who were good at what they did but as “hillbillies”, they went to work on customers houses…with no shoes on! The banjo music was fine and they did good work but why no shoes and the constant body-odor? That wasn’t going to fly with our high-end customers. I would have had to cut my prices in half. I put a can of deodorant in their vehicle and it worked. They got the hint.
Same thing with employees with bad-breath who talk to customers.
Lack of Transportation
More often than I care to admit we interview people who are driven to THEIR INTERVIEW by their girlfriends. Now, we ask them every interview if they have a drivers license/do they have their own transportation.
The DUI
Again, I’m a grace-filled person but I am not going to give someone with this situation a critical position initially. When I have someone that has a situation I’m willing to work through it when you tell me up front and not at the end of the interview. What I’m not going to do is put you as my lead guy or girl in that position. I need to see for six months that you no longer have these issues.
Remember I told you I did in fact hire someone who had a weekend jail requirement. He ended up becoming one of my best employees ever. If I had to restart he’d be one of the first people I called. He ended up leaving for an offer that I couldn’t match but still worked for us for two months to get us where we needed to be! But he had to earn my trust.
Some of things you can work around and some you can’t. The girlfriend driving them to work…never works out. I guarantee you. Other things, as I have said, you maybe have t
