The following transcript is provided by YouTube. Mistakes are present. To hear the podcast episode, click HERE.
0:08.0
0:12.5
Welcome to Scaling UP! the podcast for
water treaters by water treaters where
0:12.5
0:16.5
we’re Scaling UP! on knowledge so we
don’t Scaling UP! our systems
0:16.5
0:22.8
Hello Scaling UP! Nation, Trace Blackmore
here your host for Scaling UP! H2O. Folks
0:22.8
0:31.4
it’s a brand new year 2019 where did
2018 go well today we’re going to be
0:31.4
0:38.3
talking about an issue that if you are
in business in any business you have had
0:38.3
0:44.7
this issue and of course the issue is
where do you find the right people to
0:44.7
0:51.4
help you grow your company in fact that
is a question that I personally am
0:51.4
0:57.7
dealing with right now so as a business
owner as a water treatment company
0:57.7
1:05.1
business owner what is somebody like me
to do when I want to find new water
1:05.1
1:11.3
treatment professionals to hire to train
to bring in to part of my company’s
1:11.3
1:17.4
culture well there’s a whole bunch of
things that we can do we can use social
1:17.4
1:22.8
media we can start posting things at
local colleges we can go to job fairs at
1:22.8
1:29.8
colleges we can use different services
that cater just to the job market like
1:29.8
1:35.4
monster and indeed and I’m sure there
are dozens of things that I am leaving
1:35.4
1:39.9
out one of the things that I didn’t
mention we are actually going to talk
1:39.9
1:47.4
about today and that is using a service
to help someone like me maybe somebody
1:47.4
1:53.4
like you find talent in the water
treatment industry now many of the
1:53.4
1:58.5
listeners out there might have had
experience with using what I like to
1:58.5
2:02.7
call a headhunter and there are lots of
different terms for that but we’re gonna
2:02.7
2:07.6
use the term headhunter so I’ve asked
the question when I meet with water
2:07.6
2:12.3
treatment business owners what are some
of the experiences that you’ve had with
2:12.3
2:18.3
headhunters and I have tried to make
some questions to try to educate not
2:18.3
2:23.3
only myself but the Scaling UP! nation
on what it’s like to work with somebody
2:23.3
2:28.5
who’s out there looking to bring
somebody new to your company so folks I
2:28.5
2:34.2
hope you enjoy my interview with Jay
Squires my lab partner today is chase
2:34.2
2:39.9
Squires of Spencer Ogden chase how are
you today Tracy I am doing absolutely
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2:44.6
fantastic how are you this morning
I am doing very well I want to thank you
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2:50.4
for coming on Scaling UP! H2O
and I know that the audience has a bunch
2:50.4
2:54.4
of questions for you I know I have a
bunch of questions but I wanted to start
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2:58.1
out with asking you to tell the
Scaling UP! Nation a little bit about
2:58.1
3:04.8
yourself sure well yeah I work for a
company called Spencer Ogden what we do
3:04.8
3:10.1
is pretty much specific to the
industrial power and energy staffing
3:10.1
3:15.9
world I actually specifically focus in
the water and wastewater and kind of
3:15.9
3:20.0
part of that environmental space but you
know obviously within the water
3:20.0
3:25.7
treatment industry quite the the growing
nation you know when it comes to it and
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3:29.8
that’s kind of what I do work with
clients on a on a regular basis to help
3:29.8
3:35.7
fill their needs when it comes to either
project hiring solutions on the back
3:35.7
3:40.2
side of you know working with the
executive level professionals trying to
3:40.2
3:44.2
bring in you know the top talent for
them and trying to help them grow their
3:44.2
3:48.6
business as strategically as possible
now the term that I’m familiar with and
3:48.6
3:51.5
I don’t know if this is a pejorative or
not so I’m just gonna say it is
3:51.5
3:58.1
headhunter is that an appropriate term
not necessarily because it is a part of
3:58.1
4:05.4
my job so let’s talk about your job what
is the day-to-day of your job so I guess
4:05.4
4:10.5
it starts with actually getting
clientele I’m consistently and
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4:15.6
constantly on the phone reaching out to
new corporations new companies whether
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4:21.4
they be startups or whether they be you
know 50 years in the making to try and
4:21.4
4:26.2
understand what they’re struggling with
when it comes to hiring needs so working
4:26.2
4:30.4
with you know companies that need water
treatment operators on the backside of
4:30.4
4:35.1
needing project managers but going
through the entirety of
4:35.1
4:38.5
what I like to call the project
lifecycle you know all the way from the
4:38.5
4:44.1
design phase to the onm phase of
whatever it may be and that’s what I do
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4:50.2
on a regular basis is understand what
struggles these companies have and then
4:50.2
4:56.5
strategically finding an avenue or a way
to get around those barriers and help
4:56.5
5:02.1
fill the void for them so needing
personnel on a large basis whether you
5:02.1
5:06.7
need you know kind of 15 to a hundred
individuals over the course of you know
5:06.7
5:11.7
a time frame for the for their needs
specifically you know that’s what I’m
5:11.7
5:15.5
trying to figure out and that’s where
I’m working with my team to
5:15.5
5:20.1
strategically implement hiring
strategies around that now I’m actually
5:20.1
5:24.6
right now looking for two individuals to
join our team are we too small to work
5:24.6
5:29.6
with you no not at all you know working
with companies of all sizes actually
5:29.6
5:35.4
creates quite a bit of I guess
creativity from my perspective you know
5:35.4
5:40.0
I I do work with some some very small
companies I mean just about 50 to 60
5:40.0
5:47.1
employees around the nation and helping
them with one or two needs on an
5:47.1
5:52.1
as-needed basis so you work with anybody
who has a need anybody who is looking to
5:52.1
5:57.5
add talent to their businesses certainly
of course you know from I guess a
5:57.5
6:02.1
business standpoint you know I am trying
to work you know specifically with
6:02.1
6:07.2
medium to larger size companies because
of the you know the volume of needs that
6:07.2
6:11.4
they have but when it comes to these
smaller conglomerates it might be a very
6:11.4
6:17.8
specific need that you know only a team
like ours can kind of help staff for if
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6:22.2
that makes sense I think it is let’s go
in you mentioned that you help people
6:22.2
6:26.5
with problems that they’re having I will
tell you the problem that we are having
6:26.5
6:32.2
is finding the right people to join our
team and when I say right people I mean
6:32.2
6:37.0
people that are going to fit into our
culture moreover people that are going
6:37.0
6:41.3
to help enhance our culture and we look
at things in order to make sure that the
6:41.3
6:45.9
person is a right fit to our culture
with do they live our core values are
6:45.9
6:48.8
they motivated to learn will they get
their certified water
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6:53.6
Technologist all of those things and I
got to tell you it is extremely
6:53.6
6:59.8
difficult we are having such a hard time
finding the right two individuals that
6:59.8
7:03.0
want to come work for Blackmore
enterprises and and who wouldn’t want to
7:03.0
7:08.5
come work for Trace Blackmore right but
we are having such an issue with this so
7:08.5
7:15.0
why is it so hard to find the right
people well I think that’s a tough
7:15.0
7:20.3
question to answer trace because there’s
there’s quite a bit that you look for in
7:20.3
7:24.0
a candidate and there’s quite a bit that
they’re gonna look for in a new company
7:24.0
7:28.6
to work with when it comes to obviously
that the technical abilities in a
7:28.6
7:33.0
position sure that’s kind of black and
white on paper can they do this job
7:33.0
7:39.2
technically or not when it comes to
company culture it’s a matter of is this
7:39.2
7:46.0
candidate looking for the same I guess
goals and do they have the same
7:46.0
7:51.0
ambitions that your company is
experiencing or that your company is
7:51.0
7:55.9
kind of driving towards so when it comes
to it a company culture is quite a hard
7:55.9
8:01.5
one to tackle because everyone’s kind of
looking for something different I will
8:01.5
8:05.4
tell you of an experience that just
recently happened I think we do really
8:05.4
8:10.0
well in the process of interviewing and
making sure that we find the right
8:10.0
8:13.7
person and again our right person to
somebody that adds to our culture and
8:13.7
8:17.7
then we try to align them in the right
seat meaning that they’re doing the
8:17.7
8:22.6
right job an individual that we had we
thought we did this superb ly well he
8:22.6
8:26.7
was doing very well we have a training
program here that is second to none it
8:26.7
8:31.9
absolutely will train somebody to get
their CWT and beyond he was doing very
8:31.9
8:36.7
well with that of course he only lasted
for three weeks everything was going
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8:39.0
great he told us everything was going
great
8:39.0
8:44.4
then we came back from a holiday weekend
and he said you know what this job isn’t
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8:47.6
for me
and I’m thinking what could we have done
8:47.6
8:51.6
better and I really don’t know what the
answer with that what advice would you
8:51.6
8:58.6
give me well I’d say one thing’s for
certain employees really want to love
8:58.6
9:01.8
their job and they want to love the
company they’re working with
9:01.8
9:06.6
obviously that’s just not always the
case sometimes they they really kind of
9:06.6
9:11.3
just want to understand that what
they’re doing is valued and it truly
9:11.3
9:16.5
does matter in quite a few different
avenues for what we would almost think
9:16.5
9:20.8
you know kind of call him employee
happiness an employee happiness is is
9:20.8
9:25.4
one thing I can touch on quite a bit
because I think we’ve all been in a
9:25.4
9:29.9
position where as much as we want to
love the company it’s difficult because
9:29.9
9:34.4
there are certain things that can
attribute to the negative beliefs or
9:34.4
9:38.0
negative views you have on you know
individuals at the company or the
9:38.0
9:43.0
company itself for this instant trace I
I think it’s one of those things where
9:43.0
9:47.0
maybe you could have asked some more
questions to this individual to
9:47.0
9:52.2
understand you know if something was
wrong from you know they’re outside of
9:52.2
9:55.5
work standpoint or maybe something was
wrong with what they were currently
9:55.5
9:59.9
doing for you in that position there’s
there’s quite a few questions maybe you
9:59.9
10:02.9
could have brought up to kind of
understand more of what they were
10:02.9
10:05.2
dealing with and then tried to work
around that
10:05.2
10:10.9
that’s definitely great advice in my
mind I really felt that I did that and
10:10.9
10:15.4
when we asked him what was going on he
said I just can’t see myself doing this
10:15.4
10:20.3
job and the question I have for you is
what can we do differently part of our
10:20.3
10:24.7
interview process is we have people do a
ride-along with us so they know exactly
10:24.7
10:29.2
what our job is because you know water
treatment is so niche when you get into
10:29.2
10:33.2
it even if people think they know what
they’re doing they may not know exactly
10:33.2
10:37.5
what they’re going to be doing so we
make sure that they come on board
10:37.5
10:42.0
knowing exactly what the expectations
are and what they are going to be doing
10:42.0
10:47.3
even after that and he said yes this is
exactly what I want to do he said no
10:47.3
10:49.6
this is not what I want to do three
weeks later
10:49.6
10:56.1
hey yeah there’s times when you can’t do
much tracing and hey this is maybe one
10:56.1
11:00.3
of those instances where you know he
figured something out or she figured
11:00.3
11:05.0
something out in her head and realized
well maybe I was you know eager to get
11:05.0
11:09.4
in this position now that I’m there
maybe this isn’t the best fit for me so
11:09.4
11:13.1
maybe there’s nothing you could have
actually done it could have just been
11:13.1
11:17.5
set in stone in their head
that this isn’t for me and there was no
11:17.5
11:21.7
turning back from there and I’ve had
that happen before too so it’s it’s one
11:21.7
11:25.5
of those things that it’s it’s not
necessarily controllable from from your
11:25.5
11:29.5
aspect you know what I mean well I
appreciate the therapy session I feel
11:29.5
11:33.3
like I should be sitting down or laying
down on a couch right now but I will
11:33.3
11:38.0
tell you I’m the visionary of our
company and my number one thing is to
11:38.0
11:41.8
make sure that our culture is a place
that people love to work for that people
11:41.8
11:46.2
look forward to coming in every day and
when whenever I lose a team member
11:46.2
11:50.4
especially somebody that I really
thought had everything that they needed
11:50.4
11:54.7
to be successful it just really really
upsets me so I appreciate your counsel
11:54.7
12:00.8
through that let me ask you what are
some of the mediums that water treatment
12:00.8
12:05.7
companies are using to at least get
their message out there that they have a
12:05.7
12:08.5
position that they’re looking to fill on
their team
12:08.5
12:16.3
honestly companies are utilizing every
aspect of the media outlets and the
12:16.3
12:21.1
social networks you know you talk about
LinkedIn and you know I think we all
12:21.1
12:25.8
know that’s a household name at this
point but companies are posting on their
12:25.8
12:31.0
company LinkedIn pages you know
highlighting hey we have a number of job
12:31.0
12:35.4
openings and you know at the same time
the actual hiring managers themselves
12:35.4
12:40.4
are posting that same thing then of
course you look at the you know company
12:40.4
12:45.2
bulletin boards and you know that will
have every open position that they you
12:45.2
12:49.8
know could possibly need filling you
know around the world so it’s one of
12:49.8
12:54.0
those things where you know we can get
into the you know American Water Works
12:54.0
12:59.1
Association job board that you know
companies will have postings on there as
12:59.1
13:03.5
well but it’s it’s a matter of these
companies are utilizing every aspect to
13:03.5
13:08.2
let you know hey we’re hiring does
anybody use the newspaper anymore I
13:08.2
13:11.5
remember when I first started in this
industry when my dad would advertise
13:11.5
13:15.9
that he was looking for help it was the
newspaper does anybody do that I can’t
13:15.9
13:19.9
tell you the last time I picked up a
newspaper because I can get it online
13:19.9
13:24.7
yeah right right and then of course
their services out there like monster
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13:27.5
indeed are you seen a lot of companies
use those
13:27.5
13:32.3
of course yeah I mean you’ll see
companies will have literally every
13:32.3
13:38.2
media outlet utilized to their benefit
and that’ll be linked in indeed zip
13:38.2
13:43.0
recruiter and then you can even go to
the the local or more government you
13:43.0
13:47.2
know job boards and companies will post
through their if they have a municipal
13:47.2
13:52.1
project going on so they’re they’re
utilizing everything they absolutely can
13:52.1
13:58.5
and sometimes that’s still not enough I
will say that my favorite way to find
13:58.5
14:02.5
somebody new is when somebody comes to
me and says you know I’ve got this water
14:02.5
14:05.6
treater
that used to work for me their wife got
14:05.6
14:10.8
repositioned down in the Atlanta area
and you really need to interview this
14:10.8
14:14.0
guy I love it when people come to me
like that and that doesn’t happen very
14:14.0
14:19.2
often well that’s that’s sad to hear
believe it or not it it actually it
14:19.2
14:23.8
helps me quite a bit I mean I think you
and I can both talk on you know
14:23.8
14:30.1
referrals trace as being easily the kind
of number one trusted you know source to
14:30.1
14:36.7
find another potentially relevant or you
know technically inclined individual to
14:36.7
14:41.2
fill a void yeah and that’s our favorite
way of course to get sales when a
14:41.2
14:46.3
current customer refers us to a new
customer or a prospect and says hey
14:46.3
14:50.1
Blackmer enterprises was able to help us
with this issue i’ve heard you had a
14:50.1
14:54.7
similar issue i bet they can help you
out so of course that’s our favorite way
14:54.7
15:00.0
to find new talent as well we had a
conversation before we started recording
15:00.0
15:05.7
that the water treatment industry is
growing so obviously new people are
15:05.7
15:09.2
coming into the industry how are they
finding their way in
15:09.2
15:15.1
that’s a great question trace and
obviously with all of the different
15:15.1
15:21.5
programs and kind of avenues you can
take in college or in university are
15:21.5
15:26.4
allowing a lot of individuals to kind of
come out of college with this you know
15:26.4
15:31.4
more or less perception of a specific
niche in the industry that they can try
15:31.4
15:37.3
and tackle and just really try and get
into that space and once they’re in
15:37.3
15:41.1
realistically it’s it’s a matter of time
until they just kind of make
15:41.1
15:49.4
they’re way up into a industry leader
role I will say that there is a lack of
15:49.4
15:54.6
actual water and wastewater treatment
operators and I think the reason for
15:54.6
16:00.8
that is we had a big boom in the early
2000s you know when the government kind
16:00.8
16:05.9
of released this you know kind of Water
Association push and a lot of
16:05.9
16:10.1
individuals were signing up for these
programs to become a licensed operator
16:10.1
16:14.7
and that that’s shifted quite a bit you
know now we’re looking at individuals
16:14.7
16:19.3
coming out of college to be you know
more or less project managers for water
16:19.3
16:24.9
and wastewater infrastructure projects
so it’s becoming very specific and at
16:24.9
16:29.5
some points there’s you know way more
jobs open than there are actual people
16:29.5
16:33.4
to fill them and on the backside –
there’s there’s quite a number of
16:33.4
16:37.0
individuals that are looking for
specific positions and they’re just not
16:37.0
16:42.6
there chase one of the things that I
personally do is I’m working with the
16:42.6
16:46.7
Georgia Gwinnett college which is a
college very close to our office and
16:46.7
16:51.3
they have an environmental science
degree program and water treatment fits
16:51.3
16:56.4
so well within that degree and when I
talk to other water treatment company
16:56.4
17:00.7
owners I find that more and more other
people have that environmental science
17:00.7
17:06.3
degree so that seems to lend itself very
well to our industry are there other
17:06.3
17:12.1
degrees that you feel work better than
others I wouldn’t necessarily say work
17:12.1
17:17.4
better than others but you know I can I
could certainly rattle off how these you
17:17.4
17:22.0
know some of these different degrees
will line you up into really a great
17:22.0
17:26.3
career path in the water or space
obviously you brought up you know
17:26.3
17:31.1
environmental engineering degrees well
you know that can completely coexist
17:31.1
17:35.4
with you know individuals studying
Chemical Engineering or you know you
17:35.4
17:40.6
look at electrical engineers at the same
point they they can all focus you know
17:40.6
17:44.2
whether it be their concentration or
whether it be just their time in general
17:44.2
17:50.2
on water related either pieces of
equipment or water related subjects you
17:50.2
17:54.9
know within what they’re looking to
obtain as an actual degree so
17:54.9
17:59.5
I think Chemical Engineering is one of
those degrees where you will see a lot
17:59.5
18:04.5
of benefit because obviously in the
water space it’s it’s constantly doing
18:04.5
18:09.9
pH testing and making sure the you know
chemical batches and doses are you know
18:09.9
18:14.8
pretty much to the teeth because of how
you know how specific you have to be
18:14.8
18:18.5
when it comes to that so I think
Chemical Engineering is one of those
18:18.5
18:22.9
that is is really going to take off but
you look at some of these other degrees
18:22.9
18:27.2
and they’re they’re quite you know
coexistent if you will I mentioned this
18:27.2
18:31.2
earlier when we spoke on the last
question but you’ve got some data that
18:31.2
18:35.2
proves that the water treatment industry
is growing can you share that with a
18:35.2
18:40.2
Scaling UP! Nation yeah certainly Trace so
I do quite a bit of case studies for
18:40.2
18:46.0
some my clientele at the moment and you
know taking quite a bit of data from the
18:46.0
18:49.9
different projects that are going on
around the world and especially here in
18:49.9
18:56.5
the US the water industry in its
entirety is still growing at about 10 to
18:56.5
19:00.6
12 percent year-on-year
and this is coming along with projects
19:00.6
19:03.7
and the different companies that are
really kind of making a name for
19:03.7
19:09.4
themselves at the moment to where we’re
looking at another 19 percent worth a
19:09.4
19:14.2
growth going into 2022 and that’s right
around the corner trace so I’m curious
19:14.2
19:19.8
as far as other industries go is that
tremendous is that average where does
19:19.8
19:25.1
that actually lie so at the moment yes
that is tremendous and I think the
19:25.1
19:31.0
reason why it is I guess so massive
right now is because of what we’re
19:31.0
19:35.0
dealing with let’s you know just talk
about California for a second the amount
19:35.0
19:38.9
of wildfires that are going on well
that’s not just you know you know
19:38.9
19:43.4
sporadic as much as we truly wish it was
you know that is coming with you know
19:43.4
19:48.1
drought and a lot of the government in
California has implemented is
19:48.1
19:53.3
immediately along the lines of you know
how we’re disposing of you know
19:53.3
19:58.4
contaminated water so it’s one of those
things where we are looking at you know
19:58.4
20:04.7
all the different ways to generate clean
water for citizens and individuals in
20:04.7
20:08.6
you know more difficult places to to get
that
20:08.6
20:15.0
and it’s becoming I guess a worldwide
phenomenon how truly you know big the
20:15.0
20:19.6
water industry is going to become well
as somebody that is so deeply entrenched
20:19.6
20:24.5
in the water treatment industry I am
very happy to hear what you are
20:24.5
20:29.8
reporting to the Scaling UP! Nation I bet
I bet well let’s ask the opposite of the
20:29.8
20:33.1
earlier question so we were talking
about why do people get into the water
20:33.1
20:37.8
treatment industry why do people leave
the water treatment industry so that’s a
20:37.8
20:41.1
great question
Trace and I think that kind of coexists
20:41.1
20:46.8
with you know how you find good people I
think individuals in the early stages of
20:46.8
20:52.9
their career are going to be willing to
jump to new companies and try and
20:52.9
20:57.8
explore in new positions because they’re
just trying to ultimately understand
20:57.8
21:02.7
more and I think that kind of correlates
with you know the the opposite of that
21:02.7
21:07.3
with you know older individuals that you
know are potentially coming from having
21:07.3
21:13.6
a 20 plus year career already and just
looking to ultimately maintain and kind
21:13.6
21:18.1
of go with the flow in a steady position
on the back side of that I think you
21:18.1
21:22.2
know when it comes to individuals
looking to leave their current employers
21:22.2
21:27.6
right now it’s one of those things where
employee happiness is it again I’m going
21:27.6
21:32.7
to bring that up it’s so important you
know if an employer isn’t asking their
21:32.7
21:38.3
their employees you know what actually
makes them happy and what you know what
21:38.3
21:42.0
at work makes them happy you know if
it’s something that they’re doing on a
21:42.0
21:46.1
regular basis that just completely you
know throws them off well that’s that’s
21:46.1
21:49.5
something you probably want to talk with
them about to understand how you can
21:49.5
21:54.5
work around that and turn it into more
of a you know positive I guess work
21:54.5
22:00.2
environment ultimately well let me ask
what is the top advice that you could
22:00.2
22:04.5
give to the Scaling UP! Nation especially
the water treatment owners out there the
22:04.5
22:09.5
company owners how they can make a happy
work environment I think one thing’s for
22:09.5
22:16.0
sure make sure that you are paying these
individuals what they deserve to be paid
22:16.0
22:21.7
if that’s one thing that you’re worried
about is not paying properly that’s
22:21.7
22:24.0
that’s one
that’s going to really kind of bite you
22:24.0
22:28.5
in the tail when it comes down to it
because that’s when these individuals
22:28.5
22:32.6
are willing to make a jump to a new
employer because they just don’t feel
22:32.6
22:35.9
that they’re they’re getting paid what
they deserve and I mean that comes to
22:35.9
22:41.5
you know three four five thousand
dollars more on a on a salary or over
22:41.5
22:45.2
the course of the year and that’s really
not that much money so on the backside
22:45.2
22:48.9
of that we look at employee happiness
again and it’s one of those things where
22:48.9
22:53.1
you just want to make sure that you can
include you know your employees in
22:53.1
22:57.3
conversation you know whether that be
this do you know through management and
22:57.3
23:01.1
you know new working order you know so
all these things kind of play together
23:01.1
23:07.0
to really create what you brought up
earlier that unique culture in a company
23:07.0
23:11.3
where you feel like everyone can you
know kind of chip in and really kind of
23:11.3
23:14.8
provide that work environment that is
like we know we’re all on the same page
23:14.8
23:20.1
well that’s definitely appreciated by
this company owner my number one goal is
23:20.1
23:24.6
to make our culture the biggest thing
over everything else every quarter we
23:24.6
23:27.8
get together as a team we go do
something we’ve done things like mystery
23:27.8
23:32.8
rooms we’ve gone out to eat just I want
to make sure that it is a place where
23:32.8
23:38.1
people enjoy coming to and also every
quarter we do something called quarterly
23:38.1
23:43.6
conversations and this is where their
direct line of supervision will ask them
23:43.6
23:47.5
questions about how things are going you
know where do they see themselves going
23:47.5
23:50.8
more importantly what goals are they
working on and how can we help them
23:50.8
23:55.7
achieve those goals making sure we’re
all on the same page and when I conduct
23:55.7
24:01.7
these meetings my favorite question to
ask is the inverse of the question that
24:01.7
24:06.4
we all ask when somebody puts in their
notice which is the the question
24:06.4
24:09.6
somebody puts in their notice and we say
well what can we do to make you stay
24:09.6
24:13.5
well during these quarterly
conversations my favorite question is
24:13.5
24:18.2
what would have to happen here for you
to want to leave and now we can fix it I
24:18.2
24:22.5
love it I mean that’s that’s something
that every company should start
24:22.5
24:27.2
implementing you know if you if you
create this environment where every
24:27.2
24:31.0
single person’s voice can be heard well
that’s a great environment that’s
24:31.0
24:34.2
something I would want to be a part of
so well I appreciate all this
24:34.2
24:39.3
information I know this is very
for the Scaling UP! Nation and you and I
24:39.3
24:43.0
were talking before we started recording
about the association of Water
24:43.0
24:46.3
Technologies I’m very involved with the
association of Water Technologies and I
24:46.3
24:51.0
got the privilege of actually speaking
three times at this year’s past annual
24:51.0
24:55.4
convention so one of the things that
came up and one of the things I was
24:55.4
25:00.4
asked to do was moderate a panel of
Millennial’s in the water treatment
25:00.4
25:06.5
community and I started that off and it
went very well but I started it off
25:06.5
25:12.6
asking everybody in the audience to give
me describing terms that would describe
25:12.6
25:18.2
Millennials and it was not kind there
were some very negative terms that came
25:18.2
25:24.4
up and why why do we have that mindset
about the people that are now entering
25:24.4
25:30.0
the workforce and I guess my question
really is right now as an employer we’re
25:30.0
25:34.6
hiring over all the generations we’ve
got the Millennials we got the Gen Xers
25:34.6
25:40.7
we’ve got the baby boomers so do we need
to look at hiring them differently do we
25:40.7
25:45.6
need to approach them differently do
they have different qualities I hate to
25:45.6
25:49.5
pigeonhole people but what do we need to
know about that well that’s interesting
25:49.5
25:54.2
you bring that up trace because there’s
actually you know some some studies out
25:54.2
26:01.0
there that that talk about people being
afraid of Millennials because of what we
26:01.0
26:06.3
have been brought up in and that’s you
know the new the new technology in this
26:06.3
26:10.8
whole era of everything being online
which you know I think we can all
26:10.8
26:15.3
understand not everyone is still used to
that so it gets to a point where
26:15.3
26:20.1
Millennials are kind of a I guess a
monster of their own you know they are
26:20.1
26:25.0
looking for specifics when it comes to
positions and I think it’s funny because
26:25.0
26:30.2
there’s actually a statistic I read
somewhere when it comes to Millennials I
26:30.2
26:36.2
think 70% out of 2,000 Millennials that
were done in a survey said that they
26:36.2
26:41.5
would quit a job if it lacked high
performance and didn’t have fast
26:41.5
26:47.1
technology I think that’s quite unique
no I agree I definitely agree and I’ll
26:47.1
26:49.9
also let you know of a conversation that
took
26:49.9
26:54.4
place during the seminar that I just
mentioned there was a gentleman that was
26:54.4
26:59.6
well seasoned in the water treatment
industry and he was sharing all his
26:59.6
27:03.3
gripes that he had with every millennial
on the planet and of course there were
27:03.3
27:07.4
five Millennials sitting up on the stage
getting ready to answer him but his
27:07.4
27:12.2
issue was they were always on their
phone and he would ask them a question
27:12.2
27:16.5
and they would get their phone out and
in his day he would go back and he would
27:16.5
27:22.8
research it and ask people and go get a
book and the panel said well technology
27:22.8
27:28.4
allows us to access this information
instantly so you know we now can at
27:28.4
27:32.6
least have a baseline of the question
you asked us and now we can get back to
27:32.6
27:36.9
you quickly and that allows us more time
to research we’re doing the same thing
27:36.9
27:41.1
that you’ve always done we’re just
taking advantage of the technology so
27:41.1
27:45.4
it’s not necessarily lazy it’s just
different and I think that really stems
27:45.4
27:49.8
to most of the problem when people think
they’re on their phones all the time or
27:49.8
27:53.3
they are lazy or they can’t walk away
from their phones normally they’re being
27:53.3
27:57.6
pretty productive on those phones I
think that’s such a great point well
27:57.6
28:01.6
honestly if if you’re on your phone and
you’re not willing to answer someone’s
28:01.6
28:05.8
question sure that’s just a little
disrespectful but when it comes down to
28:05.8
28:10.3
it you know talking about Millennials
specifically and I guess what they can
28:10.3
28:14.0
actually bring to the table you know
look at all the water treatment plants
28:14.0
28:19.0
right now almost everything is automated
and where are all these you know
28:19.0
28:23.5
automation engineers and where are these
you know kind of PLC control specialists
28:23.5
28:28.3
coming from they’re coming from just a
you know kind of few three to five years
28:28.3
28:32.9
experience after perfecting you know
this this automation software’s and the
28:32.9
28:37.7
actual you know pieces of equipment to
where we do need them you know and it’s
28:37.7
28:41.2
gonna be one of those things that we’re
gonna continue to need you know these
28:41.2
28:47.1
individuals more and more as technology
advances and as this you know automation
28:47.1
28:52.2
specifically you know continues to you
know to gain popularity and and really
28:52.2
28:56.6
kind of take a step forward when it
comes to these plant operations so what
28:56.6
29:01.7
advice would you give somebody like me
to make sure that people of the younger
29:01.7
29:05.7
generation are getting what they
need when they come to work for black
29:05.7
29:11.2
minor prizes that’s really gonna be up
to the questions you’re asking Trace I
29:11.2
29:15.7
mean if you’re asking every question
Under the Sun around what makes them
29:15.7
29:21.1
happy what they’re looking for in a
position whether that be specific to how
29:21.1
29:25.7
many hours they’re working what their
pay is but that could also fall in line
29:25.7
29:29.7
with you know the vacation time that
they might be looking to obtain it’s
29:29.7
29:36.2
always gonna wrap around the big picture
and if you can make certain you know
29:36.2
29:42.0
pegs fit in the the square hole well
that’s gonna be your goal do you have a
29:42.0
29:47.5
process that you would recommend to the
Scale it UP Nation for how they should
29:47.5
29:51.3
hire they should conduct so many
interviews or they should do a phone
29:51.3
29:53.8
screening before they bring somebody in
anything like that
29:53.8
30:00.3
I can’t specifically talk around process
because it is gonna be different for a
30:00.3
30:05.0
variety of different positions we talk
about a water treatment operator I think
30:05.0
30:10.0
two interviews a you know over the phone
and then an in-person should suffice you
30:10.0
30:13.7
should realize that you know that
individual is going to be you know a
30:13.7
30:18.1
good hard worker for you you should
understand their technical abilities on
30:18.1
30:23.5
the backside you know company culture
isn’t probably necessarily top of their
30:23.5
30:27.6
list for what they’re truly looking for
at that point you look at a Sales
30:27.6
30:32.8
Professional maybe you know a territory
sales manager for ro or NF Systems
30:32.8
30:36.3
whatever it may be they’re probably
going to want to you know be more
30:36.3
30:40.2
heavily involved in the culture and you
know understanding around that portion
30:40.2
30:44.7
to where I guess that the process for
that sure it might be a little longer
30:44.7
30:48.1
because you do want to make sure that
they fit the company culture and that
30:48.1
30:53.0
their goals and ambitions line up with
the values of that company were there
30:53.0
30:57.5
any practices that you’ve seen you don’t
have to mention any names that we’re
30:57.5
31:02.1
just horrible during the interview
process that you can warn people not to
31:02.1
31:07.7
repeat I will certainly say it is the
utmost importance to make sure you are
31:07.7
31:12.8
in a quiet place with good cell
reception I will tell you there’s
31:12.8
31:16.7
there’s been instances where I’ve heard
the interview was
31:16.7
31:21.9
absolutely terrible and the cell
reception was you know I mean wretched
31:21.9
31:25.9
to the point where it was every other
word you could hear and from there you
31:25.9
31:30.2
know my grade a candidate didn’t get the
position and that was all just because
31:30.2
31:34.5
you know traveling on the the country
roads great advice and people might not
31:34.5
31:37.5
think about that I think you know it’s a
phone interview I can take that at
31:37.5
31:41.6
anytime wherever I am but maybe you
can’t depending on the reception
31:41.6
31:46.5
certainly and on the back side to trace
you know if you’re showing up to an
31:46.5
31:50.1
interview obviously make sure you have
what you need and you look professional
31:50.1
31:55.1
you know I can’t stress that enough if
you show up to an interview in jeans and
31:55.1
32:00.2
a button-down you know flannel the other
guy wearing a suit yeah he’s probably
32:00.2
32:03.7
just gonna look a little bit better for
the position and that’s just common
32:03.7
32:08.7
sense and I think we all know that well
you would think so but it is amazing
32:08.7
32:13.7
what candidates have come into our
office wearing so I appreciate you
32:13.7
32:17.2
saying that and that as an employer that
definitely means something to me if you
32:17.2
32:20.3
think enough to take care of yourself
you’re gonna take care of the company
32:20.3
32:25.4
and our clients so let’s get back to
talking about your job specifically and
32:25.4
32:27.8
I’m gonna use the term again I know you
don’t like it headhunter but I think
32:27.8
32:32.4
everybody understands what that means so
forgive me so let’s look at both sides
32:32.4
32:37.8
of that so why should somebody like
myself as an employer use your services
32:37.8
32:43.3
and why should somebody as a water
treatment professional use your services
32:43.3
32:49.5
well what’s cool about the company I
work for specifically Spencer Ogden is
32:49.5
32:57.0
we’ve narrowed our focus down to you
know specific verticals in an industry
32:57.0
33:02.6
obviously I’ve I’ve run a lot of our
water treatment practices and when it
33:02.6
33:06.5
comes to it I have different team
members that specifically focus on
33:06.5
33:11.3
different verticals in our space whether
that be the commissioning portion
33:11.3
33:15.9
whether that be the design portion
whether that be the O&M portion so we
33:15.9
33:21.3
actually specifically focus on those
different positions within those you
33:21.3
33:26.2
know those verticals and then even
further pieces of equipment in those
33:26.2
33:30.4
verticals all right
so specifically what
33:30.4
33:36.7
I get from using an agency like yours
versus using monster or indeed or
33:36.7
33:42.3
LinkedIn so certainly posting on job
boards is is one thing and you’ll have
33:42.3
33:46.3
individuals apply to those positions
through those job boards but they might
33:46.3
33:50.0
not be exactly what you’re looking for
that’s when you’re reaching out to a you
33:50.0
33:52.8
know a company like ours and a specialty
team like ours
33:52.8
33:57.5
to where we will actually kind of go
back into what you’re saying headhunting
33:57.5
34:03.0
approach to where we will find the exact
person you’re looking for whether it be
34:03.0
34:07.7
around their specific you know equipment
experience whether it be around just
34:07.7
34:12.4
their their general experience with
certain companies so taking that
34:12.4
34:17.3
approach is really kind of getting into
the niche market that we’re actually in
34:17.3
34:22.7
and finding the very hard-to-find
individuals and pull them you know from
34:22.7
34:26.6
their current employers what are some of
the things that you do to make sure
34:26.6
34:31.0
you’re aligning the candidate up with
the right company that’s a great
34:31.0
34:36.0
question and I think that stems back to
I think what you’ve been dealing with
34:36.0
34:42.1
Tracy at Blackmore Enterprises we are
asking questions to these potential
34:42.1
34:47.5
candidates around what their core
interests are if I’m talking to an
34:47.5
34:52.1
individual for you know a potential
Operations role I’m gonna try and
34:52.1
34:57.5
understand what actual you know
equipment and what interests in certain
34:57.5
35:03.1
equipment this individual has to where
if it’s a good fit for what a client I
35:03.1
35:08.3
have is looking for well that’s perfect
then we can go more into the cultural
35:08.3
35:13.4
aspect then we can go more into the you
know the monetary value aspect and it’s
35:13.4
35:17.9
one of those things where you find I
guess a specific interest that they have
35:17.9
35:23.1
and if it lines up with what you know a
client’s looking for that’s a perfect
35:23.1
35:28.2
fit in my eyes well let me get down to a
question that might be a little
35:28.2
35:33.1
uncomfortable but I’m gonna ask it
anyway so in working with employers I’m
35:33.1
35:38.7
sure they love it when you find new
talent for them but I’m also sure that
35:38.7
35:44.2
they do not like it at all when you pull
talent from them I’m going to kind of
35:44.2
35:46.9
answer
that question for you I think we’ve
35:46.9
35:50.5
talked about it at the top of this show
if the cultures right if they feel
35:50.5
35:55.5
they’re being compensated correctly it’s
highly unlikely that that person will
35:55.5
36:00.7
want to leave an environment that they
love being in but I can hear people
36:00.7
36:04.3
listening to this show definitely people
that I’ve met in the Association water
36:04.3
36:08.4
technology saying I don’t like
individuals like yourself because they
36:08.4
36:11.7
always poach my people what do you say
to them
36:11.7
36:17.7
sorry no it’s it’s one of those things
where you know the I can’t work with
36:17.7
36:22.0
every company that’s out there but the
companies that I you know I do work with
36:22.0
36:28.8
I will certainly you know never approach
employees at those companies to go work
36:28.8
36:31.6
for another client of mine
you know there’s certain terms and
36:31.6
36:36.5
conditions in place where you know you
know personally that would never happen
36:36.5
36:41.5
from my point of view but when it comes
to the the companies that I am
36:41.5
36:45.0
headhunting individuals out of you know
it’s one of those things where maybe I
36:45.0
36:48.5
did try to work with them in the past
but you know something just didn’t work
36:48.5
36:53.4
out so it’s one of those things though
where you have to look at the the big
36:53.4
36:58.0
picture everyone eventually is going to
work for multiple companies I mean
36:58.0
37:01.4
there’s only a select amount of
individuals that stay with one company
37:01.4
37:06.6
for their entire professional career one
of the individuals that I have in mind
37:06.6
37:10.9
specifically was sharing an instance
that they had where they were working
37:10.9
37:16.1
with a firm and the new team member just
turned out great they were with them for
37:16.1
37:21.5
about three and a half years and then
that person the individual went to a new
37:21.5
37:25.1
placement firm and he of course was
looking to drum up business and he
37:25.1
37:31.0
called that employee and placed him in
another location is is that something
37:31.0
37:35.0
people should expect was that that the
contract wasn’t written correctly what’s
37:35.0
37:37.6
going on there
37:38.8
37:44.2
oh I’m not sure about that one Trace
that’s an interesting scenario but I I
37:44.2
37:48.9
think that kind of lines up with
individuals networks you know how people
37:48.9
37:54.7
connect on a regular basis you know the
way you and I connect a trace the the
37:54.7
37:58.5
way I connect with you know other
candidates if you become really close
37:58.5
38:02.9
with someone and you leave you know a
great company to go work for another
38:02.9
38:07.6
company wouldn’t you want to have your
you’re kind of you know partner in crime
38:07.6
38:12.8
with you you know I I would say yes but
it’s one of those things where that’s
38:12.8
38:19.2
that’s kind of tough all right well fair
enough I will tell you that amongst
38:19.2
38:24.5
water treatment owners those are some of
the fears that they have in working with
38:24.5
38:28.8
individuals like yourself see I I don’t
think that’s necessarily the case in a
38:28.8
38:33.7
lot of you know a lot of aspects my
approach is always trying to fill a void
38:33.7
38:39.2
for a client the individuals I’m
reaching out to are you know good fits
38:39.2
38:43.0
for either the experience they’re
looking for or the equipment knowledge
38:43.0
38:47.2
they have to where I’m not actually kind
of thinking of where they’re coming from
38:47.2
38:51.8
I’m just thinking of how they will be
you know a long-term asset for the
38:51.8
38:56.2
company I’m working with fair enough
well I appreciate you addressing that
38:56.2
39:01.5
I’m sure that people are listening have
that question or similar questions so I
39:01.5
39:05.8
do appreciate you tackling that with me
I did want to ask you what’s the
39:05.8
39:10.1
difference with working with somebody
like yourself versus a temporary agency
39:10.1
39:15.7
so I think it’s funny you bring that up
trace so we actually do operate a
39:15.7
39:20.8
temporary business and you know more or
less the direct hire business which I’m
39:20.8
39:25.3
sure is what most of us are all familiar
with so what we do on the temporary side
39:25.3
39:29.2
of things is kind of what I mentioned
earlier trace and that’s you know
39:29.2
39:35.2
tackling projects high-volume needs you
know around you know we’ll just say an
39:35.2
39:39.6
operations and maintenance service
contract if a client’s taking over a
39:39.6
39:44.0
facility they’re going to need you know
15 individuals good amount of water
39:44.0
39:47.5
treatment operators and maintenance
technicians that’s when we’re going to
39:47.5
39:52.2
take that that temporary approach and
provide them with truly a temper
39:52.2
39:56.5
servus all right well that definitely
clears that up a bit
39:56.5
40:02.0
now the question everybody wants to know
how do you get paid that’s that’s a good
40:02.0
40:06.4
question when it comes down to it I
think you know everyone these days has
40:06.4
40:11.9
has a salary but you know certainly
gaining you know additional profit from
40:11.9
40:16.7
the different styles of placements I do
with clientele
40:16.7
40:21.6
you know big small medium whatever it
may be you know you’re just getting a
40:21.6
40:25.8
little bit more on top every time you
work with you know new clients and help
40:25.8
40:32.4
them fill new voids so for instance you
and I start working together you help us
40:32.4
40:37.3
place one of the positions that we are
currently looking to fill what is the
40:37.3
40:41.2
expectation that you would get paid from
us and I’m speaking very general now
40:41.2
40:45.4
what would we pay you instead of paying
the employee and you would pay the
40:45.4
40:49.5
employee would we pay you a percentage
of what we would be paying the employee
40:49.5
40:54.1
what does that look like a lot of times
that’s how everyone actually operates
40:54.1
40:59.8
around you know working with staffing
agencies is you know a percentage of the
40:59.8
41:05.0
employees you know annual salary and you
know what we would perceive is is a
41:05.0
41:10.7
small percentage of that so that’s
ultimately in the big picture how that
41:10.7
41:14.6
always works you know with all the
different agencies when it comes down to
41:14.6
41:19.6
you know the temporary side of things
it’s nearly the exact same scenario but
41:19.6
41:25.3
you know break it into an hourly rate so
you know we’ll do a percentage on top of
41:25.3
41:30.6
that hourly rate to obviously generate
some type of profit and you know over
41:30.6
41:37.5
the course of a certain timeframe that
will that will end so let’s play out
41:37.5
41:42.4
that scenario even further let’s say you
did a superb job finding the right
41:42.4
41:47.9
candidate and that person leaves after a
certain amount of time is there any
41:47.9
41:52.9
guarantee so what we actually do provide
you know more or less like a sliding
41:52.9
41:58.5
refund so you know if individuals not
working out for you and you you feel
41:58.5
42:02.5
that it’s you know kind of getting to
the point where you just need to let
42:02.5
42:07.4
them go and that’s a month after well
certainly what we’d really want to do
42:07.4
42:11.7
for you is is find someone to replace
that individual you know that’s where we
42:11.7
42:17.2
become specialists I think is the the
really the foundation of this because if
42:17.2
42:21.9
we can’t provide you with another
individual then you know that’s really
42:21.9
42:25.7
one of those things where this is just
kind of a one and done deal you know
42:25.7
42:29.6
that’s not the approach that we’re
taking the approach we’re taking is you
42:29.6
42:33.9
know we’ll make sure that we find you
the best individual whether the first
42:33.9
42:38.4
one works or not you know we will we
will make sure that one sticks and one
42:38.4
42:42.8
is exactly what you’re looking for and
I’m imagining as we’re going through
42:42.8
42:46.9
this process you’re learning more and
more and more about who and what we’re
42:46.9
42:51.5
looking for and that just makes your job
easier pretty much and I think that goes
42:51.5
42:56.0
with you know as time goes on we’re
consistently learning more and more
42:56.0
43:00.5
about each other in what you know each
other’s interests are and you know what
43:00.5
43:04.7
you’re looking for versus what you know
a group of candidates might be looking
43:04.7
43:09.1
for and then figuring out how we can
strategically you know take different
43:09.1
43:13.9
approaches to really get to what you
know what you’re really looking for and
43:13.9
43:18.6
that’s the end goal you know to get the
perfect candidate to really serve as you
43:18.6
43:22.9
know long term asset in a position that
you’re trying to fill well what are some
43:22.9
43:27.7
of the realistic now I say realistic
expectations that you and I should go to
43:27.7
43:31.4
halves and then sometimes there’s not
realistic expectations out there sure
43:31.4
43:35.8
but now what should I have as an
employer what should you have as the
43:35.8
43:40.8
person that’s finding the person to
place so we have all the tools we need
43:40.8
43:46.7
to find you the best talent what we
usually ask you know from from the
43:46.7
43:50.9
client side of things from from your
point of view Trace is you know we want
43:50.9
43:56.3
your openness your honesty you know when
it comes to setting up interviews you
43:56.3
44:00.5
know how can we get the I guess the the
proper feedback from you
44:00.5
44:04.6
what’s that timeframe gonna look like
and how can we move forward and set up
44:04.6
44:09.3
the next round of interviews so what I
always like to do is establish you know
44:09.3
44:14.3
a very strict process with someone like
yourself Trace to understand what your
44:14.3
44:18.4
schedule is looking like going into the
holiday season and how we can work
44:18.4
44:23.5
the different barriers to make sure that
we fill you know an open position for
44:23.5
44:26.9
you in exactly the timeframe that you’re
looking to get that done
44:26.9
44:31.2
chase I’m sure you have better customers
than others and I’m not going to ask you
44:31.2
44:37.2
to name names but what are some of the
characteristics of the best customers
44:37.2
44:43.5
that you work with that somebody who’s
listening today can copy can emulate and
44:43.5
44:49.9
have a great relationship like that
customer honestly Tracy I think it comes
44:49.9
44:57.0
down to the trust factor if I can trust
a client with the the candidates I’m
44:57.0
45:01.2
sending over you know knowing that they
will provide me with you know immediate
45:01.2
45:06.2
feedback and then coming from you know a
direct line manager to then immediately
45:06.2
45:10.0
you know set up first round second round
interviews it’s one of those things
45:10.0
45:15.4
where working around tight timeframes
and deadlines is one of those things
45:15.4
45:20.3
that I experience quite often and I
can’t stress enough how much of a burden
45:20.3
45:27.0
it is to go a week without knowing how a
candidate did in his interview and it’s
45:27.0
45:31.3
one of those things where I go back to
to kind of deadlines and in timeframes
45:31.3
45:36.1
because a lot of my business operates
around that and so that’s that’s one
45:36.1
45:40.2
thing I can certainly say you know makes
great customers from from my point of
45:40.2
45:45.7
view is being open transparent and kind
of quick on the trigger for you know
45:45.7
45:50.2
understanding each other’s you know
needs really that’s great advice for us
45:50.2
45:53.1
to set up those expectations with
somebody like yourself that we’re
45:53.1
45:58.0
working with now for myself let’s say I
was interviewing multiple agencies
45:58.0
46:02.0
what’s a red flag that I should look for
and I’m sure you’ve heard some stories
46:02.0
46:06.4
well I I think that can go back to what
we were talking about earlier trace I
46:06.4
46:10.9
mean if you’re working with a company
and they’re you know one of your best
46:10.9
46:15.3
customers but then again you are
reaching out to some of their lower
46:15.3
46:20.2
level employees to try and have them
work for another customer that should be
46:20.2
46:24.2
an immediate red flag this is someone
that’s you know not taking my business
46:24.2
46:29.5
seriously they’re trying to you know
approach my internal employees and you
46:29.5
46:32.6
know have them work with another
customer of theirs
46:32.6
46:36.5
that was certainly raised some red flags
for me I think another one would
46:36.5
46:45.1
certainly be the the lack of feedback as
well if if one thing is happening on
46:45.1
46:49.0
your side and you’re trying to get
feedback from you know myself when it
46:49.0
46:54.1
comes to candidates we’re potentially
providing for interviews and I take a
46:54.1
46:58.7
week to do so well what’s taking so long
this is this is what you’re supposed to
46:58.7
47:05.0
do for me so are there any statistics
that are out there we’re using somebody
47:05.0
47:10.5
like yourself versus myself as the
employer just going online using word of
47:10.5
47:14.7
mouth all the things that we spoke about
earlier that there is a better success
47:14.7
47:20.6
rate using one or the other I would
certainly say the success rate can kind
47:20.6
47:27.4
of vary if you know someone applies to
your position your job posting on indeed
47:27.4
47:31.3
and they happen to be you know the best
fit well there you just found your
47:31.3
47:36.5
golden ticket on the backside of you
know really difficult positions to fill
47:36.5
47:40.4
you know that’s one thing I experience
quite often with with clientele I work
47:40.4
47:46.1
with is the positions that they’re
trying to fill are very niche you know
47:46.1
47:51.4
it might be needing equipment experience
on a piece of equipment that was just
47:51.4
47:56.5
recently released within the last two
years those individuals are not going to
47:56.5
48:00.1
be applying to those jobs those are
individuals that you’re gonna hire
48:00.1
48:04.8
someone like us to pretty much go and
find those individuals for you what is
48:04.8
48:10.9
the one takeaway you want the Scaling UP!
Nation to get from this interview I I
48:10.9
48:16.6
certainly think that you know as an
employer and you know as employees of a
48:16.6
48:22.4
great company continue to open up the
barriers and you know don’t you know
48:22.4
48:27.4
don’t keep people kind of you know stuck
in their corner in a position give
48:27.4
48:33.2
people room to grow I consistently see
you know lack of companies promoting
48:33.2
48:37.7
from within and I think that’s one thing
we need to you know really kind of go
48:37.7
48:42.3
back to because you’ve spent so long
training them because you’ve spent so
48:42.3
48:46.2
long you know helping them grow why
aren’t you putting them forward
48:46.2
48:49.5
for you know a supervisor role why
aren’t you putting them forward for you
48:49.5
48:54.1
know a management position when it opens
up I I think this you know growing from
48:54.1
48:58.4
within you know culture needs to come
back and it needs to make a big impact
48:58.4
49:03.2
excellent well I really appreciate you
coming on Scaling UP! I know you’ve
49:03.2
49:07.9
cleared up a lot of questions that I had
I know you’ve cleared up questions for
49:07.9
49:10.9
the Scaling UP! Nation as well but I do
have a couple of lightning round
49:10.9
49:14.3
questions for you if you can hang around
a little bit longer sure hit me with
49:14.3
49:19.9
them all right so my first one and the
nation hopefully you know as well that I
49:19.9
49:25.0
am a huge Back to the Future fan so you
and I are getting into the DeLorean we
49:25.0
49:30.3
are setting the time circuits back to
the very first day you started in this
49:30.3
49:35.1
career what have you learned now that
you would give advice to yourself on
49:35.1
49:38.4
your very first day I would say
resilience
49:38.4
49:43.6
is one of those things I honestly I
should have started out with you know at
49:43.6
49:47.8
you know tenfold I mean it’s it’s one of
those things where clients don’t always
49:47.8
49:52.9
want to work with you know a team like
ours but at the same time you know we we
49:52.9
49:57.2
continue to understand more and more
about what they need to a point where we
49:57.2
50:01.5
actually fully understand what you’re
struggling with to where we can actually
50:01.5
50:06.4
be you know the best resource for those
needs all right what’s the last book
50:06.4
50:12.3
that you’ve read ooh that’s a tough
question I read so many articles I
50:12.3
50:17.2
haven’t picked up a book in a while all
right what’s the last article you’ve
50:17.2
50:21.5
read um the last article I read was
actually about jobs in the water
50:21.5
50:26.8
treatment industry it’s by Barbara
falkenroth and you could I’m sure you
50:26.8
50:30.9
could find it online but it is literally
titled jobs in the water treatment
50:30.9
50:35.7
industry it’s just a few you know
industry statistics about you know
50:35.7
50:41.3
operations engineers and how you know
training is you know really implemented
50:41.3
50:45.6
and you know the University and college
settings to help these individuals grow
50:45.6
50:50.9
into really a great career path in the
water space very cool I’ll make sure to
50:50.9
50:56.6
put a link to that on my show notes page
so when they make a movie about you who
50:56.6
51:01.0
plays you
oh I’m gonna have to go with Jason
51:01.0
51:06.5
Statham alright fair enough
action hero guy and then my final
51:06.5
51:10.3
question for you you now have the
ability to speak with anybody throughout
51:10.3
51:14.6
history who would it be with and why it
would absolutely have to be Martin
51:14.6
51:19.4
Luther King jr. I’ve been asked this
question once before and it really took
51:19.4
51:24.9
me a while to think about it and someone
as powerful as he is when it just comes
51:24.9
51:30.3
to you know that the way he portrays
himself and his beliefs I I think is
51:30.3
51:36.5
just absolutely amazing to watch and it
gives me chills to think you know hey if
51:36.5
51:40.8
I could have lunch with this guy manihot
that’d be amazing that’s a great answer
51:40.8
51:46.4
chase thanks so much for coming on the
program and answering so many questions
51:46.4
51:51.2
around hiring new individuals Trace thank
you so much for having me it’s been an
51:51.2
51:56.9
absolute pleasure folks as I mentioned
on the top end I have never used a
51:56.9
52:01.7
headhunting service but I gotta tell you
I like chase he seems like a very
52:01.7
52:08.0
upstanding guy and I really enjoyed my
interview with him it’s my hope that
52:08.0
52:12.7
everybody out there and the Scaling UP!
Nation has learned something at the very
52:12.7
52:17.4
least you’ve come away with some
questions that you can ask a headhunting
52:17.4
52:22.7
professional on how you can engage in
finding new talent for your company
52:22.7
52:29.7
somebody once told me that hiring is the
same exact word as Scaling and what they
52:29.7
52:34.0
meant by that they meant if everything
was working perfectly in your company
52:34.0
52:40.1
you were going to multiply that out
however the inverse is also true so if
52:40.1
52:46.1
there is an issue with our company if
there is a particular area that we have
52:46.1
52:54.0
not resolved yet and it is an issue that
is only going to be multiplied when you
52:54.0
52:59.4
hire somebody because we are increasing
the lines of communication and whatever
52:59.4
53:05.3
that issue is it will multiply tenfold
for probably every employee that you
53:05.3
53:10.4
hire so it is imperative that you have
whatever position
53:10.4
53:15.6
that you are hiring for completely
ironed out all your policies and
53:15.6
53:21.6
procedures so that way everybody is
starting on the right foot and you can
53:21.6
53:27.7
only have success that way of course
that’s so much easier said than done one
53:27.7
53:30.7
of the things that I like to do when I’m
working with some of my consulting
53:30.7
53:35.7
clients is look at the various job
titles that they have throughout their
53:35.7
53:41.7
company make sure that everybody
understands not only the owner but
53:41.7
53:48.0
everybody in the company understands why
each one of those jobs is important what
53:48.0
53:53.7
the roles of each of those people that
fill the seats of those jobs and make
53:53.7
53:59.1
sure that there is proper training and
documentation so those people are set up
53:59.1
54:05.9
for success so if you who are thinking
about hiring somebody and you know that
54:05.9
54:12.3
there is an issue in your company I ask
you to try to solve that issue before
54:12.3
54:17.9
you bring somebody else into that issue
they’re not going to enjoy it you’re not
54:17.9
54:20.6
going to enjoy it
but if you can iron that out you’re
54:20.6
54:25.0
gonna find the right person hopefully
and then they’re gonna be at the right
54:25.0
54:31.4
company in the right seat because you
have all of the right ingredients laid
54:31.4
54:36.2
out for them folks I want to thank the
Scaling UP! Nation because I’ve received
54:36.2
54:41.4
a lot of questions around how do you
find new people in the water treatment
54:41.4
54:46.7
industry or specifically for your
company so this episode specifically is
54:46.7
54:52.5
coming right from the Scaling UP! Nation
if there is a topic that you want to
54:52.5
54:59.6
hear about please go to https://scalinguph2o.com/ let me know what that topic is and I
54:59.6
55:05.2
will be sure to get that on a later
episode folks thanks so much for
55:05.2
55:18.4
listening to Scaling UP! I can’t wait to
come to you next week on Scaling UP! H2O