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The truth about youth
Page 13
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CM'S Perspectives column brings you alternative views from experts allied to the road transport industry. This week Emma Price explains why a taking on a bright young thing may be the solution to your recruitment problems.
Yes, we all know it —finding good truck drivers and haulage staff isn't that easy. Mind you, recruitment is a problem in every industry these days, not just road transport. In fact, eight out of 10 businesses have problems with hiring. And there's also the problem of knowing where and how to advertise.
But whatever you do, don't rush to hire the first person you find who might be OK.
You might not have enough people, but think about this for a second. Hire the wrong person and the outcome at the end of the day could be catastrophic —especially in an industry such as road transport where a driver could be behind the wheel of a 44-tonne truck.
"There are downsides to someone who's been in the game for years; not least the development of bad habits"
Perhaps it's time to consider a different approach to hiring. Sure, everyone Is after experience, but that's not always the be-all and end-all. There are downsides to someone who's been in the game for a number of years;not least the development of bad habits.
So Instead of hiring someone with a lot of experience but who you know is going to wind up being a thorn in your side, why not go for someone who doesn't yet have the experience you need but has the potential to learn those skills?
You might have someone wanting to work for you who is young, has tons of enthusiasm and is willing to learn. Why not take them on? If they have the right attitude and the potential to improve, they are going to wind up a real asset to your business. This is a great option If you have a small firm and are expecting the business to grow because it means that the new staff member can grow with the business.
Another thing hauliers should wise up to is the way they go about hiring staff. Some don't advertise quite as widely as they should because they don't have a lot of money to spend on recruitment.
But why not try the inter net? Websites are a great place to advertise without huge cost.
After all, what have you got to lose?
• Emma Price is a spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.