Foo - never know how good you are at job till....

you hire someone and start training them.

Best description of the new guy(my first employee) is a sprout, he's green as hell. Knows nothing of being a messenger at all. Usual hang ups all the rookies go thru, uncomfortable handling the bag and cargo, unsure of himself around customers, not sure about where he's going or what to do when he gets there, locking and unlocking the bike is still new and not automatic. Its almost comical to watch, but everyone goes thru it. I had two choices, hire someone experienced but jaded, or a fresh apple from the tree, I took the rookie....I think I have my work cut out for me now, this is supposed to ease my workload, not increase it LOL. Looks like that may take awhile till it happens.

Brings back memories of how slow I used to be, I remember when I struggled to do 3-4 stops an hour, nowadays I do 6-8 without even trying hard and 12-14 or so when Im going full speed. Maybe in year or so he will have a decent grasp of how its done, we'll see, messenger business usually separates those that have a work ethic and skills from those that dont rather quickly, it doesnt suffer much foolishness.

gimp

pedex, sometimes, I think the issues with new hires in my line of work are unique. And then stories like yours remind me that it's really all the same. People aren't born knowing how to do something. They have to learn. And training people is hard work. (Not telling you this--you probably figured all that out within the first 3 minutes. Just what I'm always reminded of.) Good luck with your hire.

Well, training this guy isnt really that tough, just time consuming. Most of it he has to figure out himself, all I can do is give him the tools and point him in the right direction for the most part, being basically a solitary type job he has to figure out most of it himself unfortunately. Its taken years and more than 180,000 deliveries to learn what I know, I wish I could just transfer it all at once into someone else quickly !!

I was training some news guys at my old job last week since I wasn't gonna be on full time this summer delivering ice. I'm used to being the boss out on the road and at the stores (two man teams), but I had to let the new guys try and handle it and it was just tedious having to watch them make decisions, handle a customer, stack the ice like crap, and just be sooo much slower than what I'm used to, but I'm glad to kiss that job goodbye for something less back breaking, so it wasn't all bad...

My old mate from the rehab therapy gym where I was working full-time until last Fall is still trying to train the guy that replaced me...thank God he's doing it and not me. Going on 8 months, and this dude is still terrified of the job - I mean, we have some seriously sick/injured folks, but he knew that before he was hired. Still screws up the computer scheduling, too (very simple stuff)...that drives my old workmate bananas! ;) I might have lost my temper by this point.

You know you're good at your job when you can train people and have them ready in an hour or a day. Heh.

One of the best employees I'd ever had worked at a burger joint for 10 years as his only work experience. He was still finishing up his college studies but I took a chance and hired him, much to my director's reluctance. The fact that he could work at a burger joint for that long really said something to me and sure enough, he was one of the most effecient, patient, service-oriented people I've ever had. It's not the flipping burgers that concerned me, but his skills in dealing with stupid people, thinking quickly when the s**t hits the fan and being a team player. He had it all. When I hire people, I look for those traits. Yes, it's required they have a bachelor's degree in the field we're in (physiology) but it's not the grades I look for, but the person's integrity. Here that kids?! It's not the grades that count, but who you are as a person!

It's not the grades that count, but who you are as a person!

That should be more of a priority in healthcare, and thankfully therapy/nursing/medical students seem to be trained more thoroughly in service and caring these days. In any field, though, caring (about others and your work) is a large part of competence.

I wish I could just transfer it all at once into someone else quickly !!

Then they'd be "experienced and jaded".... :D