Looking for help with a recruitment issue

[Wing Commander]

Hi all,

I have an interesting problem that I need to solve.

I run a local domestic cleaning company, serving a pretty small (10/15 mile diameter) area. It is getting to the size where I need to think about getting in the equivalent of a general manager (but that rather overeggs the position a bit – its fairly low skill but requires a very nice personality), as my time for various reasons is tight as it is.

My problem comes from knowing how to pitch the role. It basically isn’t any particular number of hours a week/month, but I am happy to set aside a minimum number of hours for the person who would fill the role, for example, 10hrs per week. Sometimes it would ideally need a bit more than this, but if they cannot do it, it’s not the end of the world as I will still have availability to cover extra myself. The purpose of this person is just to reduce my workload, not completely remove me from it (at this stage).

The role would involve a bit of driving to new customer houses to get the “job spec” from the customer, then doing a meet and greet between customer and cleaner. All subsequent work would be done from home, behind a computer/tablet. I am happy to issue a tablet to do the work on, and company mobile. There is even potential to provide a company car, but if not, then travel expenses would be picked up by us too.

We, as a company, heavily rely on things like Dropbox, a remote telephone answering service and email, as all the members of the company are dotted around the place and we have no central office to speak of, so the new recruit would need to be reasonably proficient with basic computer useage.

So, I guess what I am asking is: how realistic am I being in trying to find someone flexible enough to be happy with 10-15 hours a week, working pretty autonomously, that knows how to drive a computer/tablet but is also very personable (our customers are mostly elderly and love a chat/cup of tea whilst discussing their cleaning requirements so a friendly persona is essential).

At this stage, this post is just my way of braindumping my thoughts and asking for feedback on anything I might have missed, or things I can do to ease myself into this. This role would be the first non-cleaner role I would have recruited for, and as such, I need to get it right.

So, it’s open to the table – what do you think? Cheers

[boyse7en]

If you could get 16 hrs a week, you should get a better response. Can't remember the exact reason, but all the working mums around here do 16 hours a week as, I think, the government will pay for 16 hours childcare but not more.

Other than that it seems fairly straightforward

Basic computer skills,
Driving licence (although if they are using their own vehicle they will need to insure for business use, might be expensive if only a limited number of hours a week)
Personable

[Wing Commander]

boyse7en said:

If you could get 16 hrs a week, you should get a better response. Can't remember the exact reason, but all the working mums around here do 16 hours a week as, I think, the government will pay for 16 hours childcare but not more.

Other than that it seems fairly straightforward

Basic computer skills,
Driving licence (although if they are using their own vehicle they will need to insure for business use, might be expensive if only a limited number of hours a week)
Personable

Thanks for the response. In the early stages, I think 16hrs per week would be unrealistic, but it could definitely be on the cards once we get into a groove. As I am currently the limiting factor of the growth of the business, if someone else takes this role on, I can ramp up the advertising and area we cover etc to maximise the time of the new recruit, but its an "area unknown" to me so I would rather under promise and over deliver at this stage and hopefully the new person would grown the role into whatever number of hours they wanted.

Your summary of the 3 main points is correct however - funny how someone else writing it down for you often cuts through the BS and makes it seem obvious.

Thanks

[951TSE]

Any scope for promotion from within? One of your existing cleaners looking for a bit of extra work. So call the role foreman, or supervisor rather than general manager?

So that person would already have the insurance, the driving licence, the computer skills, know the cleaning side of things and be okay with your customers.

[condor]

Would one of your present cleaners you employ be suitable? They could do it as an add on to their current cleaning duties.
My car is insured for business use and it was no extra premium than normal social use.

eta see 951 has beaten me to it

[mcflurry]

To me it sounds like the perfect job for a school mum?
They can drop the child(ren) at skool, then work your stuff around before 3pm

[Muzzer79]

951TSE said:

Any scope for promotion from within? One of your existing cleaners looking for a bit of extra work. So call the role foreman, or supervisor rather than general manager?

So that person would already have the insurance, the driving licence, the computer skills, know the cleaning side of things and be okay with your customers.

This.

For 10 hours per week, much better to promote someone from within and up their responsibility level. It'll also be someone you trust.

If there is no-one suitable, offer the role as full time combined with/in addition to regular duties, so 10 hours spent on the tasks you mention and the rest on actual cleaning with the others.

[Wing Commander]

Thanks all

Haven't got much time at the moment to reply to each post but hope to over the next day or two.

The idea of promoting from within is a really good one. Will definitely look into this. The only thing I can think that would be a problem with this, is the person would know how much we charge out our cleaning at per hour, which is quite different from what they get paid. We add on approximately 70% to what we pay the cleaners. I can quite easily justify the markup but logic might not come into it from their eyes.

Am I overreacting to this being a potential issue?

[condor]

I think you might be worrying over nothing. You have insurances, marketing, accountants and other business costs that need to be factored in. Plus you want to make a profit.

[illmonkey]

Wing Commander said:

Thanks all

Haven't got much time at the moment to reply to each post but hope to over the next day or two.

The idea of promoting from within is a really good one. Will definitely look into this. The only thing I can think that would be a problem with this, is the person would know how much we charge out our cleaning at per hour, which is quite different from what they get paid. We add on approximately 70% to what we pay the cleaners. I can quite easily justify the markup but logic might not come into it from their eyes.

Am I overreacting to this being a potential issue?

They should county themselves lucky if you're only adding 70%. Most industries its a lot more!