He was supposed to arrive at 10:00, and by 10:06 there was no sign of him, so I sent him a text and told him to find me in the spinach patch, up the paved driveway. I joined Carrie in the spinach and we waited. He arrived at 10:15. The first words out of his mouth were apologetic, and his reason was that google maps had directed him to go through the McMansions next door. This was legitimate, although not really the best excuse ever, and we let him get on his knees and help us pick spinach while he had his interview.
Over the years I have developed a series of low-key tests for applicants. They are not at all difficult and yet they are easy to mess up.
First, they have to read our website to find out how to apply. They are instructed to send a letter of interest which includes specific information. Anyone who calls me on the phone without sending that information first does not get any more chances.
Second, they fill out a four page application which was originally composed by my parents (it used to say: "Can you carry 80 lbs. for one hundred yards? In what time?" To test this question, my father put my 80 pound cousin on his shoulder and ran 50 yards up the street and back so we could time him.). It has been revised over the years. Some of the questions remain -- the most probing one is "Farm workers make less money than people in other professions. Why is this?" I think one of the most telling questions is "List three interesting things about yourself." This application shows how they think, how they write, and how seriously they are taking this. Spelling counts. So does grammar. If they fill it out by hand and send it back in less than an hour, they do not get hired.
Third, they come to an interview if possible. Punctuality is crucial, but texting about tardiness definitely softens the crime of being late. Sometimes I test them by telling them to find me on the farm -- I give them directions, and the farm is so small that we can practically see everything from anywhere, so this is a very easy test.
Recently, I added a fourth possible evaluation tool. We ride out to the Loudoun farm together in a vehicle and I see how they are at holding up their end of a conversation for 45 minutes there, and then 45 minutes back. We can talk about anything at all. I can also tell if they smoke, and if they smell particularly strong. If they have a sense of humor that I can appreciate, that goes a long way.
So you see, it isn't really all that hard to get hired to work on this farm. You don't have to know anything but you have to be able to ask good questions. You have to demonstrate the ability to follow directions, and you have to be someone who can talk. We will take it from there. Lately, a lot of people apply with previous farm experience -- that can be good and it can also be a problem, unteaching facts and skills that don't apply to our farm.
Even though he was late today, he made up for it by telling us about himself while he tried to pick spinach and weed at the same time. He didn't act like it was weird to get down on his knees with three older women and talk to them for an hour. And he did notice that we picked a lot more than he did in that amount of time. Those are all fine qualities and he got the job.
Tomorrow we are interviewing someone who has never had a driver's license but she has worked at a local nursery for a few years. That is intriguing. I like hiring people who have interesting, quirky stories but who don't need to spend too much time tooting their own horn. Years ago (this one has stuck with me forever) I hired a young woman who had graduated from MIT with a degree in civil engineering. What struck me about her application was that she said she could "clean a carpet with a broom." Her parents owned a restaurant and it was her job to do that task. She ended up being a great worker.
I don't always get it right, but we do get a lot of interesting people here, and that is important to me. It would be so boring otherwise.
No comments:
Post a Comment