Hiring on a Handshake. Any unusual hiring stories?

[TPC]

I walked into the Joint in Randsberg and Neil the owner shook my hand with his thickly calloused hand. Neil spent half his life pouring & finishing concrete.
Got me to thinking. I'll get back to that.

Back in the mid 70's there was a concrete shortage than lasted quite some time.
A friend had a concrete finishing business, he and his crew were suffering. Lots of work available, no concrete - no money.

My dad at that time ran the concrete pouring section in the Antarctic for a branch of National Science Foundation.
Continuous pour every "summer" there.

I asked my friends if they'd like jobs there.
They looked at me like I had a asshole in my forehead, WTF, but called my dad anyway.

They went down to my dads office and my dad hires them on a hand shake. Hands like cheese graters.
Tax free employment and if they stayed the season they got a 50% pay bonus + a paid month.
They all made some serious bank and returned each "summer" for several years.

I told Neil that my dad would have hired him on the spot on the strength of his handshake..

Wife's Grandfather would take potential executive hires to lunch and if they salt and peppered their food before tasting it,, slim chance they'd get hired.

Today kids get hired off the internet.

Any unusual hiring stories?

 

[JFMFG]

I walked into the Joint in Randsberg and Neil the owner shook my hand with his thickly calloused hand. Neil spent half his life pouring & finishing concrete.
Got me to thinking. I'll get back to that.

Back in the mid 70's there was a concrete shortage than lasted quite some time.
A friend had a concrete finishing business, he and his crew were suffering. Lots of work available, no concrete - no money.

My dad at that time ran the concrete pouring section in the Antarctic for a branch of National Science Foundation.
Continuous pour every "summer" there.

I asked my friends if they'd like jobs there.
They looked at me like I had a asshole in my forehead, WTF, but called my dad anyway.

They went down to my dads office and my dad hires them on a hand shake. Hands like cheese graters.
Tax free employment and if they stayed the season they got a 50% pay bonus + a paid month.
They all made some serious bank and returned each "summer" for several years.

I told Neil that my dad would have hired him on the spot on the strength of his handshake..

Wife's Grandfather would take potential executive hires to lunch and if they salt and peppered their food before tasting it,, slim chance they'd get hired.

Today kids get hired off the internet.

Any unusual hiring stories?

We use indeed for the most part. Craigslist is junk now. I or my office manager will go through applicants. There is no zoom interviews or phone interviews 100% face to face. Offer people jobs they accept then never show up. That is the unusual hiring story I have is people come for a job it’s offered and 50% never show.

 

[4Waters]

When I was in the auto body industry I would quit one of my jobs and when I got home I had a message on my answering machine with a start day if I wanted it. Happened 2 out of the 3 times I left a shop.

When I left that industry I went into EMS. Got a call to a shop one day and the owner recognized me and was trying to get me to come work for him while I'm tending to his customer

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

We use indeed for the most part. Craigslist is junk now. I or my office manager will go through applicants. There is no zoom interviews or phone interviews 100% face to face. Offer people jobs they accept then never show up. That is the unusual hiring story I have is people come for a job it’s offered and 50% never show.

People worth hiring typically have multiple interviews and probably multiple offers out there and take the best one.

It’s kind of BS they don’t call or email you and at least let you know they have went a different direction.

 

[Badchoices03]

I got hired on my current role without even really applying...I was content where I was at, someone suggested I reach out to who is my now current boss just for a conversation about a open role...I told that person to just give him my email and phone number and he can contact me anytime...a few days later I get a phone call, we have a decently long conversation about the industry, key players, etc...I didn't even consider it an interview at the time, just bs'ing...then about 2 weeks later I get a job offer in my email from him...offer was good, just a tad bit better then where I was at, albiet for a lot larger company with more advancement opportunity....but like I said, I wasnt looking and was happy where I was at...so I counter offered at what I thought was "I will quit this job right now" type of offer, thinking they would back off...and a few days later I got an acceptance letter and requested start date....so here I am...lol

 

[JFMFG]

People worth hiring typically have multiple interviews and probably multiple offers out there and take the best one.

It’s kind of BS they don’t call or email you and at least let you know they have went a different direction.

For certain positions I have here yes I can see that but for entry level people I can’t see them having numerous offers when they’re not appealing as it is I just need warehouse body’s at times lol.

 

[lbhsbz]

I knew the owner of the company I used to work for from seeing him around when I was down there buying parts on occasion. He knew what I did and I knew they were growing fast. I was down at Hennessey's downtown Manhattan one night (every night lol) and here comes the boss walking by. I said hey, and he came in and sat down for a drink. That turned into being there until about 1 AM bullshitting about stuff... he threw down his AMEX black to cover the bill, drove me home and as I was getting out of his car...said "see you in the morning".

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

For certain positions I have here yes I can see that but for entry level people I can’t see them having numerous offers when they’re not appealing as it is I just need warehouse body’s at times lol.

How many other people need bodies? That’s my point. Those are gonna be your most fickle hires. They are quickest to hire, and will choose another gig on a whim for a variety of reasons.. 30 seconds closer to home, 20 mins further but closer to the girlfriends house, $.05 more per hour, seems like they will have less responsibility or expectations elsewhere.

If you are talking gigs at or around minimum wage… there are tons of body filling jobs to choose from.

 

[cofooter]

I have a fairly unique situation. In my whole hi tech career at 6 different companies (one I worked at twice) I only ever interviewed for the first job. All other job changes were the result of being retained after an aquisition (3) or following my existing boss to a new company (2). I feel fortunate to never have to have looked for a job or been unemployed til I decided to take an early retirement.

 

[mjc]

Last job I got hired over the phone, Never meet or even saw my manager or anybody above him the whole time I work for them. He could have been standing right next to me and I wouldn't have known.

 

[DWC]

I was in my mid- 20’s working in our replenishment/ordering department. Hit a few buttons, print out PO’s, sign them and repeat. Playing softball 2-3 days a week and tournaments on weekends. Our buying staff set up a charity softball game vs our biggest competitor. Being a buyer was a huge step up, most were much older and tons more experience. I weaseled in the game and played good enough to get offered an associate buyer job shortly after. Few years later the charity softball game became a golf event. By then my addiction had become golf. Went to the range 2-3 nights a week after putting the kids to bed. Got lucky and won long drive. A couple years after that my dream job opened up at the competition. My interview question was “did you really win long drive”
The number of times I’ve been in the right place at the right time is funny and a little scary. I’ll never take anything for granted.

 

[bilz]

We had one guy tell us in an interview, "I turned out in 2010, what else do you need".
Passed in that one.

 

[petie6464]

Never really worked for anyone but hired a many employee.

When I was hiring for machine operators or general shop help I would tell them to sweep the floor "The brooms are over there against the wall." There was a few large and larger push brooms and a few small household ones. The area to sweep was about 2k sf. If he grabbed the biggest broom and put some go-go into the motion and hauled ass he was in, otherwise out the door.

 

[lakemadness]

People worth hiring typically have multiple interviews and probably multiple offers out there and take the best one.

It’s kind of BS they don’t call or email you and at least let you know they have went a different direction.

That's because a majority of people are pussies. They can't tell someone "no". It happens with our new hires, too. It's an odd thing for sure.

They also lack common decency. Well, come to think of it, there is a really long list of whats wrong with most employees...

 

[Nordie]

I was graduating HS and didn't really know what was next. My step-dad was a foreman ironworker at a company and he said go talk to the shop foreman at the rebar fab shop. So I went and met him, shook his hand, he sent me to the office to drug test and I started the next week.

21 years later I'm a GF in the field.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I was in my mid- 20’s working in our replenishment/ordering department. Hit a few buttons, print out PO’s, sign them and repeat. Playing softball 2-3 days a week and tournaments on weekends. Our buying staff set up a charity softball game vs our biggest competitor. Being a buyer was a huge step up, most were much older and tons more experience. I weaseled in the game and played good enough to get offered an associate buyer job shortly after. Few years later the charity softball game became a golf event. By then my addiction had become golf. Went to the range 2-3 nights a week after putting the kids to bed. Got lucky and won long drive. A couple years after that my dream job opened up at the competition. My interview question was “did you really win long drive”
The number of times I’ve been in the right place at the right time is funny and a little scary. I’ll never take anything for granted.

Boom. Well played. Literally.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Funny this comes up after the In N Out thread earlier this week. When I was in High School and wanted to work there next, I was friends with about 8 people that worked in the store. There were no applications even, and certainly no openings. LIke I said, tough gig to get. Anyway, they found an old blank application, and I took a shot trying to stand out. I simply put the 8 people on there and their phone numbers on the page, and my name and info at the top.

I end up getting an interview from the Store Manager. It went something like this:

Him: "So you're Tom"

Me: "Yes"

Him: "You didn't fill out the application, any reason?"

Me: "I was told you weren't accepting them and there were no openings"

Him: "That's correct, so why did you list off your close friends that work here"

Me: "I figure them willing to endorse me was worth more than listing my experience, school accolades, etc, and maybe would mean something in the event you ever wanted to hire someone."

Him: "Well, they all said this place would be better with you here, and you can be counted on. There is no opening, but start next Friday. Let's hope this works out, these guys never vouch for anyone."

Most of these dudes had already been there for a few years, and its a little club house where no one likes anyone new, I was very glad for the support, and funnily look back at how this entry level school time job taught me more than tons of other experiences. To this day, even with interviews that focus around my certifications, and things I have built in tech in the past, I leave this on, and honestly spend a few minutes more on In N Out with a hiring manager than other history related to my profession. Its a curiosity, and really opens the door to the "humanity" side of an interview, and a chance to show "who" you are instead of simply what you are. Others might disagree, but its always served me well, and amongst 100 applicants all with the same 8 Salesforce Certifications and platform building background, your childhood can help you stand out.

 

[Shlbyntro]

I can say I've terminated more interviews as the interviewee than I've had terminated on me by the interviewer. I've always told them why and it's generally because my views of how the business should be run doesnt match theirs. I've had a couple nearly fly off the handle at me when I told them I dont think this is going to work out, but I've also had some take it in stride and thank me for my time only for us to help eachother out down the road.

Fwiw I have pretty much been told the same thing by all my past employers. I have an ego and an attitude problem, and sometimes also to stay in my lane. What can you do? I always showed all my cards from the get go and make sure that they know we would both need to see eye to eye on xyz for this to work.

 

[coolchange]

My kid just started a new job. I told him 15 minutes early is 5 minutes late. Shut your effing phone off leave iron car.
On the interviews check list a box said
“ on time” interviewer crossed it off wrote “extremely early”. Orientation day someone got sent home for being on their phone. Really?
2weeks in they’re already showing him stuff about being a lead.

 

[RiverDave]

I walked into the Joint in Randsberg and Neil the owner shook my hand with his thickly calloused hand. Neil spent half his life pouring & finishing concrete.
Got me to thinking. I'll get back to that.

Back in the mid 70's there was a concrete shortage than lasted quite some time.
A friend had a concrete finishing business, he and his crew were suffering. Lots of work available, no concrete - no money.

My dad at that time ran the concrete pouring section in the Antarctic for a branch of National Science Foundation.
Continuous pour every "summer" there.

I asked my friends if they'd like jobs there.
They looked at me like I had a asshole in my forehead, WTF, but called my dad anyway.

They went down to my dads office and my dad hires them on a hand shake. Hands like cheese graters.
Tax free employment and if they stayed the season they got a 50% pay bonus + a paid month.
They all made some serious bank and returned each "summer" for several years.

I told Neil that my dad would have hired him on the spot on the strength of his handshake..

Wife's Grandfather would take potential executive hires to lunch and if they salt and peppered their food before tasting it,, slim chance they'd get hired.

Today kids get hired off the internet.

Any unusual hiring stories?

I read somewhere that Henry Ford had a steak house with one way mirrors and if they seasoned before tasting they wouldn’t get hired?? I’m sure someone will be along to correct me on that

 

[Ziggy]

Got my first job at 10 that way. Some old guy I never saw before was delivering newspapers one day. So I asked if he was our new "paperboy". Nah, "he quit" was his response. I said, "I'll do it".
Next day a huge stack was on our porch with a list of addresses.
Lol, told my parents about it a couple days later.
This was back when papers were still delivered in the afternoon so it was a perfect after school activity.

 

[Your ad here]

I wish hiring was that easy. On the employee side of things applying for a job is overwhelming. I swear you need a college degree to fill out the application and really employers are asking for to much shit for what are not big title positions. Another tough part about getting hired is most, if not all, HR departments have no clue how to do anything related to hiring.

 

[coolchange]

I wish hiring was that easy. On the employee side of things applying for a job is overwhelming. I swear you need a college degree to fill out the application and really employers are asking for to much shit for what are not big title positions. Another tough part about getting hired is most, if not all, HR departments have no clue how to do anything related to hiring.

We got a new HR. You’d think his was the new COO. He’s going to get a lane check here pretty soon.

 

[185EZ]

I've always worked on referals and hand shakes and trust
So EZ takes care of your house? yes
Flies out with a house key and hands it to me. Didn't even know his name.
Another guy walks across the street and asks if i will take care of his house like this one. Yep
Shakes my hand and says "deal forever"
17 years and still going
I have a different relationship with my clients. Had a party with one and we were only ones with family. He says EZ we have never had a cross word between us in 20 years.

 

[cofooter]

I can say I've terminated more interviews as the interviewee than I've had terminated on me by the interviewer. I've always told them why and it's generally because my views of how the business should be run doesnt match theirs. I've had a couple nearly fly off the handle at me when I told them I dont think this is going to work out, but I've also had some take it in stride and thank me for my time only for us to help eachother out down the road.

Fwiw I have pretty much been told the same thing by all my past employers. I have an ego and an attitude problem, and sometimes also to stay in my lane. What can you do? I always show all my cards from the get go and make sure that they know we would both need to see eye to eye on xyz for this to work.

As A hiring manager, I'd choose someone like you over someone that is trying to be polite and patronizing all day and everyday. At least I would know what I was getting......... and vice versa.....

 

[snowhammer]

I had a guy tell me "if a kid comes to an interview with work boots on, make sure he fills out an application, if his work boots have cow shit on them, offer him a job on the spot"

 

[hallett21]

I had a guy tell me "if a kid comes to an interview with work boots on, make sure he fills out an application, if his work boots have cow shit on them, offer him a job on the spot"

lol ironically I wore a suit to my IBEW interview. Maybe 2-3 other guys did the same. The panel thanked me for treating the interview like a professional.

I was fully convinced I made the wrong call driving to the interview.

 

[Bobby V]

lol ironically I wore a suit to my IBEW interview. Maybe 2-3 other guys did the same. The panel thanked me for treating the interview like a professional.

I was fully convinced I made the wrong call driving to the interview.

Ha Ha . My buddy is on the interview part of my LU 709 Fire Sprinklers. He said some would show up at the interview like they were ready to go to work. Jeans or overalls. Lol

 

[Go-Fly]

I hired an employee that turned out to have a murder warrant out of California. Don't remember that coming up in the interview. State Police stormed the shop and hauled him off. The rest of us closed the doors and went across the street to have a beer.

 

[hallett21]

I hired an employee that turned out to have a murder warrant out of California. Don't remember that coming up in the interview. State Police stormed the shop and hauled him off. The rest of us closed the doors and went across the street to have a beer.

How’d he interview?

 

[Go-Fly]

How’d he interview?

He killed it.

 

[Ultra...Good]

I was graduating HS and didn't really know what was next. My step-dad was a foreman ironworker at a company and he said go talk to the shop foreman at the rebar fab shop. So I went and met him, shook his hand, he sent me to the office to drug test and I started the next week.

21 years later I'm a GF in the field.

Yeah, you just go ahead and brag about yore (insert reasons here) privileges. Showing up to work every day???? What a loser. Don't even get me started on YORE ability to pass a drug test.

 

[Ultra...Good]

I hired an employee that turned out to have a murder warrant out of California. Don't remember that coming up in the interview. State Police stormed the shop and hauled him off. The rest of us closed the doors and went across the street to have a beer.

So......was he a good worker? wondering because when you have nothing to lose, sometimes you really appreciate the little you have.

 

[Your ad here]

Ha Ha . My buddy is on the interview part of my LU 709 Fire Sprinklers. He said some would show up at the interview like they were ready to go to work. Jeans or overalls. Lol

When we would interview superintendents some would show up dressed up with hard hat, vest, safety glasses, really just wearing every piece of ppe available into an office. We're interviewing for a superintendent not a traffic cone.

 

[Bobby V]

When we would interview superintendents some would show up dressed up with hard hat, vest, safety glasses, really just wearing every piece of ppe available into an office. We're interviewing for a superintendent not a traffic cone.

Ha ha. Some companies require their employees where the PPE at all times. I used to wonder why they would be wearing all the PPE when we were on job walks in a existing office space.

 

[Go-Fly]

So......was he a good worker? wondering because when you have nothing to lose, sometimes you really appreciate the little you have.

He was a good worker. Hired him as a temp to clean the recieving yard. We were using 5 semi loads of steel a day and the forklift crew couldn't keep up with the stickers or banding. He cleaned everything up and on his own went inside and helped out. So we kept him on for over a year. No two week notice when he left.

 

[rivermobster]

He killed it.

I fucking really did lol at that!!!

 

[Your ad here]

So from the middle of 2020 to the beginning of 2021 I must've applied at over 40 companies. When companies were in need of help... I got 3 interviews out of the 40 places I applied at.
First one I showed up and the guy doesn't want to interview me. Says my resume isn't a close enough match for the type of work. Tell him I'm here just interview me. Was going to take the job but he wouldn't tell me the top out pay for the position, so I passed.
Second interview is with an older guy, I'm 32 at the time, I think. Within 5 minutes we know I'm not interested. We end up airing our frustrations to eachother for about 45 minutes. His wife is calling and he's letting it ring. Finally he picks up and says he's getting ready to leave. Hangs up and looks at me and before he can invite me over for dinner to continue the conversation I'm out of the chair and saying I don't want your wife to be mad at me for keeping you at work late and went out the door.
Third interview was for a temp agency and I didn't know that. Anyways I figure I'm here and got nothing to loose. I may learn something. So the guy is asking me job related questions. I ask people outside of work questions, break the ice and get a more personal relationship going. It does help. Anyways I do it to this guy. He's my age and we both moved from California to Arizona and talk awhile about that. I asked him if he moved out here with family or a wife or girlfriend. He immediately perked up and said no, why do you ask? I'm thinking oh shit he thinks I'm gonna ask him out on a date. I got out of there shortly afterwards.
Where I work now... show up to my brothers job site because they are grading and paving the parking lot. Its Tuesday at 9am. Superintendent calls me out on not having a job. Ask me what I want to do. Said I'll run a shovel for the grading company. He calls the owners son and tells him he's to hire me. Thursday I meet him at that site and I was hired. Started the following monday and have been there since. Do a little more than manage a shovel now.

 

[Ultra...Good]

Ha ha. Some companies require their employees where the PPE at all times. I used to wonder why they would be wearing all the PPE when we were on job walks in a existing office space.

Disclaimer, my bad, should not have done this.

Safety glasses broke, not usable. Bad enough eyes, need rx for important stuff. Plant manager comes through, sees me without safety glasses and we talk. Ended at me telling him that I should not be there, I should be sent home. They were so busy though, I guess it did not matter.

 

[Go-Fly]

I had a 30 year old applicant show up with his mom. She wanted to check out the working conditions. My foreman told her that nobody has lost a body part this week and that's a new factory record. A long dead silence followed. She left and took her worthless son with her.

 

[Ultra...Good]

When we would interview superintendents some would show up dressed up with hard hat, vest, safety glasses, really just wearing every piece of ppe available into an office. We're interviewing for a superintendent not a traffic cone.

I went on a few interviews years back in a suit, tie, shiny shoes etc........ Stood out like a sore thumb. The last time, ugh.........was a Friday before a football game so the entire office was in jeans and the teams jersey. Never, never ever the EF again.

Next interview, kind of strange. Group of people (potential hire's) at a conference table. Everyone is suit tie except me. I had a coat on, button up shirt, basically business casual and was called out for it. I told the story and was walked out of the room shortly after.....where I went to another office and was offered a job.

 

[Ultra...Good]

I had a 30 year old applicant show up with his mom. She wanted to check out the working conditions. My foreman told her that nobody has lost a body part this week and that's a new factory record. A long dead silence followed. She left and took her worthless son with her.

There are so, so many.

I go into gas station, in line waiting to pay, lady in front of me asks for a job application. And then she asks for a pen. And then she starts to fill out the application on the counter right there at the register.

 

[Go-Fly]

Christmas time, guy walks in, needs a job today, will do anything, any shift. Ho ho ho you start Monday. Monday morning standing by the gate before it opens. Goes through the morning meeting heads out to work, gets a phone call, family emergency, leaves. Next day same, dog died. Next day kid hurt. Two weeks go by, drank the coffee, ate the donuts, never did one minute of production. Left every day. Didnt show up second Monday until noon with family in van wanting his paycheck. Pay for what? You haven't done one minute of work and you owe me $10 for donuts. 5 o'clock news, he's in a homeles shelter with wife and kids talking trash how his employer stiffed him on pay, made them homeless. I made a phone call, 11 o'clock news was much different.

 

[Laguna]

I am glad I sold my business

 

[MPHSystems]

I don’t even want to talk about it.

 

[Ultra...Good]

I don’t even want to talk about it.

Yore hired. Just get yore car fixed.

 

[Nordie]

Yeah, you just go ahead and brag about yore (insert reasons here) privileges. Showing up to work every day???? What a loser. Don't even get me started on YORE ability to pass a drug test.

WTF are you talking about?

 

[OLDRAAT]

Glad I retired in '18.

 

[rivermobster]

WTF are you talking about?

Pretty sure it was a joke.

You showed up for work every day and didn't complain. Who does that anymore??

 

[LuauLounge]

Different times, from the time I was in high school in the late 60’s, I’ve never filled out a job application until after I was hired and it was the easiest source for the personal information. Never applied for a job, as either I was referred or someone would call me. We started our business 25 years ago and all of our clients are referrals.
We use a placement agency for hiring, pay dearly for it, but it’s a 90 day commitment. Have 2 20+ year employees and 2 employees that are….referrals.
Moving out the door and the employees will have to deal with it.