Finding help

[MinUph]

I cant believe how hard it is to find a seamstress. I've had ads running for over a month and no one yet. I also find it hard to believe some people are so excited about the job make an appointment for an interview and don't show up. I've also had 2 that said they can't accept a job unless the pay is $$ minimum. Two of these so far with no Upholstery experience thinking they can make big bucks in this business. What is with the workers today? Whenever I have taken a job no matter where and how much I was making I worked my butt off. It's just how I am I guess.
My ranting is over now have a great week end everyone.

[baileyuph]

Clearly, the landscape is changing, is sewing even taught in schools today? 

If so, probably not near as much.

Doyle

[Lo]

Not sure whether this might be an avenue for finding someone but thought I would throw it out there anyway.

Do you have any retail fabric stores in the area like Hancock Fabrics? Maybe they know of someone they could put you in contact with? If nothing else maybe one of those employees would be willing to moonlight temporarily until you could get the position filled . . . good luck.

[bobbin]

Wow, that has to be discouraging, Paul.  I know boss had a tough time finding someone with skills too.  Good tip to ask at local fabric stores. 

I was required to take Home Economics in Jr. High (loathed it, swore I'd never sew again... lol).  But I don't think sewing is taught anymore.  People are always surprised to learn that's what I do for a living.  I think the toughest part is that even if someone has some basic skills there is still a pretty steep learning curve to attain a level of reliability and efficiency; fabrics can vary greatly, commercial sewing machines can be scary to home sewers, and it's really hard to keep an eye on a new stitcher to avoid costly mistakes. 

[byhammerandhand]

Radical change in the prevailing work ethic.

[SteveA]

Mike may have found a seamstress at the mall who is unemployed -
SA

[chrisberry12]

advertise on Craig's list outside your area, If someone is out there they might not mind the travel. It's a dieing trade. The new generation just wants everything for nothing. I have always worked my arse off, in time things will change, I know it will, when the jobs are no longer in the states thats when we will get the trades back. I learned from Randy Stivers and Harry Kohl in Syracuse and I worked under they for years, now adays they just take a class.

[MinUph]

Hey Chris,
  I know Randy and Harry. My dad worked for Harry for years. OV26358. I still remember the phone number :)

[bobbin]

Thinking about "work ethic" yesterday, we talked about it over dinner.

Some thoughts:
1.)  There are lazy people out there (just as there always has been and always will be).
2.)  Learning to cope with frustration and facing the challenges mastery of a skilled trade demands is not something everyone can do. 
3.)  We no longer really "permit" kids to fail outright and "fall on their faces"; I see it all the time with friends' kids.  Every kid gets a "prize" at field days, no kid gets a failing grade.  If the prize or grade isn't what the parents wish for the hue and cry over the "unfairness" is raised.  It's not often that the kids is picked up, dusted off, and told to "work harder" or that this isn't the end of the world.  How can we help you with this?
4.)  Too many supervisors/managers don't know how to deliver criticism that is constructive, too often it seeps into the realm of "personal" ("if you'd been listening you wouldn't have done that", instead of, "ooh, that was an important detail; we have to correct it.  Here's why.").  Conversely, too many of us wince at the barest suggestion of criticism; we struggle to divorce our personal side from the work at hand.
5.)  Learning to cope with failure and assume responsibility for it is a very important lesson.  And it can be a hard one! humiliating and frustrating but it can also steel character, harden resolve, and ultimately move the person forward professionally. 

I think each of us hates working with "slackers".  I know "cleaning up" sloppy work used to irritate me; and keeping a discreet and watchful eye on a newbie was tiring.  It was exhausting to break a task into "bite size" portions so that a small mistake didn't get buried as the steps were accomplished and become a really big one... one that took time to pick out and correct. 

[byhammerandhand]

One of my sons-in-law's ex-step-father (let's call him Bob, since that's his name) (boy that's a long path) is that way.   I've only met him a couple of times.  The first time, Bob was proud that his father worked at a factory where he could get his work done in the morning, then would find a place to hide and sleep the rest of the day.   Bob, himself, had a decent job, the the minute he found out he might be entitled to some disability for work he'd done as a 20 year old, he quit his job and went looking for the hand-out.  In the process, his house was foreclosed on, car was repossessed m, and eventually at age 54, moved back home to his parents.   It suited him fine because it could nap and watch daytime TV all day.  

My daughter and her husband hated to have him around fearing his sloth (isn't one of the seven deadly sins?) might be displayed to their young children.

Thinking about "work ethic" yesterday, we talked about it over dinner.

Some thoughts:
1.)  There are lazy people out there (just as there always has been and always will be).

I have sometimes watched programs with "Chef Gordon Ramsey."  His idea of motivation is to belittle, yell, and swear at you.   He makes Simon Cowell look like a nurturing figure.  I, for one, have never been motivated by in-your-face yelling and humiliation.  I'm glad I never had to go to military boot camp.

4.)  Too many supervisors/managers don't know how to deliver criticism that is constructive, too often it seeps into the realm of "personal" ("if you'd been listening you wouldn't have done that", instead of, "ooh, that was an important detail; we have to correct it.  Here's why.").  Conversely, too many of us wince at the barest suggestion of criticism; we struggle to divorce our personal side from the work at hand.

P.S. See my signature line

[MinUph]

I know this has always been the way for some people but after all these years I still fail to understant the mentality. No pride in themselves I guess or respect for anything but themselves.

[bobbin]

I particularly loathe the screaming, insulting, "in your face" method of "professional criticism".  Belittling someone who's made a basic blunder only puts the recipient on edge and fills them with fear! in my own experience, being afraid leaves the brain on the defensive and utterly incapable of receiving the necessary message of the criticism! Any manager/supervisor who resorts to that tactic is a fool, and is most likely incapable of delivering the desired result under similar pressure. 

You can teach a dog "down" with an angry voice and forcing them "down".  Or you can teach it with a treat, patience, and an emphatic hand signal.  And reinforce the lesson with lavish praise.  Sometimes you have to "enforce it", but that's the last option!

The lovely women I worked with when I was 20-something were so very patient.  When I hurried and made mistakes they told me to "take my time" and do it right THE FIRST TIME.  It took a long time for me to fully appreciate their advice (doing it over certainly hastened the lesson!), but it's made me sensitive to how criticism is delivered. 

[sofadoc]

Some people just aren't meant to work.

We have been friends with another couple for over 25 years. The wife is an excellent mother, and homemaker. While the husband is a good provider, their budget at times has necessitated that she get a supplementary income job.

She has had several jobs over the years, and never really performed well at any of them. She is everything an employer would hate about an employee.

I have always found her hard to figure out. She takes great pride in everything she does.........UNLESS it has a W-2 form attached to it. Then her work ethic turns to total crap.

There are a lot of people like her in the workplace. I can't explain it.

[MinUph]

There sure is SD. In the last two weeks I've had to bench ment walk out. One I understand has personal problems but the other I don't It all really revolves around two very hard to do tufted seat and back loveseats. When I asked them to do them they both were un happy. Being without a seamstress I have been busy in the cutting and sewing room and haven't been able to finish these pieces myself. Had a break today our past girl came in for the day and I got one completed.
  Seems these guys figure they could pick and choose the work they would do. I don't understand the mentality but oh well.

[kodydog]

So they left without notice? My last employer had a fit because I only gave 60 days.

Part of the problem is good upholsterers are in short supply. They can pick and choose their employer. If they don't like a situation (tufted loveseat) they can quit and have another job by the end of the week. This gives them an attitude.

I always did what they threw at me. The last day of my last job the boss came up to me and says, we want you to clean the septic tank. Ha ha ha. He thought that was real funny. What he did give me was a drop-in-unit for a sofa. It had a wood frame. Was old and 8-way hand tied. I'd never done one like this and because it was already striped down I really didn't know where to start. It had a spring edge all the way around like a box spring mattress.

Being my last day I could have just screwed around and left the thing untouched. But I got busy and even stayed 1/2 hour late till I could find a good stopping point.

My point is, some people welcome a challenge and others run from it. Its a matter of character.

As far as "finding help". When I found my south Florida job the ad said "above average wages". That got my attention.