Shall i give this lad a chance

[uksparks]

Hi,

Just had my first CV through the door from a 16 year old who has previously done work experience with another local firm.

I have a CU change on Friday, what do you say, shall I ring him and see if he wants to tag along?

Got an extension next week too.

Any thoughts? Can it hurt to do so? Do I pay him and if so, what in? Biscuits and tea?

 

[trev]

How about you give him a short trial period when you pay him what you can afford (if he pulls his weight) if he's any good then you could offer him a proper apprenticeship maybe

 

[dan86]

Is he looking for money or is he happy with just the experience for now? extra pair of hands is always handy but only if they know wtf they're doing mind. ..

 

[uksparks]

im not busy enough to do anything too formal on a permenant basis but if he wants to come along for a nominal fee to see if its really what he wants i can do that.

 

[uksparks]

i think he is looking for a basic junior position and willing to start from the bottom going on his letter.

 

[dan86]

answered your own question then really.

 

[tazz]

Everyone deserves a chance, be totally upfront that you a only a few jobs, and give him a trainees wage....they dont deserve to work for nothing

 

[bigdavs83]

We all had to start at the very bottom one day. However it's a big risk and more companies are looking at more mature lads at like 19 and 20 as they are deemed less of a liability. Doesn't mean they are any better or worse. Meet him and let him tag along for a week if he looks decent. He may just surprise you (or not)!

 

[Guest77]

Hi,

Just had my first CV through the door from a 16 year old who has previously done work experience with another local firm.

I have a CU change on Friday, what do you say, shall I ring him and see if he wants to tag along?

Got an extension next week too.

Any thoughts? Can it hurt to do so? Do I pay him and if so, what in? Biscuits and tea?

If you do let me know so I can put you on my ignore list, I would pay him a wage if he is working, only a tory would expect someone to work for biscuits.

 

[7029 dave]

Give him a go uk, if you can never know might work out for you both.

 

[Plonker 3]

If you have time and the facility to give him some time do it, you don't have to offer him a full time position. Obviously don't expect him to work for free maybe payment with some tools could be a compromise so at least you then know they may be of some use to them if they get a similar chance with someone else.

 

[Guest77]

When I was working for someone else before I started up on my own the company I was working for used to employ work experience lads for a week or so a year. It was unpaid and basically the lads were treated like horse muck from the company ---- in the office, They would make them sweep up and make tea plus carry tools about for the blokes etc and actually teach them nothing during the week. I always paid out of my own pocket 20-30 quid to the lad or lads I had with me, and I actually had them pulling wires in and I swept up. I remember one lad asking me why I was sweeping and vaccuming up when I was running the job and they were there to do it, my response was simple to them=your not paid enough to sweep up, that was my view then and is now, if you take a lad on he needs to be paid and treated properly, otherwise why take them on in the first place.

 

[Andy78]

On a serious and boring note, does one have to alter one's insurance to cover employees as well, if as a sole trader with relevant sole trader insurance, one was to entertain such a lad for a work trial ?

I ask hypothetically for myself and on behalf of Uksparks. I have had heaps of CVs through in the last year from keen young lads. Like the OP I don't have the need for a permanent lackey, but some jobs could do with another body sometimes, and if I can give some experience I would be more than happy to do so.

 

[Plonker 3]

Exactly Mike, worked with quite a few apprentices myself. Some have had a pop at me for doing nothing but talking and walking around doing not a lot when it's been quiet on site. My response is similar to yours "how are you going to learn how to do something if you don't actually do it".

 

[davesparks]

My mentors attitude was basically that he had already had all the practice he needed at doing the electrical work and I didn't, so he would happily do the majority of the chasing and sweeping up etc.
And now I have the same attitude towards trainees.

I have had young lads come out with me for a bit of experience and to see what it is all about. I haven't always been in a position to pay them due to putting every last penny in to another business venture, but I picked them up, bought them lunch, took them home and only had them doing interesting things and none of the labourers work.

 

[Guest77]

My mentors attitude was basically that he had already had all the practice he needed at doing the electrical work and I didn't, so he would happily do the majority of the chasing and sweeping up etc.
And now I have the same attitude towards trainees.

I have had young lads come out with me for a bit of experience and to see what it is all about. I haven't always been in a position to pay them due to putting every last penny in to another business venture, but I picked them up, bought them lunch, took them home and only had them doing interesting things and none of the labourers work.

Well transporting them around, feeding them and actually training them to carry out electrical work and not treating them like a navvy is a good step for sure, chucking them 20 quid would be even better but under the circumstances you did well by them.

 

[davesparks]

I felt really guilty at the time about it.
But with the little cash jobs on the way home they got half the money.

 

[Harni]

Id give him a go for a day or two just to see what the lad is like. Unfortunately a lot of young guys now are idiots with no motivation to work and expect everything handed to them and i think this puts a lot of people off taking on people straight out of school or young people but theres also a lot of good ones out there. Give him a chance. I had the problem of not getting a chance for ages when i left school because of the stereotype and i think this is partly due to the high rate of unemployment.

 

[uksparks]

Thanks for all the help here, yes if he's doing something then yes I'd pay him, the biscuits was a joke, us with me there, there wouldn't be any left to hand out.

so, he is 16, I feel he deserves a chance, like you say he might be good. I have no idea how much to pay him if he's helping on a job. For example, next week I'm charging the woman £200 per day labour, so have enough spare to pay him with in cash. What's the normal rate per hour then for him?

 

[uksparks]

It's like everything in life, until someone gives you a chance you never get anywhere .