The Hiring Zone: Remote Offices – This is How We Do It, Part Three With over 30 years of experience, Roy Aldworth has worked both in office and remote. He currently works on extremely large multifamily residential projects, city block sized up to 7 stories high. He started working from home 8 years ago and was so much more productive it became permanent. There... Read More November 2019 Issue #11244 Page 84
The Last Word: The Last Word on Finishing Well Joe Kannapell, PE I was fired. But I didn’t hesitate to work late, by myself, on my last day. Heck, I even set the alarm and locked the gate on my way out. That’s finishing well in my “book” and that’s the least I owed my employer. This I commend to you, whether you’re moving... Read More November 2019 Issue #11244 Page 127
The Hiring Zone: Remote Offices – This is How We Do It, Part Two Last month, I wrote about the evolution of my Home Office, and I invited our readers to share details about their own. Are they efficient or extravagant? Large or small? Here’s a reply from one of our readers. “I have a Dell Alienware laptop and twin 32” dell monitors. My... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 82
The Last Word: The Right Job Joe Kannapell, PE Fired or laid off? Naturally you’re worried, as I was when I faced both predicaments. After being fired I was doubly worried when my boss told me, “You now have 3 strikes against you, and should find something else to do.” I listened to that advice, landed on my two feet, while... Read More October 2019 Issue #11243 Page 122
The Hiring Zone: Remote Offices – This is How We Do It! Sitting in my Home Office, after 27 years of working from home, I get it. The perks that come with working from home are great and the freedoms that come with it are priceless. There are downsides too. If you haven’t worked from home long term, I will just say that I hope your positives... Read More September 2019 Issue #11242 Page 84
The Hiring Zone: Bonus Plan or Performance Plan—Is One Strategy Better? The goal is the same for both a bonus plan and a performance plan—reward an employee for performance. The higher the position, the more defined are the goals. Not many bonuses that are consistently over $10k are subjective. It can’t be about how well departments out of your control... Read More August 2019 Issue #11241 Page 80
The Hiring Zone: Hiring Zone & JobLine: Two Industry-Specific Hiring Options When it comes to finding the right industry-experienced person to fill a key role, like a designer or plant manager, you have several options. You can DIY and network with employees and industry contacts, engage a recruiter, or place ads and screen candidates internally. I can’t speak to... Read More June 2019 Issue #11239 Page 80
Question of the Day: Where Can I Find Truss Technicians? Stan Sias “I’ve looked everywhere, even at my competitors, where can I find truss technicians?” This is a question heard at some point during almost every conversation with component manufacturers these days. The answer isn’t as simple as saying, “Oh, call Truss... Read More May 2019 Issue #11238 Page 60
The Hiring Zone: Overtime Blues The Designer Hiring Season is here and now, and with it comes overtime. It may be a Saturday or two, or even some 9–10 hour days. Short term, managing your labor needs with overtime is a great alternative to the expense and risks of hiring another designer. Long term use may cost you a few... Read More May 2019 Issue #11238 Page 74
The Hiring Zone: Missing the Point Missing the point could cover a lot of things, but this month it means considering different perspectives during an interview. Employers and candidates can get trapped into looking at things from just one side. Employers are thinking: What skills and abilities do I need in a candidate, does this... Read More April 2019 Issue #11237 Page 74