Choosing a maintenance staff is difficult for many hiring managers. For those without maintenance experience, it can be difficult to determine who has the technical skill versus who simply puts on a good interview. For those who are in maintenance, however, it can be difficult to know what to look for outside of technical ability and experience in order to make a good fit for the company as a whole.
Below are five mistakes people often make when hiring maintenance technicians, as well as how to fix them:
Not asking the maintenance team to provide input.
If you’re not part of the maintenance department yourself, ask other members of the maintenance crew for input. They can help guide you to choosing someone with the technical knowledge needed for the job, while you determine who fits within your company culture best.
Not setting up expectations.
Many hiring managers go into interviews without much preparation. They believe they’ll “know the right candidate when they meet them,” but this can lead to problems later on. It’s much easier to hire someone than to fire them, which means that the selection process is the most crucial part of developing the right maintenance staffing. Prepare a list of qualities — both hard and soft skills as well as personality strengths — that can help you narrow down your choice.
Not choosing the right questions.
Choosing the right members of your team is about more than technical proficiency. You need someone who is motivated, focused on career development, and can make your team stronger. By understanding a candidate’s motivations for a career in maintenance work, you can determine whether they’re someone who will make your team better or stay the same.
Choosing candidates you like, even if they’re not the best.
It’s a common temptation to hire people we get along with instead of those who show the best qualifications. Sometimes this is a wise move — maintenance work is a collaborative effort, and someone who doesn’t get along with people can be troublesome even if they have the technical skills. However, it is easy to be biased toward someone because they have similar interests or put on the charm for the interview. To reduce this risk, we recommend using multiple interviews with several hiring managers to ensure the person is well-regarded by several members of the team.
Hiring too early.
Hiring is a tedious process. Oftentimes we’d like to hire the first person who seems qualified, but this can mean you’re passing up on incredible talent based on the order of an application. Take your time when hiring, even if it means running a bit short-staffed for a few weeks. You’ll be glad you did when you’ve chosen a person who adds incredible value to your team.
Want to take the guesswork out of hiring a maintenance staff? Talk to MaintenX about our preventative and emergency maintenance services! We offer an outsourced solution for both routine maintenance as well as reactive repairs. It’s the best of both worlds!
