Here’s How To Hire & Train The Best Junk Removal Employees

“You create a culture of competition, [that way employees] feel that to become irreplaceable, they have to really perform”

You’ve probably heard before that highly engaged employees make the customer experience, and it’s true. Who you, as a junk removal business owner, choose to employ, will ultimately reflect the ideals and values of your business. That’s just one of the reasons it’s essential to hire the right people. However, finding the right candidate can be the most difficult part of recruiting your workforce. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can hire and train the best junk removal employees for your business. Whoever you select should help you to build new connections with first-time customers as well as keep return customers coming back. Make sure you check out Lee’s Making Hay With JRA livestream on hiring junk removal employees, single item pricing, and more! As well, this article will be covering the following areas:

  • The Hiring Process (9:30-12:45)
  • Training (1:30-5:00)
  • Creating or Adapting Your Organizational System (6:25-8:35)

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Making Hay With JRA: Junk Removal Employees, Single Item Pricing, And More!

The Hiring Process

Finding your perfect candidate doesn’t have to be difficult. Typically, employees don’t want to wait through the formalities of a long interview process anyway. Make sure you’re cutting down on the time it takes you to respond to potential employees without sacrificing the necessary exchange of information that occurs during this timeline. Recently, this is the process that Junk Doctors has started to use to hire new employees. As a tested system for recruiting the best junk removal employees, we encourage you to pursue potential candidates aggressively. When you adopt a hire-at-will process, it allows you to take or reclaim control over your workforce.

Submit your job listing

It’s quick and easy to publish your job listing on job search sites like Indeed that allow applicants to search and apply for these positions. When you are creating your job description, make sure that it includes a thorough description of the position. If you don’t have experience in writing a job description, there are a lot of resources (like this one) that help outline what you need to include. By establishing expectations upfront, you are communicating to potential employees what this job will entail (the good and the bad). For example, it’s important that junk removal employees are able to lift heavy items. As well, they need to be properly equipped to operate a junk removal truck

Get a resume, give a call

Once you receive a resume from a potential employee, don’t delay! At Junk Doctors, a call center representative will first reach out to and screen each applicant; this information will be passed onto the Vice President who either chooses to continue the hiring process, or pass. It’s important to employ a hiring strategy that works within your organization. If you’re a smaller junk removal business, this can be completed by one individual, instead. However, the goal is always to discuss the position with prospective junk removal employees as soon as possible. For example: What is your driving record like? What was your last job? What was your last job and why did you leave this position? If they sound like they would be a good candidate, extend them a tentative job offer, dependent upon them coming in for an in-person interview, passing a background check, and speaking to their references.

In-person interview

When you meet with each person in-person, make sure they understand the ins-and-outs of the position. For a junk removal employee, it’s important to be courteous and professional, and go above and beyond the expectations customers have. That way, you’ll make new customers happy and make sure existing customers continue to use your junk removal services. If you explain the downsides of the position, and a candidate still seems enthusiastic, you can be sure they will be able to handle various situations as they occur. From hot temperatures to hoarder clean-outs, junk removal employees need to be able to be proactive and adaptable to any of these potential scenarios.

On-the-job training

By establishing a training system, you’re setting new junk removal employees up for success and preventing headaches in the future. Their training will be passed on to other employees in the future, so it’s important that they are taught the right way from the very beginning. Especially as employees advance within your junk removal business, the example they set in leadership positions will either positively or negatively influence new employees during the onboarding process. It’s much easier to establish good habits than to correct negative ones. This extends to safe driving, as well.

Safe Driver Training

Junk removal trucks are expensive, and the last thing you want to encounter as a junk removal business owner is an automotive accident. By implementing safe driver training, your employees will understand just how serious it is to operate a large vehicle. In response to recent events, Junk Doctors has implemented a “probationary period” for employees involved in an at-fault. Making clear the repercussions of irresponsible driving signals to junk removal employees how important it is to be alert and safe on the road. As well, providing safe driver training soon after they join your team is a great way to be proactive against any driving accidents. Online or in-person driver training courses make it convenient as well! Another consideration is for employees to be offered increased pay for getting their Commercial Drivers License (CDL).

In North Carolina, the commercial learner’s permit application fee is $40, the learner’s permit is $20, and a duplicate commercial driver’s license is $13. Depending on where you live, there may be higher rates or additional fees, like testing fees, for getting a CDL. When you incentivize employees with higher pay for accomplishing training programs, you’re helping to create a more effective hierarchy within your junk removal business.

Establishing An Organizational Structure

It can be a challenge to manage several employees; that’s just one reason it’s important to establish an organizational structure. “The US Navy Seals say one supervisor or commander can lead six people; anything more than that and you’ll lose control.” As your junk removal business continues to grow, having this system in place will allow you more autonomy in your day-to-day life. As well, it also creates a system to help both you and your employees understand responsibilities. Incentivizing completing safe driver training, or promotion to Team Leader helps create a healthy sense of competition among junk removal employees. With these various levels of management, a pay increase is a surefire way to motivate your workforce. For example, an average wage for a Navigator is around $10/hr and for a Team Leader is $14/hr. With good reviews over time, this could increase to $15-17/hr.

With a wider pay gap, it will encourage your junk removal employees to advance to Team Leaders. On the other side of things, having a one or two strike probation period will reiterate to your workforce the importance of driving safely. For example, for the first at-fault offense, it will result in a one month probationary period. For a second offense, implement a one year suspension. There isn’t an incentive for completing this period; but, if your employee doesn’t stick around, you’ll still have a pool of new junk removal employees to replace anyone that quits. You probably wouldn’t want to keep someone with a poor driving record anyway!

Final Thoughts

By investing in your junk removal employees, you’re improving the quality of service you offer to your customers. As Lee says, professionalism, good work ethic, and a smile go a long way. When you mold your employees into the best version of themselves, you’ll find that your junk removal business will flourish. Even the best employees can make mistakes, though. It’s important to know that mistakes will happen; what matters is that they are corrected as they come up.

Have more questions for Junk Removal Authority? Tune in Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12-1pm for Making Hay with JRA with Lee Godbold, live on Facebook!