Trying to find a couple good new hires and it’s dang near impossible. Either everyone loves their job, gets paid a ton or just doesn’t want to work. This is for construction, specifically superintendents to run various projects. Anybody else have a hard time with this?

I’m sure it’s been said for decades but this crop of young men from say 20-30 years are built different for the most part and I don’t mean in a good way

From what I’ve saw, its a pretty piss poor crop in general

Not much different trying to get hired anymore either. Lots of places say they need help and never hire. Heck I’ve been looking and honestly applying for stuff I’m over qualified for and can’t even get interviews. Frustrating on both sides for sure. But finding good help is getting harder and harder. And I’ll say this generation coming up isn’t looking real promising either.

Hire someone older and pay them more. You'll make it back up in the experience and knowledge gained from an experienced person.

What are you paying a superintendent

Really depends on level of experience, 65-85K

If you’re talking commercial construction then thats your problem. And yes, good supers are super tough to hire.

Engage a headhunter that specializes in the career field. If he is experienced, he will have files of resumes. It will cost 20-25% of the starting salary. All depends on how badly you need the position filled and what you really have to offer that his present company doesn’t.

If everybody gets paid a ton, how badly do you really need the guy? Are you willing to compete? If not, you’re SOL.

I’m a Retired Headhunter.

I struggle finding mechanics the most, let alone a good one. The older generation admits they cant do a full day of heavy work on equipment. I tried some kids from various tech schools, they were all non starters. Those schools should have a class on how to act in an interview, and also teach more mechanical systems. Even though the electronics are a big deal these days, the parts they control are not, these kids were weak in that aspect. On a good note, I did hire a 22 year old kid that had no schooling beyond HS, he is hungry, polite, hard working, and has capacity to learn. He was a kid that grew up on a farm in Nebraska. He is worth way more than all of the know it all entitled pricks fresh out of school X that I interviewed put together.

Hiring is hard right now, no doubt, but firing bad hires takes even more time and paperwork. Bad hires are a huge time suck, so I try to spend more time on the front end of the process and make sure I get somebody that fits in the organization!

One trend I have noticed with some positions is that you will schedule 8-10 interviews and maybe 4-5 applicants actually show up to the interview that they accepted.

I could do the job very well, but not at that price.

If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys.

You need to up the salary budget. Superintendents that I know in the industrial and commercial construction biz start at a $100K + other perks (company truck or allowance, fuel card, toll tag, etc...)

You guys are thinking this is something more. This is not commercial or industrial overseeing multi million dollar projects. We specialize in multifamily renovation and restoration. This is a pretty entry level position overseeing basic construction type projects like paint and drywall repairs. If you are seasoned commercial super this is not for you. I’m sure a lot of you guys do well now in your 20+ year careers but I think starting around 85K is heck of a start for someone

Get 25 resumes
Set up 12 interviews
6 actually show up
Hire 3
2 show up on first day
Both of them gone or let go in one pay period


Rinse and repeat, about to start another cycle myself. The interesting thing is that the pay doesn’t seem to matter, even if you overpay they will still act the same. Absolutely zero ambition with the younger guys, and anybody who has any is driven enough to do their own thing.

They also get an auto allowance, all fuel and tolls paid, expense cards, 10 days PTO day one, health insurance after 90 days. Just for reference

I get it! Feel the pain

I wish I had some hiring secret to share with you guys, but 20 years ago I had the same problems. I wasn’t hiring any technical people, but I did want people with a specific skill set. HR set up interviews for a while, but HR was worthless. Finally I employed people on a 6 month temporary arrangement that would become permanent if they were worth keeping. That approach worked, but even then it was hard to find more than a few potential hires. What really was good about that approach was, that if they weren’t ‘keepers’, they were easy to let go. Finding good people is hard, but getting rid of bad ones in corporate America can be very difficult.

The real good young men are still out there. We've hired a bunch of them on the FD the last several years. Young men that were raised right, and they are real men. Stout, fast, athletic, polite and respectful.

I agree they are hard to find, but they do exist. Evidently, many of the cream of the crop are becoming Firefighter/ Paramedics.

Entry level but yet you want them to oversee residential construction? You're paying entry level and you'll be getting someone with NO experience. Mr. George....??? Good luck!

^^^ not sure what your point is? We are not residential we specialize in multifamily.

I hired a long time friend of mine five years ago. Turns out he is as far left as you can get, like psycho, pro-trans, eat the rich left. And while he is a decent employee, I now cant stand the dude and wish daily I would not have hired him.....

No work ethic anymore

Bottom line, pay more money and have a good work culture then you'll probably find what you're looking for.

Yeah, you’re gonna struggle finding someone to take a leadership role in a high stress field for that dollar amount.