Q: Are there any pre-employment tests out there to qualify an applicant for a project manager or field employee position?
— Jonathan Tongyai, Island Styles Remodeling, Sanibel, Fla.
A: There are none that I am aware of — except my own “Human Resource System.” This is primarily because the needs of each company, or the specific skills required, vary greatly. One company wants skills such as cutting a roof, while another is more concerned about the applicant’s ability to handle difficult clients. [See Field Notes for more information.]
The other concern is the number of skills required. Establishing a clearly defined standard of those skills makes it difficult for a test to cover all the bases. Putting your own system in place is probably your best bet because:
- You'll get what you want.
- By thinking through the testing, you'll focus on what is key to a good employee. This helps not only the testing but the hiring process across the board.
Another approach is to ask around at a local National Association of the Remodeling Industry or National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council meeting to see if someone is willing to share their information, and then you can build your own from that.
— Tim Faller owns Field Training Services in Westerly, R.I., a firm committed to training production staff in good jobsite management, helping companies develop training programs for their field staff, and assisting companies with their production systems.
