Sunday, February 9, 2025
43.1 F
Roseville

4 Rules For Hiring & Retaining Your Best Employees

SourceEd Basler

Exorbitant student loans constitute just one reason why young people eager to experience the world may want to reconsider college, says Ed Basler, a veteran entrepreneur.

There is now $1.2 trillion worth of college debt in the United States and the average borrower will graduate $26,600 in the red, according to The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) Project on Student Debt.

“None of this guarantees a job or even that a college grad will be job-ready,” says Basler, CEO of E.J. Basler Co.

“After four weeks of business school I, the son of a businessman, had realized that the professor had no real-life experience running a business and that I wouldn’t learn the practical principles necessary to succeed. But I stuck with business school for two years until I dropped out, and I haven’t had any regrets 40 years later. Hands-on experience trumps a degree all the time.”

Factor in the fact that necessary business skills evolve faster than the time it takes to earn a degree and the overall lack of preparation for the real world provided by college and the choice to save time and money is a no-brainer, says Basler.

Business owners and hiring managers should see past the college degrees of potential employees, or lack thereof, and focus on the content of an applicant’s skills and character, says Basler, who offers, in his own words, the following tips for hiring.

  • Do not accept any bad attitudes. A bad attitude spreads like the flu, and if you don’t stop it, it’ll make your whole team sick. Good attitudes will spread too, so look to hire people with a positive nature. Is the prospective hire full of complaints about previous employers? Don’t be surprised if you become the next target of such whining. No one is indispensable. I have interviewed people who were clearly bright and skilled. Yet, afterward, I felt like telling them not to let the door hit them on the way out. I’ve never regretted my decision to insist on good attitudes.
  • Hire friends very cautiously. They can become your best employees. Often, however, they are your worst, and they’re hard to fire. Hire family members even more cautiously. Let them know the ground rules and expectations up front. And treat them like the rest of your employees. I hear horror stories all the time from business people who are suffering because of family involvement. But it can also work very well – it has worked out well for me.
  • Hire not only for skills but also for potential. Leaders can be made if trained and motivated properly. I’ve seen many a young person with no previous experience or knowledge of my business learn a trade or skill and prosper and excel. Many times, it’s even an advantage to start from the beginning with someone who does not have the baggage of bad habits or practices from a previous employer.
  • Put people in the right positions. Test them for their personality and skill sets. There are many tests – one good one is the Meyers Briggs and the DISC profile. It’s hard, sometimes, to understand where people fit, which is why we try to use testing to learn about their particular skills.

“A college degree is a generic qualification and is by no means the ultimate criteria by which you should hire talent,” Basler says.

About Ed Basler
Ed Basler is a longtime entrepreneur and CEO of E.J. Basler Co., which provides precision-machined parts and solutions to companies worldwide. He is a sought-after motivational speaker and president of Fresh Eyes Coaching, a firm that helps small businesses identify profit opportunities and obstacles. Ed and his wife, Cathi, also founded and ran a nationally recognized not-for-profit youth organization for 15 years. He is the author of “The Meat & Potatoes Guide to Business Survival: A Handbook for Non-MBA’s & College Dropouts.”



Brighter Side

Trending

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Topics

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Roseville Today Super Bowl party picks for Eagles and Chiefs game

Roseville, Calif.- This Sunday at the Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia take on the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. A super-sized rematch and unofficial national holiday of $8 million dollar commercials, food and drink and a little football.

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin, Calif.

All American Sweeping Co. in Roseville

All American Sweeping's objective is to provide personalized customer service with an emphasis on professionalism, communication, responsiveness and quality at a fair price

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Mobley Pest Services in Roseville serving the community and region for over 20 years

Roseville, Calif.- Fully licensed and bonded, Mobley Pest Services in Roseville has been providing reliable pest control services for well over 20 years. Serving residents and businesses in the greater Placer and Sacramento region, Mobley Pest Services is locally owned and operated in Roseville.

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning serving Roseville and South Placer County for over 30 years

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning Inc. has been serving Placer County’s commercial and residential window cleaning needs since 1990.

Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center emphasizes the use of prevention and natural therapeutics

Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center is a professional primary care natural medicine committed to helping all people reach their full potential – mind, body and spirit.