Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1313710
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 Nolan's Notes by Nolan Johnson, I-CONNECT007 Hiring and Training Some jobs are simply a revolving door. Have you noticed? A close friend of mine lost her job at the start of the pandemic, but she bounced back. In her case, work in her previous field wouldn't be returning to normal for some time, so she started seeking an interim job. That's how she ended up attending a job fair, partic- ipating in a screening interview with a poten- tial employer, and, ultimately, got short-listed. In this case, short-listing meant that she was to attend a two-day pre-hire training class. If she passed the class, she would get the job. As she told me about this process, I wasn't sure whether it was genius or sketchy. This was equal parts audition, interview, and semi- nar. When I asked what the job was, she said "retail auto sales and support." When I asked how many people in her class, she estimated 20 or more. That seemed to me like quite a lot of people who would work on the dealership floor if everyone passed. My friend passed the class, but not everyone did. When she showed up for her first day of work, only about 10 of her classmates' names were on the work schedule. Before she even received her first paycheck, that group of 10 was already whittled down to five. Thirty days in, and only two remained: my friend and one other employee. Meanwhile, the dealership hosted two other hiring events. My friend watched two batches of 10 come in behind her and quickly start par- ing down, just as her class had. As she got to know her colleagues, she quickly learned that only two had been on staff for a year or longer. She stayed with the job for about 60 days. Though she was successful selling cars, she also deduced why the turnover was so high. To her credit, she was fortunate enough to land a different interim job closer to her chosen pro- fession, so she moved. Just two months after her training, she left the dealership—the last one from her class. Listening to the stories, I couldn't help but think that it's like watching sea turtles race for their lives to the safety of the ocean. Are there any jobs like that where you work? The auto dealership saga points out that train- ing is either just a cost of doing business or an investment in your company's future. Which it is for you depends upon your approach, doesn't it? The dealership was uninterested in making changes to keep salespeople on staff; I guess they just decided that 100% turnover