On the Job: Mike and Sarina’s Match Story

Laborocity plays match-maker between our talented pool of candidates (Doers) and our client partners (Hirers).  We spoke with Mike S. (Doer) and Sarina Rose, SVP of Development at Post Brothers (Hirer) for their perspectives on the Laborocity experience.

A Conversation with Mike

Laborocity:  What were you doing before Laborocity and how did you here about us?
Mike:  I was working in retail and ready for a change. A friend recommended I speak to his company, but they weren’t hiring. However, they suggested I talk to Laborocity. 

Laborocity: How was it working with us initially?
Mike: It was pretty easy. Someone at Laborocity walked me through the app steps to set up my profile.

Laborocity: Could you describe your journey?
Mike: I didn’t have prior Construction industry experience. Laborocity helped me become Osha 10 certified and covered my education expenses.  Not long afterwards, I was assigned to a contract job with Post Brothers.  

Laborocity: Tell me what it meant getting assigned a job in construction with Post Brothers?
Mike: It was a great foot in the door.  They liked my work ethic and my desire to learn. I worked there for several months and received rate increases along the way based on my solid performance.  I was then hired full-time with benefits.  Within six months after being hired FT, I was promoted to Foreman.

Laborocity: That’s awesome. What do you have to say for future Laborocity Doers?
Mike: The promotion felt amazing and it was a big deal to me personally. It helped me get my own apartment and my finances in order. I now have healthcare benefits, and all.  It’s really changed my life!  What I would say to other Doers is this Laborocity is for real.  They work with  reputable clients. Show up for work, do your best and show the clients you care and everything else will fall in to place.

A Conversation with Sarina Rose, Post Brothers Apartments

Laborocity: Why does contract labor make sense for Post Brothers?
Sarina: Brining someone in permanently is a big investment. There are many things to worry about such as personality fit with the company. Contract labor gives us the chance to determine fit and assess capabilities. 

Laborocity: How much time does it typically take to assess fit and capabilities?
Sarina: About three months is a good amount of time to vet a potential hire.  Many of our hires are through Laborocity. I’d say 50% of the staff we get from Laborocity are hiring-desirable after three months.

Laborocity: What jobs are you typically hiring for?
Sarina: We typically hire for general laborers. The tasks may fall in between what a carpenter might do versus a plumber or other contractor, but can quickly change from unskilled labor to skilled labor. We also train on the job.

Laborocity: What’s an example of the type of training that’s offered?
Sarina: Forklift training is one. Even if they are not hired by Post Brothers, we want the contractors to grow and add skills. We had someone with a certification in chemical from a technical college.  We were able to easily build off of that and train them up. 

Laborocity: What qualities do you look for in a  permanent hire?
Sarina: We look for the ability to learn and having a safety-first mindset. Self-motivation is also important. For example, asking for more work and working with minimal direction shows the capacity to grow.

Laborocity: What’s been a key factor in choosing to partner with Laborocity?
Sarina: Laborocity has a diverse population of workers and the workers are local. Partnering with Laborocity allows us to invest in our community. We love that. Laborocity understands our needs. and we trust them.

Laborocity: Would you recommend Laborocity?
Sarina: I would and I already have to Developers, Sub-contractors, and the BIA (Building Industry Association). Post Brothers has pretty high-level requirements for safety.  Laborocity trains workers before they start working for you.  And that’s value!