I'm looking to hire my first employee, maybe a E2 or an apprentice. I have plenty of work that I could have an E2 take my duties and free me up for generating more work. The thing is I'm nervous because I have no idea how much it'll cost before I start seeing a profit and my biz account has about 15k Should I get a loan or use temp services?

I like finding my candidate's first, then sending them to a payroll service to hire them and rent them back to me. It costs, but for the first employee it can make good sense removing the onus of bookeeping from your shoulders. Once you get up to 4 or 5 guys then you look into the options available to do all the bookeeping in house, or to stay on with the payroll service.

Here's a radical idea: Join a trade association. That will get you access to a pool of guys who are enrolled in a real apprentice program. The program will help you 'rotate' guys through your shop as you need them ... and help the guys find work when you don't.

I did the hiring through an apprenticeship program before. Yes, there was a pool of employees but they weren't any better than those I could find on my own.

I employed a guy, and paid for his schooling for two years. He dropped out of the apprenticeship and started his own business, taking some of my customers with him.

The next 'association apprentice' guy they sent me showed up for the interview at Chili's for lunch, hung over from partying the night before. He had told me he had the flu. His friend who drove him there told me on the guys second trip to the bathroom he was hung over.

He left the table abruptly a couple of times for the bathroom. I had no idea he did not make it either time before he 'tossed his cookies'. This was at lunch time. The manager came to my table told me what he had done, and asked us to leave. One of my more embarrassing moments.

Associations are not clear cut ways to get help.

"I employed a guy, and paid for his schooling for two years. He dropped out of the apprenticeship and started his own business, taking some of my customers with him."

Why do you have to go thru an association, in my state the contractor goes direct to the labor department, and we have the apprentice sign a, legal, non compete agreement when he accepts the job. and signs on for the program.

I dont know what thier problem was but after almost 5000 hours 375 ccode cclass hours out of the 600 ccompleted whicch i paid for, my own health insurancce whicch i paid for,inventoried thier trucck on a ccomputer on my own time and with them not paying me one time,their drinking and everything else,it goes both ways. Some of us really wanted to learn the trade not all of us are like them
Always,
Steve

As all these replies have merit, please try not to forget that People like "steve ancient apprentice" still exist in the Trade.

What I am saying is there are still Tradespersons whom give 110%, and also wish to excel at their craft, by learning all they can + applying when possible.

Please try to remember this when dealing with the typical Status Quo applicants
( competent, but not looking to advance knowledge base ),
and the occasional Clowns
( looking for any way possible, to do nothing and get paid; cannot care less about training; etc. )

I know from experience it's difficult - at best, but every once in a while exceptional persons cross your path.

Scott