[Pelican]

I recently ran an ad for a mowing foreman and had a young lady apply. Let me preface this thread by stating I'm not opposed to hiring a woman to work for me so I don't need to hear I'm chauvinist. I'd like some honest answers to some honest concerns. I've actually had a woman work for me in the past when I was a smaller operation.

This young lady is VERY petite, it would be safe to bet that she just cracks 5 feet tall and is under 100 lbs. I'm concerned that she would have a hard time handling a machine should something go wrong, say if it were to get stuck in mud.

My other concern is whether she'd be able to lead the crew which is the job description. The laborers in my mowing team are Hispanic and culturally they typically have little respect for women. I'm not sure how that would work out and I was wondering if any of the rest of you have faced this? Can a woman effectively manage Hispanic men who are older than she is? I'm aware this question hints of racism too, but I assure you it is not my intent. When I studied Spanish in high school, we touched on Latin culture and this was one point they mentioned. If I'm off the mark, let me know.

Currently this woman is not my first choice for other reasons. She has no management experience and limited machine skills. She can drive the truck and trailer well, and I'm getting a vibe that she has a good work attitude. I haven't eliminated her yet, but I have another candidate that more closely fills my immediate needs.

Have any of you faced these issues and how were they dealt with?