Finding new employees in nearly any industry can be a real pain.
But, finding new workers when it comes to your construction business can be really difficult — especially when you consider that the construction industry is facing a labor shortage.
Because of this, sometimes construction owners need to get a little creative with their recruiting efforts.
In this post, we’ll highlight six ways you can improve your chances of landing some top talent for your construction business, starting off with creating a strong employer brand.
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Build a Strong Employer Brand…and They Will Come to You
By creating a space where your employees feel welcomed and where there is a culture of success and positivity, you create a workplace where workers looking for jobs will seek you out.
This means treating your employees with respect and building a work environment where people — even those outside of your company — will want to work in.
Tim Mayer of Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. in Circle Pines Minnesota believes that creating a strong employer brand is one of the top ways to acquire new talent in construction.
“Good people are being taken care of at their current companies; they have no reason to pick up the phone when a similar company gives them a call,” he says in this Monster article, “We have a pretty strong company brand with a long history, great core values and a good reputation in the market as a builder. We’re working on leveraging that to attract people to us. We talk about what it means to work here – how it will impact your career and community.”
Putting in the extra effort to make sure that your employees feel valued and that they are a key part of the success of your construction company will help attract new employees from far and wide.
Hire Interns (And Not Just For Making Copies and Brewing Coffee)
Hiring interns is a great way to not only save money on hiring new talent — as interns typically cost less than full-time employees — but it also gives you the chance to train them in on how you like to conduct your business.
No business is the same — even construction businesses differ in their operations. When hiring someone who has experience at another company, they may have learned to do some things differently than how you do them at your business.
With an intern, you can mold them into an employee that will thrive in terms of how you conduct your business.
Be Willing to Hire From Various Backgrounds
Due to the labor shortage within the construction industry, it may be a wise move to get a little creative with your hiring practices.
In that same Monster Article, Jim Caulfield of Fields Development Group in New Jersey talks about why he believes it’s necessary to hire from other backgrounds.
“While it’s certainly important to build a knowledgeable and experienced staff, some of my company’s top performers have been people who’ve made career changes,” Caulfield says, “We make it a point to hire a diverse cross-section of people – from architects, engineers, and designers to military veterans, former police officers and a professional boxer – who we believe have skills that translate to our business and, just as important, are a good fit for our culture.”
Hiring on culture over past experience is a great way to help build a sustainable workplace environment where your coworkers get along and work well together. However — as Caulfield mentions — it’s important that they still have some skills that translate to your business.
Be Competitive With Your Wages
This one can be easier said than done, especially when your budget is tight.
However, the fact of the matter is, you need to be able to offer salaries that are comparable to those of your competitors.
Salaries are a top consideration for those seeking new work, so be conscious of that fact when you look for new employees.
You should also keep in mind that sometimes workers are willing to take a little less money if they will be working at a company with a great culture and leadership. So, if you build up that portion of your business as well as other benefits, you can get away with offering lower salaries. But, they still should be competitive.
Have Fun With Your Job Postings!
If you take your search for new employees online, use humor and creativity to differentiate your open position from those of your competitors.
Not only do you compete with your competition for jobs, but you’re also competing with them when it comes to attracting top talent.
When writing about your open role, make sure you come across as enthusiastic and eager to work with whoever may be reading your posting. You’re not just trying to sell them on the position, but you’re also trying to show them that your company is worth working at.
Make sure to add a little personality to your postings to stand out!
