Attracting the right candidates for your construction team means looking for a special combination of qualities and skills. You will need individuals who can handle any physical demands, while also being trustworthy and having a good head on their shoulders. You also want someone that can integrate well with your team, encourage and inspire others, and keep morale high.
But where do you start?
Before starting the hiring process, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you need short or long-term help? Are you hiring for a single project or looking for a dedicated team that can work with you over time?
- Are you looking for individuals with a lot of experience (who will cost more to hire) or are you okay with new hires that will be able to learn on the job?
- What types of projects do you currently have? Do you need team members with generalized or more specialized skillsets?
- What type of projects would you like to have? Can you tailor your company’s areas of expertise to help you take on certain types of jobs?
What order should you look to make hires?
You may just have one specific position that you are looking to fill—if so, you are in great shape. But what do you do if there are a number of open positions or you are looking to build a team from scratch? That’s where things get a bit more complicated.
If you are looking to bring in a full team, start with your foreman or management positions. These are the individuals that you will need to represent your company and make decisions on your behalf. Whereas other workers may come and go, these are the ones that you want to build long-lasting relationships with.
Your crew can be hired afterwards—ideally, with the oversight of management. It’s important that your foreman feels responsibility and ownership over the full team, as they are going to be working with the staff on an everyday basis. The success of the project will be determined by this group and the relationship that they share.
How can you attract the best applicants?
Word of mouth is paramount when it comes to job recruitment in any industry. Talk to those in your professional network for recommendations. It is also a good idea to speak to individuals on your team that have the skills and personality traits that you are looking to grow within your company. Look to attract like-minded individuals.
Remember that it pays to always be on the lookout for potential hires. Even if you don’t have any open positions at the moment, you may down the line. Keep all referrals handy should something come up.
The one thing you should always do
You want to hire high-quality individuals that will represent your company in the best possible light—who doesn’t? But don’t forget that the onus ultimately falls on you. Be a company that people want to work at. When you treat people with respect, they will give you the same in return.
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