One of the greatest costs for any company is hiring. This is especially true within the construction industry, where recruiting and staffing short term projects can quickly drain internal resources.

It can be incredibly frustrating to go through the process of posting an open position, sifting through resumes, interviewing a number of prospects, and negotiating terms and rates, only to have the new hire leave after a few short months. Or, potentially worse, turn out to be unqualified or a bad fit with the team.

So, the big question is: how do you find good talent?

Ask your star employees

Take some time to identify the qualities (both in terms of work experience and personality) that you are looking for, and ask someone who has those same qualities on your team if they have any recommendations.

Another tactic is to offer a bonus to anyone on your team for any referred new hires that last over a certain period of time. It is a good idea to include this condition, just so you can ensure that the referral is a good fit and has staying power. Otherwise, you might end up handing out a lot of bonuses with no talent to show for it.

Be on top of your game

Everyone is looking for the best talent, which means that the little things matter. You need to be proactive in recruiting, continually building a network and connections (not just when you have open positions). When you are speaking with a potential hire, be respectful of their time and very responsive; remember that top talent will go quickly, so you need to act fast.

To make sure you have as much leverage as possible in the negotiation phase, you should also make sure that you are offering the benefits that candidates truly care about (e.g., flexible work hours, childcare). Take time to do your research and put together the most attractive package that you can.

Retain current talent

Perhaps the best strategy is to keep your turnover rates as low as possible. By maintaining your star team members you will not have to recruit as often, saving you tons of time and money, while removing the risk of bringing in someone new. You can do this by recognizing and rewarding employees for a job well done, and keeping lines of communication open when it comes to career paths and opportunities.

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