According to a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America, 80% of contractors across the US and Western states need help to get quality employees that meet their company standards. However, with proper techniques, contractors can quickly recruit the best talent for the job.
Read our in-depth article discussing practical guidelines contractors can use to hire employees better.
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Construction is a broad industry with jobs like; roofer, general construction worker, construction inspector, surveyor, electrician, tie setter, etc. Each job requires a specific skill set, making it crucial for a contractor to determine who they need on board before doing anything else. Once you identify the type of service and worker required, it will be easier to write a job description.
Deciding on the type of employee you need is essential, as employees can be full-time, part-time, seasonal, and independent. Unfortunately, independent contractors are discouraged due to a lack of correct insurance and workers' compensation coverage.
Your job description should have the skills needed for the job and the tasks the employee will be undertaking. This helps eliminate workers who need to meet these criteria. Next, determine a salary range in your job description. Employee salary varies depending on the type of worker needed, location, skill set, and education.
While generalization leads to unnecessary job applications, job specification will attract only the workers you need to narrow down for interviewing. For example, if you are looking for a surveyor, don't write that you are looking for a general construction worker. Instead, mention that you are looking for a surveyor to save your time and the applicant's time.
Make sure to request references you can contact to confirm the quality of work done by their former employee. In addition, authorities can give you valuable information concerning the potential worker's attitudes, behavior, and general work ethic.
You can build your network by keeping in touch with these references for future leads if you are looking to recruit construction employees. Hiring is made simpler when construction workers interact, so keep those contacts.
While writing an online job advertisement is easier and faster, you should always appreciate the power of traditional methods. An example is face-to-face interactions in networking events and job fairs that enable you to meet and converse with potential employees. Another great conventional way is placing flyers in areas construction workers frequent to get more applicants.
A company is mainly its workers, so how you treat them will affect the number of applications you receive. If a company is known for its best pay rates, benefits packages, and safety priority, it will attract more suitable candidates to apply. You can mention how you provide safety for your employees, how you handle in-situ hazards, and ways you seek better protection in any construction job.
Companies should consistently recruit and build solid relationships to acquire the best employees to ease the hiring process. Whether replacing an employee or looking for a temporary worker, having skilled workers ready makes it easier to choose the best employees.
If you begin recruiting only when you need construction workers, you will need more time to fill that position. Avoid this mistake by increasing your contacts with loyal and qualified construction workers for future projects.
Social media is a great place to look for construction workers. Employers can create a Facebook advertisement where they post available job positions, use Whatsapp job hiring groups, and share job openings on LinkedIn to recruit the best employees. You can also use social media for marketing your company's brand and building a good reputation with potential candidates.
Seek out employees who are loyal to their work and your brand. Hiring and training new workers is expensive and time-consuming so when you recruit, choose workers who will wait to join your team to leave immediately after. Investigate the employee's job history to ensure they are the best candidate.
Once you receive the job applications, review them, then choose approximately ten candidates for interviewing. In the interview, ask helpful hypothetical questions that will guide you to decide which employee is fit for your company. Some interview questions you can ask candidates are;
Ensure that you ask all candidates the same questions to gauge their answers. A planned interview structure will separate qualified candidates from unqualified ones making it easier to eliminate them one by one.
After the elimination process, call the last standing candidate to discuss all information required before drafting a job offer letter. Ensure all details are written in the letter before sending it to the candidate, who will review it, communicate errors, and sign it.
Your job offer letter should include; the job title, pay, benefits, job description, start date, and duties. Once the contract is signed, the employee can start working immediately.
The importance of adequately hiring employees for your company is profound. Using any of the above ways of recruiting, employers can easily hire the best employees in the business. Also, remember to recruit year-round so you can choose suitable workers to help you complete your construction project.
