Whether you own or you’re managing a service business like HVAC, plumbing, maintenance, and so on, or you're undergoing a construction project on your own, you need to hire the right people in your trade team. This is especially true since a business or project’s success is reliant on the people you hire and work with.
However, finding candidates can be challenging; it’s more than just gathering resumes and CVs and looking at promising reviews or portfolios. And not to mention, you’re also competing with other trade businesses and construction managers who are also on the lookout for the best workforce to hire. This is where blue-collar recruitment can come in handy for you. You can check out resources like tradeassist.net and others to help you look for the right staff to work with.
Furthermore, here’s a quick guide to finding the right crew for your service industry business or a home project:
Be Open To Referrals
One of the best ways to find well-qualified service workers is through personal referrals. Friends and family recommendations are hard to beat. Chances are, they have tried hiring skilled tradespeople in the past for their services at home.
You can trust their recommendations and hire the same team for your ongoing construction or trade business. There's a huge chance for you to be satisfied with the same services they've experienced from these trade workers.
However, when receiving referrals, it's critical not to depend solely on that person's stories and opinions. While their feedback can certainly help, take the time to check out their portfolios and past projects.
Create Job Postings
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If you don't let good tradespeople find you, you won't find them, which leads you to this next vital tip. Fresh graduates and tenured tradespeople are constantly on the lookout for some job search tips and job hiring. And this is where creating worthy job postings comes into play.
Various job posting platforms and sites can be a great way to start your search. Don’t forget to include clear job descriptions, detail all the tasks needed to be performed, and state the certifications and qualifications that you need from specialized staff in the posting. By providing more specific details, you'll be able to attract the right candidates and not waste time interviewing unqualified candidates.
Job postings may also contain salary details and possible bonuses, allowing the applicant to assess better whether the job is suitable for their salary needs. The culture and identity of the business or project should also be explained. Give a brief idea of where they'll work and with whom.
Lastly, don't forget to include contact information and details. Whether you're creating a job post on a third-party site or social media accounts, make it easy and convenient for the applicant to call or contact you directly. Include your email address and other communication lines too.
Consider Working With Job Placement Agencies
A recruitment agency has access to local tradespeople who are seeking employment. Whether you need a long-term hire, a short-term temp, or a subcontractor for your service business or your own construction project, they may be able to help. They have a large network of manpower, so they can easily match qualifications with the ones you need.
In addition, approaching recruitment agencies can be a good solution if you're running low on time for selecting the best candidate. In this case, you don't have to personally interview each one, as the agency will already sustain you with a worker who has been pre-selected and is already a match for your work needs.
However, perhaps the only downside is that recruitment agencies come with a fee. Depending on the deal, they may charge a one-time recruitment fee or a percentage of the tradesperson's income.
Offer Attractive Compensation
Needless to say, one of the most effective strategies to acquire the best professional workers is to offer attractive compensation. There could be other companies and project managers looking to hire tradies. Hence, if you need them urgently, you may have to reconsider your salary offerings and benefits to gain a competitive advantage.
While you can attract hard-working, experienced, and well-qualified tradespeople when your rates are competitive in the market, before you do this, ensure that your current tradespeople are happy and satisfied with their current pay, as this could create internal salary gaps and management issues.
Accept Apprenticeships
Another effective way to find good hires as tradespeople is to open your project or business for apprenticeships. Apprentices are hired the same way as other employees, but you'll have to enroll them in an apprenticeship program once you find them. There are many advantages to getting an additional set of hands through this way.
Apprentices are usually eager to impress and learn the trade. You don't have to offer them the same salary rates as regular employees, as they are more after the learning and hands-on training they can gain from your trade business. Moreover, a grant program is available to help with costs, and some states will cover some or all of their training costs.
It can be a wise investment to hire apprentices whenever possible if you have a service trade business. They can be well-trained, and can be easier to absorb into your company once they graduate from their trade study.
Make The Application Process Convenient And Seamless
Finally, the last tip is to ensure that the application process is convenient and easy for applicants. Consider accepting digital copies of requirements instead of requiring them to visit your office to resubmit any paperwork constantly.
When assessing candidates, review their applications in a timely manner. But aside from checking and evaluating their technical and hard skills, take a look at their soft skills, too. These can help you determine whether they’re a good fit for your project and other tradespeople in your team.
Conclusion
Hiring the right tradespeople for your service business or construction project is paramount; this can make or break your projects. Hopefully, with the tips above, you now have gained more insights on building your dream team to make your service business prosper. After all, every tradesperson is crucial to the overall project's success.