Talent Insider

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

11 Tips for Hiring in the Construction Industry

Residential, commercial, or industrial construction projects require skilled talent to run smoothly. But, with workforce challenges facing the industry, managers are left wondering how to find the candidates they need to ensure the seamless operation of their construction project. The first thing construction companies should do is examine why hiring can be difficult. Armed with this information, they can better develop strategies to attract the talent they need to stay competitive in a tight labor market.

Why can hiring and staffing in the construction industry be difficult?

The construction industry is consistently encountering workforce challenges, such as an aging workforce, an absence of college graduates interested in the field, or a lack of candidates with the hard skills the industry requires. This is especially true in a post-COVID world where construction is gearing up, and the labor market is tight.

Virgil Medeiros, Director of Construction Recruitment at Orion Talent, provides more insight into how these obstacles affect talent acquisition in the industry. “Companies have gone years without attracting new talent and are now running into a shortage of industry experience nationally due to retirements,” he explains.

“Additionally, another mistake I see is when companies ignore intangible skills like interest, drive, intelligence, leadership, acumen, level-headedness in stressful situations, and personality which can’t be taught, but instead focus only on tangible skills, which can be taught,” Virgil says. Another important factor is how efficient the interview process is. When interviews are drawn out, even the strongest candidates lose interest and can be lost to a competitor.

How can you recruit construction workers?

Recruiting construction talent in today’s market requires a new approach. Business as usual won’t cut it as companies work to entice candidates in a seller’s market. Here are Virgil’s top four tips for recruiting top talent for construction positions:

1. Adapt to the market by opening up required qualifications to reduce required industry experience.

2. Create a quick and efficient hiring process, which includes no more than two interviews and has a decision back to the candidate within 7-10 business days from application.

3. Partner with an organization that has market data on the hires you need to make, so that they can provide insight on what is necessary to attract, hire, and retain a good candidate.

4. If your growth, turnover, or other staffing needs exceed your team's ability to fill positions efficiently, consider partnering with a recruiting firm like Orion Talent.

How can an employer’s brand improve finding great talent?

An employer brand communicates to candidates who you are as a company, what your culture is like, and what they can expect as part of the team. Your employer brand is best stated through an Employer Value Proposition. In it, you have to clearly illustrate what makes your company different and consider the type of employee you want to attract to accomplish this.

But, getting the candidate in the door and hired is not enough. Onboarding is key, as turnover is costly and can negatively affect your employer brand. Consider ways to continually engage your new construction talent, whether it be through learning and development opportunities, affinity groups, and mentorship programs. Cory Kruse, President of Orion Talent, RPO Solutions, offers his retention tips specifically for the construction industry in this ProBuilder article.

Where are good places to post job listings for construction workers?

There are plenty of websites where construction companies can post job listings. And while they may gather a fair amount of resumes, there is no guarantee that the candidates are qualified. This is often a good point at which to consider if your recruiting strategy is targeted enough. If your goal is quality over quantity, it may be time to consider calling in a recruiting firm that will present you with pre-screened, assessed, and qualified candidates at whatever scale you need.

More Tips

In addition to Virgil’s tips above, it is important to make sure you are approaching your overall recruiting process in an orderly way. You can do so by following these tips:

  • Forecast talent needs.
  • Analyze your current workforce.
  • Implement strategies to close talent gaps.
  • Update recruitment technology as needed.
  • Source and recruit talent.
  • Manage talent.
  • Analyze and fine-tune.

Gain a Competitive Edge

A well-thought-out yet flexible recruiting strategy is necessary in today’s talent acquisition environment. For construction companies seeking to hire the best talent, it is important to keep the interview process short, look beyond tangible skills, and develop a reputation as an excellent employer. If you need assistance with any of these steps, Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Professional Search from Orion Talent can support your needs. Learn more about our construction recruiting solutions.

Tools and Tech for Increasing Diversity within Your Pipeline

Cory Kruse, President of RPO Solutions at Orion Talent, chatted with Joe Matar, VP of Marketing at Brazen, for an episode of Talent Acquisition Talks. Brazen is a virtual event platform that hosts one-on-one conversations and live video broadcasts for virtual career fairs, virtual hiring events, virtual interviews, and more. Cory and Joe discussed the tools and technology companies can use to increase diversity in their talent pipeline.

In this video, Cory offers best practices and tips for boosting diversity hiring. “Most companies desire a workforce that reflects the labor market and its different talent groups, as well as one that avoids excluding anyone. But then you have challenges right now in this labor market across the board. Not only challenges with targeting specific diverse groups, but sourcing as a whole,” explains Cory.

One way to ensure your interview methodologies and processes are consistent with your company's diversity hiring objectives is to make the necessary investments. Specifically, as Cory points out to Joe, companies should consider if they are leveraging the right sourcing tools. In the episode, Cory provides a few examples of tools that can boost diversity hiring and expand diversity awareness across your recruitment team and organization.

Check out Cory’s episode of Talent Acquisition Talks for an in-depth discussion of how HR technology can help companies achieve diversity hiring initiatives. And check out the resources below for more information on building DEI initiatives.

Why Diversity is Great for Business & How to Improve it 

How to Build Better DEI Initiatives

 

Why Diversity is Great for Business & How to Improve it

Corporate understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is evolving. Advancing beyond a box to check, businesses are realizing that DEI is essential, even when it means taking a hard look at entrenched practices and biases. By building strategic DEI objectives that foster diversity and inclusion, companies create better experiences for employees at all levels, improving employee satisfaction and retention. Undoubtedly, whether viewed through a moral or business lens, diversity in the workplace matters.

What’s the impact that diversity, equity & equality can have on a business?

Given that both a moral and business case for diversity in the workplace can be made, let’s explore both. Beyond the obvious answer that it is simply the right thing to do, a diverse and inclusive workforce fosters a sense of shared power and opportunity. A rising tide lifts all boats as the saying goes. By nurturing a more positive workplace with space for a wide range of perspectives, businesses establish a more creative, empowered company environment.

When it comes to the business case for diversity in the workplace, the statistics make it clear.

  • Diverse companies are 33% more likely to have greater financial returns than their less-diverse industry peers.*
  • Companies with above-average diversity at the management level generate 19% higher innovation revenues (revenue from enhanced or new products or services from the last 3 years) than companies with below-average diversity.*
  • Corporations that embrace gender diversity on their executive teams were more competitive and 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability.*
  • They also had a 27% likelihood of outperforming their peers on longer-term value creation.*

Additionally, companies are better equipped to understand a much broader customer base with a diverse workforce that mirror their market. They may gain global appeal, innovate in new ways, and improve retention.

What events have pushed the focus of DEI in the workplace to new heights?

Two sea-change events have pushed DEI in the workplace into the spotlight, giving it renewed urgency. First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to one survey, resulted in increases in workload and unfair or inequitable work-life balance for women and diverse employees.

Second, was the racial unrest of summer 2020 that sparked conversations about racial justice and equality. Business leaders took this time to issue statements, reflect on their company’s diversity make-up, and to launch new initiatives.

What are the signs that a business suffers from a lack of diversity, equity or equality?

Companies can suffer from lack of diversity through the very act of not hiring people from diverse backgrounds. This may be most evident among the leadership team. If the C-Suite is homogenous, it is a clear indicator to employees and customers of a lack of awareness of the leadership potential among traditionally disenfranchised groups.

But, even with a diverse team, companies can still falter when it comes to DEI. Another signal is the inner circle around leadership. You can have diversity on paper, but, if the “favorites” lack that diversity, you are sending a clear signal as to whose opinion leadership values.

Another very public sign of lack of true diversity commitment is when a company’s products are tone-deaf. The more diverse a workforce, the better able they are able to weigh in on product development and speak up when something is possibly offensive or not appropriate, long before it ever hits the market.

A crucial DEI component is a clear reporting process for bias or discrimination. When this is lacking or deficient, a company is in trouble. Isolation or retribution for reporting have no place in the workplace and any company invested in the wellbeing of their employees will have a transparent process in place for reporting such behavior.

Just the Beginning

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a complex, multi-faceted topic, and this article just scratches the surface. But, the one thing we hope you glean from it is that business leaders should decide on a path forward, foster alignment, and promote commitment to that path, even if that means bringing in an expert. Doing so not only helps the bottom line, but has an invaluable sociocultural impact on the people and world around us, creating a space where diverse voices are heard and valued.

Orion Talent’s DEI Webinar Series

If you are looking for more DEI resources, you can find expert insight in our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Webinar Series. These webinars cover challenges and best practices across all aspects of DEI within organizations. You'll gain practical advice and takeaways you can immediately implement.

On-Demand Virtual Hiring Events Through Orion Talent

 
In addition to our scheduled industry- and region-specific virtual hiring events, we are excited to offer our clients the ability to customize an On-Demand Virtual Hiring Event. These events are catered to your scheduling, recruiting, and compliance needs, enabling you to overcome travel and social distancing restrictions, all while meeting your ongoing recruiting needs.
  
 
With an Orion Talent On-Demand Virtual Hiring Event you can recruit skilled specialists and professionals for a wide range of permanent and contingent roles. All we need to know to get started is:
 
- What positions would you like to fill?
- How many candidates would you like to hire?
- When would you like to virtually interview Orion's candidates?
 
We take it from there and set you up with military talent ready to start a new career with your company. Before you know it, you have recruited top leaders and technicians, without having to leave your office, just like the environmental engineering firm below.
 
 
Whether you are looking to ramp up hiring for project based needs, are seeking a company-wide coordinated Military Talent Strategy, or need to fill just a few positions, Orion virtual interviews make it faster and easier to interview the right Military Talent. Contact us today, and put the industry's most committed, outcome-driven recruitment force to work for you today!

Distinguished Military Candidate Hiring Conferences

Hire Top Military Officer Talent through these National Events

National Distinguished Candidate Conferences (DCCs) from Orion Talent are exclusive hiring events designed to maximize your chances of connecting with the right candidate. Our unique events present you with the top military candidates to help fill your hiring needs. We invite you to join the 120+ companies each year that hire JMOs from an Orion DCC. 

 Click here for more information.

Join our LinkedIn Group - Talent Insider with Orion Talent

Have you joined our LinkedIn group, Talent Insider with Orion Talent? Talent Insider with Orion Talent is a group for all hiring managers, employers, and talent acquisition professionals interested in learning more about how to hire top talent. We are proud to offer access to employer resources, including thought leadership, hiring event notifications, podcasts, blog posts, news, other insights and advice, and more!

We also encourage you to share your expert insight, as well! Whether it be through RPO, Search, Military, Attraction & Sourcing, or Total Talent Solutions, this group will help you achieve the talent outcomes your business needs.

Join Talent Insider with Orion Talent

According to our Clients

Refer a Military Job Seeker or Client Company to Orion

If you would like the chance to win a $50 gift card, enter into our monthly drawings for Client referrals and Job Seeker referrals. If your referral results in a hire, you will personally receive a $100 gift card as our way of saying thank you. As always, we will maintain your privacy and never share your information nor that of your referral. That's one entry for each referral that you submit - good luck and thank you for the referral!

Shakeel Bey won the Job Seeker Referral monthly drawing
and is the winner of a $50 gift card.