Construction Business Owner, February 2008

Despite the predicted need for more workers, the primary working age group (those between the ages of twenty-five and fifty-four years old) is projected to decline, resulting in approximately three million fewer workers in this age range alone. Pair that with the graying (and impending retirement) of the baby boomers, plus the negative image of the industry itself, and recruiting qualified people into construction-related positions has never been more critical. So much depends on a company’s ability to attract, recruit and retain talented people, and there are a number of factors to consider in order to maintain a competitive edge over other companies vying for the same potential employees.

Pre-Recruiting Musts 

One of the most important steps in the recruiting process occurs before the actual recruiting begins.  Organizations must identify what they are looking for in their ideal candidates and should be able to answer the following questions:

• What skills and competencies does the position require?
• Is the position to be filled on a temporary or permanent basis?
• What types of applicants would most likely possess the skills and knowledge needed to be successful?
• What education level is required for the position?
• What impact will retirements have on the organization over the next few years?  

The next step is to ensure that all positions in the company have up-to-date job descriptions. Job descriptions are essential for understanding the tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities and qualifications required for each job.  Well thought-out job descriptions inform potential employees of what will be expected of them and if they want to continue with the hiring process. Every position in any organization should have a job description based on the following criteria:

• Knowledge—Does the candidate have the education/background for the position?
• Skills—Does the candidate have practical experience? This is based on the tasks and duties performed and must directly relate to the skills and competencies required to lead to the hire/not-to-hire decision.
• Behaviors—Is the candidate compatible with the company’s culture?
• Expectations—Do the candidate’s goals match the company’s goals?

 Employers benefit from job descriptions as well, since they can help clearly communicate a company’s direction and inform potential employees how they fit inside of the big picture. In addition, job descriptions force employers to have a complete understanding of what each position entails and the requisite skill sets, competencies and other credentials needed to perform the job, in order to achieve their organizational goals.  

Branding—How Does Your Company Stand Out? 

In addition to having accurate job descriptions for all positions, you must make sure your company has a reputation to be an excellent place to work. You need to be able to show why you are an employer of choice in order to attract people to YOUR company. One way to achieve this is by making a concerted effort to brand, market and sustain your image. In addition to offering competitive pay and benefits packages, take a hard look at what you are doing in terms of retaining, motivating, recognizing and rewarding your employees. Providing a healthy work-life balance, maintaining a diverse and welcoming work environment and offering challenging work assignments are also key for being an employer of choice. Discover what your current employees think about your company, the reasons why they stay and if they would recommend working at your organization to others.  You want your employees singing your praises as a great place to work.  

How to Determine the Right Fit 

You’ve determined your organization’s needs, created great job descriptions and positioned your company to stand out from the competition by being an employer of choice. Job announcements have been published in various media outlets, such as websites and student newspapers, resumes have been analyzed and interviews (either on campus or at your company) have been arranged. The next actions you take are critical, because hiring the right people up front is vital to your organization’s retention strategies. But how do you determine if a candidate will fit, both culturally and strategically? Will their personal characteristics match up with the company’s purpose and values? Do they have the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to help the company execute its vision and strategy?

There are a number of staffing assessment tools available to help make accurate hiring decisions. In addition to conducting structured interviews which include questions that determine a candidate’s qualifications and conducting background checks, many employers are using job knowledge and ability tests as well as personality or behavioral assessments to gauge if a person is the right fit. When used properly, behavioral and personality instruments can help determine which candidates have the highest probability of success in your organization. In addition, the assessments may uncover possible areas of concern that warrant further exploration. Keep in mind, these instruments should not be used as the only criteria in making definitive hiring decisions as they are not "pass-fail” tests. Rather, they provide an overall insight into the candidates to help decide if their characteristics fit your needs. 

But perhaps the best way to determine if someone is actually going to be the right fit for your company is to gauge performance, work ethic and skills through internships or co-op programs.