This is great news if you’re working in construction, but if you own a business you’ve probably noticed that it can be hard to find tradies to fill your vacancies.
The key to successfully finding and hiring skilled tradespeople is to have a good recruitment strategy in place. Here are some tips to help you find the right workers for your construction business:
Assess your business requirements
When looking to hire tradies, it’s important for you to have a good understanding of what skills and experience your business requires to service your clients, while also ensuring you meet relevant legislative requirements. Take the time to create job descriptions that are as specific and detailed as possible.
Create an attractive job listing
A well-written job ad can make all the difference in attracting skilled applicants. Make sure your job listings are detailed, including information about the skills and qualifications you’re looking for, and any other relevant details.
Reach out to industry networks
Networking is a great way to find skilled workers for your business. Get in touch with businesses you’ve associated with that employ the same type of tradies you do. Or offer your existing staff an incentive to refer tradies they know. If you don’t have anyone in your local network, you can contact local trade associations and industry groups. They might have channels where they can spread the word about your vacancies or connect you directly with potential job candidates.
Search online
Online job platforms or classified websites like searchatradie.com.au, allow you to connect to large audiences of potential candidates. Additionally, there are industry-specific job boards that can help you find tradespeople with the specific skills you require.
Hire a recruitment agency
If you’re looking to fill a trade that’s in high demand, you can work with a recruitment agency that specialises in the construction industry. These agencies have access to a pool of skilled tradespeople and can help you find the right candidate for the job quickly and efficiently. They can also assist with the hiring process, including interviewing candidates and performing background checks.
Have a thorough selection process
Ask candidates about their previous experience, qualifications, and any relevant licences or certifications they hold. You should also get their references and perform background checks to ensure that the candidate is suitable for the job.
Invest in your unqualified staff
If you’re employing skilled staff who don’t have formal qualifications, you can help them get certified through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). RPL is a process that assesses an individual’s existing skills, knowledge, and experience against the requirements of a trade qualification. This means that people working in the industry for a while that don’t have a formal qualification can get officially recognised for their experience and expertise.
This can be a great way to help your staff gain the qualifications they need to perform trade-qualified duties.
Keep your employees happy
The best way to minimise your recruitment efforts is to keep your existing tradies happy. The more they enjoy working for you, the more likely they are to stick around.
Aim to provide a supportive work environment that encourages open communication and feedback. This includes providing ongoing training and development programs to help your tradespeople improve their skills and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
Overall, finding and hiring skilled tradespeople for your construction business can be a challenging process but is essential for ensuring projects are completed on time, on budget, and to a high standard.
By sourcing qualified candidates, carrying out background checks, creating an attractive job advertisement, providing ongoing training opportunities, and helping people get certified through RPL, you can ensure that you’re only hiring the best people for the job.
