There’s a direct connection between the quality of a company’s hiring practices and the quality of its teams. If you’re constantly disappointed with hires, you’re probably relying on outdated hiring techniques. Over time, a whole bunch of ineffective recruitment strategies have somehow become common practice. Let’s take a look at some of these old-fashioned hiring practices so you can develop a more productive, cohesive, and cost-effective team no matter the project.
Placing too much stock in resumes.
A resume is really just a means to an end. It’s a shortcut employers can use to gain quick and digestible insights into a candidate. Unfortunately, many people don’t go any further when assessing a craftsman’s fit for the position. You’re not hiring resumes; you’re hiring craftsmen. You’ll gain so much more from simply speaking with them naturally than keeping the resume as a barrier. Don’t get it wrong. Resumes have merit. It’s just important to not let a resume overshadow the person it represents.
Describing the role in a vague way.
As a project leader, your hands-on approach keeps you connected to the day-to-day operations of your craftsmen. You know what their roles and responsibilities are by heart. While that proximity bodes well on the job site, it can cause some problems in the hiring process. Often, leaders fail to go into specifics when creating a job post or speaking about expectations with potential hires. As a general rule of thumb, you should feel like you’re going into too much detail when discussing job requirements with candidates. Everyone’s better off when the specifics are clear.
Further Reading: All the Ways Construction Managers Are Throwing Money Away
Switching it up for every candidate.
Consistency and standardization are vital when developing a successful hiring strategy. If you change the process every time you hire a new candidate, you’re effectively setting different expectations for each team member. This disconnect can lead to poorly functioning teams as every craftsman is on a different page. The only way to build a strong, cohesive, and smoothly operating team is to reinforce your expectations within the hiring process so every new hire knows exactly what to expect and what’s expected of them.
Waiting until you have an open position.
There’s no way for project managers to anticipate every open position. Whether it’s an injury, emergency, or random quitting, there are plenty of times when leaders have no warning signs of a potential vacancy. Still, that doesn’t mean you have to wait for every opening to start looking for replacements. When you’re promoting an employee, planning to expand, or anticipating a retirement, you should kickstart the recruitment process before you need the candidate. This way, you won’t waste any valuable time or resources with a vacant position.
Looking only at hard skills (ignoring soft skills).
Craftsmen are known for their hyper-specialized knowledge and abilities. In fact, they’re some of the most capable employees in the job market. But, that doesn’t mean you can only focus on these hard skills. You also need to find a candidate with the soft skills necessary to work well within a team, communicate and collaborate effectively, manage their time properly, and a host of other less concrete abilities. These skills are tougher to pinpoint which is why you might consider working with a staffing specialist…which leads us to another outdated hiring mistake.
Handling the entire hiring process alone.
Industrial employers take pride in their work. If the job is doable, they’re going to handle it on their own. This can-do attitude is respectable, but it’s not without downsides…especially when it comes to hiring. Successful businesses understand the strategic importance of working with external professionals. There are numerous advantages to outsourcing your hiring demands. Besides, you should want the right craftsmen more than you want to control the recruitment process.
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