Archives for July 2021

By Rob Rusniaczek

In April we published an article titled “The Tech Shortage is Really a Pricing Problem”.  As we discussed in the article, to properly compensate your team, you must go through the math and get your numbers right.  Ultimately, you will need to figure out how to pay for the $10 plus dollar per hour raise, the additional vacation, holidays, medical, dental and vision insurance, 401K plan and yearend bonus etc.  In this article we will discuss the strategical and tactical approaches you can call upon to Recruit Employees.

Looking across the labor and hiring landscape, finding labor to get the work done is truly a challenge.  Perhaps you have heard yourself saying:

• I just can’t find employees.
• I need employees.
• I’m so busy I just need more people.
• I’ve looked everywhere, what’s going on?
• When I hire someone, they suck!
• My existing employees are frustrated!
• My best employee left me.
• My best employee’s company is beating me.
• I just need a hug…xxooxxoo (hugs and kisses, xx’s and oo’s, not expletives).
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Simple question, do you have a recruiting strategy or are you just randomly posting things online?  We hope this article provides you a means and methodology to interview and hire more candidates.  Below you will find the TRUST recruiting method to build your TEAM.  We are curious to hear your thoughts and we are always happy to discuss the content deeper with you in a conference call etc.  Should you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me, rob@grandyassociates.com.

TRUST – Recruitment System

• T – Treat candidates like clients
• R – Referral program
• U – Use sponsored job listings
• S – Social Media Strategies
• T – Try new things

T – Treat candidates like clients.

This may or may not seem like common sense to you, but we do not traditionally treat our employees as well as we treat our customers.

Whether it is a phone screening or an in-person interview, a candidate’s first impression of your company is critical. It is important to make them feel like you are just as excited about getting to know them as they are about being considered for the role. One of the best recruiting techniques is to treat interviewees the same way you treat your customers.

• Be respectful of their time.Whether it is a phone call, video conference or in-person meeting, always be sure to show up on time. If you are running late, let the candidate know as far in advance as possible.
• Be hospitable.When a candidate arrives for an onsite interview, ask if they would like something to drink and show them where to find the restrooms. Make them feel welcome and comfortable.
• Make yourself available.Provide potential candidates with your contact information so they can reach out with questions and concerns throughout the hiring process.

R – Referral Program

Ask yourself, other than the paycheck, are there additional ways for my team to earn incentives or bonuses? 

• Incentives – Recruitment bonuses in the form of gas cards, grocery cards, i.e., products your company offers i.e., new outdoor or indoor unit – When someone is hired (5^th employee, 10^th employee etc.). Below are some additional ways you can compensate your team.
  • Purchases from your company at a tremendous discount or at cost for a product i.e., Outdoor, Indoor, Control, Filtration System, GPS System Etc.
  • Creating Brand Ambassadors – Anything you hand a customer, you should message we are always hiring, give us a call.
  • Every truck should say Always Hiring.
  • As people enter the office area or your shop, ALWAYS Hiring.
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• Stay Top of Mind – First slide of the staff meeting or agenda handout. At your staff meeting are you iterating that you are hiring or where you have openings?
  • whoever conducts or kicks off the meeting should intro always hiring.
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• Be Transparent with Employees – Especially when you are tying compensation to an employee referral, always let existing employees know where their candidate is in the hiring process.

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• Provide Clarity on Who We Need – Existing staff needs to know who we are looking for.

Implement an Employee Referral Program – Great people usually make a habit of surrounding themselves with other highly capable professionals. While many employees may already be sharing open roles with qualified contacts in their networks, a well-developed Employee Referral Program can encourage even more of your employees to refer the best talent they know. Consider providing incentives for referrals with bonuses and contests so you can create excitement around the program.

U – Use Sponsored Job Listings -$$$  These are the fast facts – You might be thinking…I just don’t want to pay for sponsoring a job online, but there are reasons why these sites exist.  Statistics show employers are 3.5x more likely to make a hire when they sponsor (pay) a job.

• Make use of sponsored jobs to stand out – Because there are thousands of jobs posted on Indeed every day, the visibility of your job listing can decrease over time. One of the best ways to make sure your job posting continues to stand out is through a sponsored job. These paid listings appear more often in any relevant search results and their placement will not fall back in search results over time, like free job listings—which can result in more high-quality applicants.
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• Create compelling job descriptions – Writing an attention-grabbing and thorough job description is one of the most important parts of the hiring process.
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• Make titles as specific as possible.  The more accurate your title, the more effective you will be in attracting the interest of the most qualified and interested job seekers.
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• Open with a captivating summary.  Provide an overview that gets job seekers excited about the role and company.
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• Include the essentials.  Write out the core responsibilities, hard and soft skills, day-to-day activities and explain how the position fits into the organization.
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• Keep descriptions concise.  Job descriptions between 700 and 2,000 characters receive up to 30% more applications according to Indeed data.
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• S – Social Media Strategies – There is a great deal that can be done with social media.  Many of the tactics in social media will not cost your company all that much money.

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• Technically – Social is every Manager’s Responsibility – Make it fun
  • Check In at Work – or ask employees to check in when they go to jobs.
  • Check In at Commercial Site – The business owners, this site has us doing work.
  • Have a little sign on your desk, Check In on Facebook while you’re here. This may sound silly, but you are attracting visibility to your business and thus awareness to job seekers that you are hiring.
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Use Social Media – Social media is a fantastic recruiting tool. Social recruiting allows you to share job postings with your entire network and encourages a two-way conversation. Even if the people you reach are not interested in the role you are hiring for, it’s likely they may know someone who is a good fit. Plus, by sharing photos and videos from company events, your workplace and/or day-to-day office life that align with your employer brand, you give potential applicants a glimpse into your company culture.

• • Build your company’s online reputation.
  • Use video to engage with passive candidates.
  • Involve employees in sharing posts on social media.
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T – Try New Things – It goes back to the definition of Insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  It is possible you have tried all of the described methods above.  Perhaps it is time to try something new.  As I write this article, our local Burger King is paying individuals that come in for an interview.  I am not necessarily suggesting you pay a prospect to be interviewed, but I am suggesting, TRY NEW THINGS.

• Attend Industry-Related Meetups – While job fairs can be helpful for finding qualified candidates, non-recruiting-specific events are also an excellent opportunity to meet motivated industry professionals who are eager to network and advance in their field. For example, if you are looking to hire a technician, find a local group, meetup or bar, NRA meeting where these guys and girls hang out.
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• Include peers in the interview process – Sometimes the best person to interview a candidate is someone already working in the same or similar role. This employee already knows what it takes to excel in the position and can verify whether candidates have the skills and experience needed to do the job well. Current employees can also give an accurate description of day-to-day experiences and help candidates better understand what they can expect if hired.
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• Check resumes posted online – Indeed Resume hosts millions of resumes from job seekers across nearly any industry and location. Employers can quickly find candidates by entering a job title or skill and a city, state, or zip code. You can narrow down results by criteria like, years of experience, education level, and more. You can also set up a Resume Alert to receive daily emails with links to new resumes that match the criteria for the positions you are looking to fill.
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• Consider past candidates – When you hire for a position, there are often a few talented candidates that end up not making the cut due to timing or other external factors. When you are recruiting for a similar position, consider re-visiting the resumes of past applicants. These candidates are already familiar with your company and may have picked up new skills and experience since you last spoke.
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• Consider hiring women – Take an external look at your organization. We traditionally see laborers are mostly men, but are you overlooking women that could do the same job?  Remember the story of Rosie the Riveter.  In 1942, as an increasing number of men were engaged in WWII, women were needed to fill labor intensive roles. The simple point – do not overlook or underestimate women.
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When looking to expand your company, keep in mind you need to get your numbers right.  Unless you have your pricing correct, you cannot simply pay someone $40 per hour.  However, once your prices are correctly established you will still need to find and build a talented team.  We know the methods described with TRUST recruiting work.  Again, should you like to explore this information further, please reach out to me, Rob Rusniaczek, rob@grandyassociates.com.