Recruiting—Your Monthly Tip for Success

Staffing is an ongoing challenge for construction companies. Whether it is in the office or on the project site, having the right people in the right place is the measure of success every day.

Beginning this month, Kathy Cole, president of DK Cole, an executive search firm that specializes in the construction industry, will be providing our newsletter readers insightful "tips" on how construction companies can immediately smooth the complicated staffing road.

Here’s this month’s tip.

Handle recruiting exactly like a sales and marketing function. Without good people, a large backlog doesn’t necessarily mean profitable jobs and happy clients. In the same way you develop and promote your value proposition to get new clients, you must use some of the same strategies to get new employees. This accomplishes two things: 1) You’ll attract more candidates, but even more important 2) You’ll attract the RIGHT candidates.

While it may seem overwhelming, it’s relatively simple to sit down with your long time employees and understand what keeps them there. Then, develop talking points to use in job ads and interviews. Remember, in today’s recruiting environment, candidates have to be sold, just like clients.

Next month’s tip, "How to Lose Your Top Candidate."

Kathy Cole has helped construction companies match extraordinary job opportunities to exceptional talent for more than 20 years. She founded DK Cole executive search in 2006. She is past president of the Chicago Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association.