It takes a keen eye for recognizing professionals who stand out from everybody else to be successful in construction recruiting. Our firm has built a network of repeat clients in part through our ability to recognize and unlock the potential in passive candidates. Once our client companies have the right team in place, they can focus on inspiring them to meet and exceed their goals.
Recognizing Potential
When we first worked with a this large national general contractor, the first candidate we selected was for the position as project manager. We were able to see that he had additional talents and recognized those skills upon bringing him in. He was hired by the company as a mid-level project manager and he quickly became the star of the team. The Project Manager later became hiring manager. His team rallied around him, and genuinely enjoyed being a part of his group, because of his exceptional communication skills. Instead of being just another ordinary boss, he strived to become an advocate to the superintendents instead, and more of a union steward than a boss. This built trust. He was so good that a couple of years later, he became the main person who’s in charge of well over 100 superintendents in the field. The door we opened with that placement made this successful construction firm a repeat client and we were able to place 20 construction professionals within a couple of years.
Recruiting Good vs. Great Employees
No matter how great a product or service you have, it’s just not possible to grow a successful company without recruiting the best talent on the market. Although some people simply aren’t going to be the right fit for your company’s needs, it’s still possible to land talented employees when you know what qualities to look for. The first characteristics to look for are in the areas that you don’t see on a resume. They are the intangibles. Is the candidate a good person? Do they fit the culture? Are they highly driven? Do they have the ability to pick up important concepts quickly? Do they have the right communication skills? I think you get the point. I believe the intangibles are more important than any other factor. The right person can learn just about anything and given some time will most likely surpass a more experienced manager every single time. I have a saying “You can’t teach tall.” Don’t get me wrong, they need construction knowledge, but the intangibles are critical. Another good sign is when they show an ability and willingness to take on more responsibility that what they were originally hired for. Then, you always want to ensure that they will be compatible with the rest of your team as well as your clients.
Inspiring Employees to Excel
Hiring great employees is just the first step toward building any successful business. Construction leadership should also be focused on inspiring and enabling their teams to achieve their goals and produce results. If you want your employees to excel, then they need to believe that what they are doing is important. Leaders need to provide the necessary encouragement by constantly reminding their teams of the overall mission of the organization. It can also be accomplished by sharing success stories from customers when the team went above and beyond their expectations.
How can we help you?
Searching for an opportunity in the construction industry? Contact The Birmingham Group today to discuss your career path or browse our open positions.
Are you a hiring authority needed construction talent? Submit a search request today.
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