Article provided in collaboration with Bob Rouse, chief program officer, at TCIA.
We don’t have to tell you how important quality employees are to a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) company. We also know many HDD companies have experienced a labor shortage. And without hardworking, reliable crews, HDD companies can’t do their jobs. Here are some tips to help guide your employee search process.
Write the job opening
The job opening should set your company apart from other HDD (or even construction) companies. For many people — especially millennials — there is more to a job than just wages. They care about the other benefits your company provides including training, paid time off, safety-first mentality, drug-free policy, etc. Make your company as attractive as possible. As you write the job opening, ask yourself, “Would I want to work here?”
Advertise the job opening
- Newspapers and online job boards can be a great way to reach applicants. You may have to pay to place your job opening, so make sure it is a reputable newspaper or website that will reach potential applicants.
- Posting your job on social media is also an option. If your company has active Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages, share your job opening with your followers.
- Ask your current employees for referrals. Consider offering an incentive such as a gift card or additional paid vacation day for an employee referral that results in a hire.
- Develop a relationship with local high schools, community colleges and vocational-technical schools. Work with counselors and teachers to share your openings with their students.
Advertise constantly
When there’s a shortage of qualified workers, it’s a good idea to always have a job opening posted. This allows you to build your bench of applicants and, hopefully, be more selective when the time comes to hire an employee. Constant recruitment keeps you ahead of the game if you take on a large job that requires additional workers or if an employee unexpectedly resigns.
Interview an applicant
Use a written job description (which is more detailed than the job posting) to guide the interview. Make sure the applicant knows all the responsibilities and requirements of the job. Plan questions ahead of time to get to know the applicant’s personality and work ethic. Know what characteristics are important to you and ask questions that will identify if the applicant is a match. Are they a risk taker? Are they a team player? Are they looking for short-term work or a career in the field?
Hiring an employee who meets your criteria and desired characteristics is likely to be a better fit than hiring someone based soley on experience. Many workers in the HDD industry learn on the job. It may be easier to train someone than to change their work ethic or personality traits.