The biggest problem most plumbers face is finding personnel. A plumber’s ability to grow is limited to his ability to put people in the field. Yet, few plumbers are serious about recruiting. Here are 10 things serious recruiters do.
1. Create a recruiting brochure
Do you have a recruiting brochure you can hand to a job candidate that defines your company, gives your mission, vision and values, illustrates why your company is a great place to work, lists your benefits and separates you from the pack? No? If not, you are not serious. Not only does this help recruit a plumber or CSR, but it also helps recruit the plumber or CSR’s spouse to your cause.
2. Create a recruiting webpage
Everything on a printed recruiting brochure can be added to a recruiting webpage. In addition, you can create a form where you ask questions to outline a candidate’s values to ensure they are consistent with yours.
3. Create an online application
On your recruiting webpage, include an online application. Make it easy for someone to apply for work with your company.
If there are billboards near the popular supply houses in the areas you serve, rent one and put a recruiting ad on it. It may irritate your competitors, but do you really care if you land a good candidate or two?
4. Create a method to stay in touch
A plumber passes through your company looking for work. Maybe you hire him, and he leaves. Maybe you do not hire him at that time. Some day in the future, you might want to hire him or hire him back if he left thinking the grass was greener elsewhere. Do you have a way to keep in touch? The Service Nation Alliance offers a “Trade Talk” email subscription with technical tips. Any plumber who works for a member company gets a copy along with anyone once interviewed or even casually met.
5. Study the competition
Do you study the recruiting ads of your competitors? You should. Find out what they are saying, what they are offering. Say something different. Offer something more.
6. Encourage Glassdoor reviews
Glassdoor is a review site for job seekers. Have you checked your Glassdoor reviews? Do people say good or bad things about you as an employer? Unfortunately, Glassdoor has the same issues many contractors find with review sites in general. People can post false information. This means you should read your reviews every so often and encourage employees, from time to time to post their own reviews if they are so inclined.
7. Use a pocket application
A pocket application is something you can keep with you and present to promising job candidates whenever you run across them. It might be a kid with a great attitude working in a big box or working for a quick oil change franchise. The pocket application should highlight the benefits of your company as well as make it quick and easy to apply.
8. Take out billboards near supply houses
If there are billboards near the popular supply houses in the areas you serve, rent one and put a recruiting ad on it. It may irritate your competitors, but do you really care if you land a good candidate or two?
9. Mail recruiting pieces to customers
Mailing a recruiting postcard or letter to your customers is a good way of positioning your company as well as potentially finding talent. You do not know who might have a relative in the plumbing industry who might be looking for work or even relocate from another part of the country.
10. Geo fence supply houses
Geo-fencing is the high-tech approach to recruiting. If you draw a virtual geo-fence boundary around the supply houses, you can push Facebook ads or PPC ads to anyone who crosses that boundary. It’s a good way of targeting your recruiting ads to likely candidates.
