You already know that good people are hard to find, but it’s harder than ever to attract and retain skilled roofers. Everywhere you turn, contractors are seeking new employees, advertising their job postings, and showcasing their benefits. How can you step out in front of the competition and fill your open positions with qualified roofers?
Today, roofing contractors must make hiring roofers a top priority, especially as the nation continues to experience a shortage of skilled workers. The labor market for blue-collar jobs is tightening: Jobs are abundant, but 80 percent of construction companies are struggling to fill open positions. Older workers are starting to retire, and younger generations are pursuing four-year degrees.
There’s no denying that the blue-collar workforce has drastically changed over the last few years. On top of that, the pandemic has reshaped the way organizations recruit blue-collar employees. Despite these changes, countless roofing businesses haven’t changed with the times. They’re still relying on an old-fashioned, outdated recruiting strategy to reel in new employees—and they’re falling behind.
With so many roofing companies fighting for top talent, the right recruitment strategy can make all the difference. When you find the right people, your business succeeds. Here’s how to combat the talent shortage, connect with skilled roofers, and grow your roofing company.
To cut through the noise and find qualified employees in today’s workforce, you need a focused, targeted strategy. Instead of encouraging everyone to apply, you want to captivate experienced roofers who are eager to make your business better. Then, you want to impress them with your employer brand and a job offer they can’t refuse.
And just like your roofing marketing strategy, your plan needs to be comprehensive. When our clients take a holistic approach to recruitment, they drive long-term results. They have an arsenal of skilled applications waiting to fill their open positions—and they don’t have to rely on “Help Wanted” signs to scale their business.
Here’s how to craft a powerful recruitment strategy so you can start attracting your ideal candidates.
There’s no better way to promote your jobs than posting them everywhere, right? Wrong. It might be tempting to take a broad approach to recruitment, but it’s not the answer. Sure, you might end up getting more applications, but those applicants probably aren’t going to have the skills you’re looking for.
Recruitment marketing is just like traditional marketing. You can spend thousands of dollars on billboards and TV commercials, but they’re probably not going to reach the right people. By narrowing your focus and targeting the right audience, you’ll save money and close more sales.
So, instead of posting your job on every job board you can find, you’re going to take a different approach. Start by putting job applications on your website. Offer employee incentives for referrals. Advertise on your social media pages. Your goal is quality, not quantity.
We’re not saying that you should just ignore job boards altogether, but let’s face it: Job board fees add up quickly. And if you’re not getting any qualified applications from Indeed, Monster, or Glassdoor, you’re just flushing money down the drain.
If you’re not engaging the right candidates on traditional job boards, turn your attention toward more niche sites, like iHireConstruction and ConstructionJobs. This way, instead of spending time, money, and resources on applications that will never turn into new hires, you’ll be able to focus on skilled applicants with years of industry experience.
Your ideal candidates are busy. They’re taking care of their family and juggling personal responsibilities. Some of them might even be working for the competition, waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump ship. They don’t have the time to scroll through job boards, fill out applications, and wait for the phone to ring. If you want to capture their attention, you need to meet them where they already are: on social media.
If you’re not already using social media for recruitment, it’s time to start. You want to show candidates what it’s like to work for your roofing company—from your company culture to a day in the life of your average employee. To find top talent, your roofing business needs to be a great place to work. Not only that, but your potential recruits need to know it.
So, how can you showcase your company culture on social media? Think about ways your company can use testimonials to show candidates what they’re missing—and what they’ll gain if they choose your company. To grab a candidate’s attention, you need to highlight the unique aspects of your company that stand apart from the competition. That means thinking beyond your standard 401k benefits.
Start building your employer brand by celebrating the people and processes that distinguish your roofing company from the rest. Post short videos on social media about your employees, from your sales team to your roofing contractors. This way, you’re making it easy for your recruits to learn more about team members. At the same time, you’re putting a human face on your staff and offering an honest glimpse into your work culture. Win-win!
No matter how you market your employer brand, as long as it showcases an authentic picture of your company, it can help your business attract qualified candidates. Next time you’re in the field, pull out your smartphone and post a behind-the-scenes Instagram story of your contractors. To take your social media strategy to the next level, give your employees the freedom to create content, share their expertise, and talk about their experience working for your business.
If you’ve been sticking to a one-size-fits-all recruitment strategy, here’s your sign to ditch it. With so many roofing companies fighting for top talent, you can’t just wait for the applications to come rolling in. You need to meet your candidates online, capture their attention with your workplace culture, and then captivate them with a great job offer. It might sound like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be.
That’s where omnichannel recruitment will be your MVP. Omni-recruiting—a term and approach coined by our partners at Main Street Recruitment, a recruitment marketing agency—helps you meet your ideal candidates where they are, whether they’re scrolling through Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
An omnichannel approach lets you sync up all of your marketing efforts to create a seamless experience for your candidates. You’re presenting your employer brand across multiple channels at once, conveying the same message to your ideal candidates. This way, you’ll be able to move candidates down the talent pipeline more effectively and drive more applications from skilled roofers.
The best part? Omnichannel recruitment is cost-effective. With the right tools and software, you can figure out where your ideal candidates spend the most time (Indeed? Facebook?) and funnel your spending there. Instead of wasting your hard-earned marketing dollars on LinkedIn and hoping for the best, you can craft a targeted strategy that drives results. Pro-tip: If you aren’t sure where to begin, check out Main Street Recruitment’s guide to omni-recruiting.
You’ve captured the attention of your ideal candidates, but your hard work doesn’t end there. Now, it’s time to guide your potential recruits down the talent pipeline and encourage them to take the next steps.
After all, you don’t want to invest your time, money, and resources into recruitment marketing just to leave your recruits hanging. Here’s how to optimize your recruitment process, drive more applications, and make the most of your interviews.
After you’ve captivated your ideal candidates, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to apply. Why? Because your candidates can afford to be picky. Countless contractors are searching for skilled employees. Your candidates probably see job postings on social media, get emails from other roofing companies, and find job openings on traditional job boards. If you reel them in and then give them a tedious, complex application, you’re going to drive them straight to the competition.
To minimize application dropout, create a quick, simple, user-friendly application. And if you want to drive even more applicants, make your application mobile-friendly. Over 90 percent of candidates use their phone to look for a job—and that number is only going to keep growing. Instead of hoping your candidates will remember to apply on their laptop, take a proactive approach to eliminate the risk and boost your chances of finding the right one.
Once you’ve sorted through applications, it’s time to schedule some interviews. This is valuable time with a prospective employee—and it is so important to maximize the interview to learn relevant information about your candidate. During the interview process, asking the right questions will help your roofing company identify qualified skilled workers.
Your interview questions should encompass their professional background and personality so you can make sure they’re a good fit for your company. Don’t be afraid to ask why they chose to apply for your company, how they’ve handled difficult situations with clients, and how they would respond in specific situations.
Because your application was short and sweet, now is the perfect time to ask more technical questions about their roofing expertise. You might ask about step-by-step roofing procedures or more challenging projects they’ve worked on. When done right, the interview can provide key insights into the knowledge and skills of your applicants.
Congratulations! You’ve sorted through applications, conducted interviews, and hired some qualified new roofing employees. But between the huge demand, short supply, and fierce competition for skilled workers, it’s not uncommon for the competition to poach new roofing employees.
Higher pay and better benefits can be hard to counter, but taking steps to promote loyalty and reward performance can go a long way in employee retention. Here’s how to deliver on your brand promise so you can enjoy loyal, long-term employees for years to come.
It’s time to upgrade your company culture to show your roofing employees how much you really respect and value them. That means investing in training and onboarding to ensure the success of your new hires. Instead of just hiring people and throwing them to the wolves, support them and make them feel like part of the family.
Employees who complete a structured onboarding process are 58 percent more likely to stay with the company. What’s more, 90 percent of new hires decide whether to stay within the first six months. You want to make a good first impression, touch base with new employees, and make sure they feel comfortable throughout the onboarding process.
Remember: New hires that can turn into long-term employees are a huge asset. Putting in the time, money, and resources to hire new employees but failing to train them properly is like leaving a stack of money on the table with no one to guard it.
Your roofing employees are on the front line of your business. They’re working in the field, answering the phone, and talking to clients. They’re the ambassador for your company and the liaison between you and local homeowners. Chances are, they’re going to know if something isn’t working before you do.
Encourage your employees to share their input, ideas, and suggestions. This way, you’ll be able to figure out if something isn’t working and identify any potential areas of improvement. Tangible rewards, like paid time off or a gift card to dinner, can be a great incentive to solicit feedback for those who go above and beyond.
If you’ve had the pleasure of working with loyal employees for years, you already know that the best workers are the ones who want to learn more and do more. Why not set your employees up for success by providing opportunities for advancement?
You might offer an incentive for experienced employees to mentor new hires, or invest in additional training and certification for loyal employees. At the end of the day, training and upskilling programs can have various benefits for your employees and roofing business. Not only can it give your business a key advantage over the competition, but it’s also a great way to inspire employee loyalty.
Effective recruitment is the key to the success of your roofing company. Whether you’re struggling to find qualified employees or dealing with high turnover, it’s time to take charge of recruitment strategy. Instead of doing what you’ve always done, you’re going to start hiring qualified roofing employees and investing in employee retention.
When was the last time you updated your recruitment plan? Schedule a discovery call with our partners at Main Street Recruitment to start driving top talent to your roofing business. The process begins with auditing your existing recruitment marketing—and their recruitment experts can help guide the process.
