Attracting Talent Beyond Bricks in the Age of Technology

While some youngsters dream of first jobs in swanky buildings with imposing glass facades, many others dream of building these very structures. Popular business hubs are overflowing and more business districts are emerging. Untapped areas, often located in tier 2 and 3 cities are thriving with development. Welcome to the world of industrial construction!

Industrial construction is a dynamic B2B space spanning segments from automobiles to pharmaceuticals and beyond. The thrill of working with some mean machines and building massive structures takes one away from home, often into spaces with just the sky above and the ground below.

What does it take to land the perfect hire in this sector, and what does talent really want?

Complex Jobs, Not Fancy Titles

Talent here is typically looking for opportunities to build complex structures and job titles are of little interest. We see that candidates are keener to explore projects, brands involved, job stability and company credibility.

Motivators are basic– amenities at site, flexibility about travelling back home, recognition from managers and camaraderie with teammates.

Adaptability and Culture Fitment

When hiring for this space, along with sound technical knowledge and relevant experience we look for passionate individuals willing to adapt. Going by the complexity of projects and varied socio-economic environments they operate in, adaptability is key.  One could be in Haryana one year and Tamil Nadu the next – everything from food to climate changes completely. We see that talent from tier 2 and 3 cities are far more open to change, as compared to their counterparts in metros who have got accustomed to a city lifestyle.  

Cultural fitment and alignment with the company’s value system are also critical elements.

Go to the Candidate

Traditional channels like newspaper ads and walk-ins have significant limitations here as the talent pool is geographically dispersed. Social recruiting has emerged as a preferred alternative.  It enables us to amplify opportunities, take openings to prospective hires in their respective locations and make use of targeted geographical hiring. This has created a much larger talent pool to choose from.  

The industry typically has a narrow hiring window but by leveraging social platforms, we have been able to attract quality candidates within short periods. For a recent project, we were able to build a strong line-up in a tight time-frame purely because of LinkedIn. We have found social recruiting to be an effective sourcing tool for a wide variety of specialist roles also.

Build your employer brand

It is important for companies to build a strong employer brand to attract the best talent in this space. Capitalizing on company legacy, project range, employee growth stories, successes and workplace diversity through social helps attract talent that is the right fit for the company.

With LinkedIn, an employer not just puts the brand out there but also showcases relatable culture. A presence on the platform acts as a pull factor to bring prospective hires closer to the company through networking while helping the brand push its requirements to a relevant audience.

With the country’s economy growing positively, norms on FDI easing and the thrust on development, the industrial construction space is only growing.  Industry recruiters will need to look beyond traditional methods to provide talent that positively affects company growth.