Why a name in lights is not enough
Rupert Price
I recruit Planners, Estimators and Senior Managers for UK Main Contractors.
For decades many main contractors have traded on their name. And the fact that they work on major frameworks and projects. There’s an entrenched belief that this is enough to attract and retain top candidates. Unfortunately for main contractors, this is no longer the case.
There is such a high demand for senior skills in the industry and candidates will rarely only consider one opportunity. They’ll be weighing their options, deciding which company and role will be the best fit for them, and how it’ll contribute to their career progression.
Here are three things that main contractors need to be aware of influence a candidate’s decision to accept an offer.
Speed of offer
While decisive hiring is preferred over endless interviews, it does also have another extreme. Extending an offer after a single short video interview could raise a red flag for candidates. They may question if the company has simply extended the offer to the first person they could find?
It could open a rabbit hole. Why is the company so desperate to hire? Is it a toxic working environment where nobody stays for very long? Is the company trying to find a quick fix to turn things around? In which case the candidate may face unrealistic expectations.
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Level of engagement
Top candidates aren’t typically job hoppers. The like to help build companies and feel as though they’re really adding value over time. When interviewing they want to know what the company is like, who they’ll be working with and what projects they’ll be working on.
Candidate care is most effective when it comes directly from the hiring company. Inviting candidates to come into the office where they can meet future colleagues and get a feel for the working environment is important. Leading up to their start day, check in with them and invite them for a coffee. This less formal engagement will give them an opportunity to ask questions. But more importantly it communicates that the company values having them on board.
Learning and progression
Understand that top candidates will want to continue to learn and progress in their career. Therefore, highlighting how the company supports and provides opportunities for learning is important. It shows that there’s opportunity for progression and the company is willing to invest in helping them achieve their personal career goals.
There is so much competition in hiring, companies that want to attract the best, need to sell the opportunity.