Hiring construction crew members in a hurry causes some businesses to neglect or skip important hiring steps. When a business needs to grow quickly, one might skip performing a background check or choose not to call an applicant's professional references. In those instances, a foreman might hire someone who doesn't have the full skill set required for the job. Hiring an under-qualified candidate can come back to bite you. So what's the best way to hire construction workers quickly?
1. Look for the Right Skill Set
Sure, you can teach certain skills on the job - but the best moments to conduct on-the-job training aren't when you're in a hurry to hire construction crew members. Training new crew is only going to bog down your more experienced workers and cause your project to progress more slowly. Hire workers with the necessary qualifications and experience right out of the gate to eliminate delays caused by skills training.
2. Remember That Attitude Matters
Attitude shouldn't override skill set. The most eager workers won't make a difference if they aren't qualified. Yet, once those skill requirements are fulfilled, it's time to gauge if potential crew members have a good attitude fit. Will they match your team culture? Do they communicate well? Someone who communicates responsibly is someone who won't hide a problem that you'll have to deal with later.
3. Audition Them
One of the best ways to see if someone fits your construction crew is to hire the person on for a period of time. Temporary job positions and temp-to-hire positions enable you to see candidates in action before making long-term commitments to them.
4. Check Their References
Applicants can tell you whatever they think you want to hear. Many workers with bad habits are great at selling themselves in interviews, so always make sure you check their references and ask their former employers how working with the candidates went. Were they team players? Did they communicate well? Were they reliable and responsible?
5. Work with a Hiring Partner
There's a lot of administrative work involved in interviewing and hiring new construction crew members. Some construction companies are set up well for that. Others need help with these processes, especially when bringing extra hands on deck during hiring surges.
Develop a relationship with a temporary staffing agency like Labor For Hire that specializes in the construction field. This is often the best way to hire construction workers. Construction staffing agencies can send candidates your way quickly, while filtering out those who aren't qualified or aren't great fits. They can also run those references and any necessary background checks for you. This saves you a lot of work, so you can focus on making the right hiring decisions without the administrative parts of the process slowing you down.
