The 3 biggest mistakes when recruiting construction staff

The construction sector is running at full speed. Yet one constant challenge remains: recruiting construction staff, ideally people with both motivation and the right experience. Traditional recruitment methods stopped doing the job long ago, especially now that the 'war for talent' keeps getting fiercer. Employers, including those in construction, are often tearing their hair out and wondering why their approach is not working. These are the 3 biggest mistakes in construction recruitment and, even more importantly, some smart tips to help you avoid these pitfalls.

Mistake 1: You underestimate how tight the labour market is

The biggest problem when recruiting construction staff? There are far more open vacancies than available candidates. So there is (still) an extreme shortage, and candidates have the choice. So do not make the mistake of waiting to recruit construction staff until the need is urgent, or simply assuming plenty of people will respond to your vacancy. That is a risk you do not want to take with a busy schedule. If you are not proactive or do not act fast enough, that perfect candidate will already have moved on to the next construction company and you will miss out.

How can you recruit construction staff proactively?

So what should you do when it comes to proactive construction recruitment? Many companies already focus on employer branding. This means continuously paying attention to your employer brand. That way, as an employer you constantly attract attention and give yourself a strong position in the labour market, even when you have no urgent vacancies. Want to give an open vacancy an extra push? Then it is more likely to get responses, because more candidates will know you thanks to your employer branding efforts.

Mistake 2: Your job ads are generic and vague

"We are looking for an experienced carpenter. Tasks: carpentry work. We offer: salary in line with the collective labour agreement (cao)." Sound familiar? Vague texts like this will hardly motivate the reader: not about the work, not about the pay and not about your company. The construction professionals you have your eye on now see dozens of similar vacancies on LinkedIn and job boards such as Indeed. So it is a shame to write bland job ads, because construction companies often have a unique character. Why not share that with potential new colleagues?

How do you write an effective job ad?

The solution? Try to put yourself in the candidate's shoes. What will appeal to that carpenter, work planner or estimator? What challenges in the work, applicable skills or growth opportunities are there, for example? Be as specific as possible. And do not forget to think carefully about what makes your company special to work for. You can also ask your colleagues and use their quotes on your vacancy page or careers website. That way you can stand out and appeal.

Mistake 3: The application process is too long

We understand that your recruitment department (if you have one) is busy. Still, speed is crucial in a recruitment process, in construction too. Multiple (unnecessary) interview rounds and long waiting times after an application really are not an option any more with this much competition. Does someone have to wait too long? Then you risk them going to another construction employer.

How do I speed up my construction recruitment?

How do you tackle this problem? By communicating well, streamlining your process, responding to applications quickly (ideally within 48 hours) and limiting the number of interviews. You can also outsource your recruitment to a third party. This is called interim recruitment. One more tip: know who has decision-making authority, so you can make an offer as quickly as possible once you have found the right person. Applying for an online vacancy can be quick and easy these days too: leave out the CV and cover letter at this stage and give people the option to apply via WhatsApp or a simple form, for example.

Recruit construction staff proactively and deliberately

If you want to recruit construction staff in today's market, you need an active, fast and candidate-focused approach. Do you recognise (one of) the three mistakes above? Do something about it! By making your construction company more attractive and more visible as an employer, optimising your vacancies and keeping the application process as short and simple as possible, you lead the way in construction recruitment and increase your chances of attracting applicants. And the whole organisation will be glad of that. Because when you invest in your recruitment process, you invest directly in the future of your construction company.