Category: hiring

I attended a concert by the United States Air Force Jazz Band. Typically, these events are “soft sell” — with the idea that you’ll have good feelings about that military branch just by enjoying their performances. You hear a few patriotic songs, see the musicians in uniform, and subliminally be reminded that the armed forces are an important and ever-present part of our country.

However, this concert was different as there were several explicit announcements about recruiting. At one point, the conductor asked everyone to raise their hands if they were in the military (not just the Air Force), had any family members who were or even knew someone who had served. Of course, many hands went up. He used that opportunity to remind people of the need to recruit and the role they could play in encouraging others to speak with a recruiter.

Having a traveling jazz band serve as a means of getting prospects to join the military isn’t the first recruitment strategy that comes to mind, but that’s exactly what they were doing. Making the personal connection raised the consciousness of everyone there, and planted the idea of them serving in a recruiting role.

Think of how you can expand your base of recruiters by empowering those who have been touched by the services you offer.

Several long-term employees have announced their upcoming retirement, setting in motion the processes to find their replacements. If you are seeking to fill a vacancy held by someone for 10, 25, or even 40 years, there is no way that you should expect the next person to fulfill the same duties they did. Positions like that evolve, with additional responsibilities added in layers over the years.

Instead of futilely trying to replicate a person, take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on what you need someone to do, as well as what you hope someone could ultimately do in that position.

I am reminded of Alex Williams’s (Dulé Hill) comment on the drama Suits. “A parent’s job isn’t to show their kids how the world is, but rather to show them how the world should be,” he said. To paraphrase, a hiring manager’s job isn’t to replace an employee to do what is, but rather to do what could be.”

Any good hiring process starts with deeply considering what skills and temperaments are needed, irrespective of those you are losing. Don’t ask your departing employee what they did; ask yourself what you need the next person to do.

One of the exhibitors on Big Build Day (dot #4136) was She Built, a special effort to recruit girls into construction and the trades. One of the primary tools the organization uses is a children’s book The House That She Built, featuring women in 18 different roles, including roofer, insulation contractor, HVAC technician, drywaller, cabinet manufacturer, and excavator. It’s certainly different from the typical book for girls that has them playing with dolls or being a mommy.

The premise of She Built is that the shortage of skilled trade workers is a growing crisis for the economy, partly caused by the fact that children and parents are unaware of the vast opportunities for successful careers in homebuilding. She Built seeks to increase the knowledge of these opportunities in all underrepresented groups, especially women.

Think about what your organization is doing to feature atypical employees in your materials. If you want greater diversity, whether of background, gender, race, or skills, how can you use nontraditional methods (like a children’s book) to showcase your desired mix? Representation helps people see themselves in a new way; help others picture themselves with you.

While in Washington, DC, I stumbled upon the Big Build Day at the National Building Museum. The massive atrium was filled with dozens of hands-on displays and hundreds of engaged children, all pounding nails, fastening pipes together, seeing the effects of electricity, and assembling items. The exhibitors made it cool to wear hard hats, make spaghetti towers, apply masonry to build a brick wall, and simulate a flood.

It was abuzz with activity, energy, and — more subliminally — learning.

The building trades have a formalized program to train individuals for future careers in the industry. Big Build Day is just one aspect of helping youth even consider the trades as a job option. The Home Builders Institute provides no-cost training in the trades, preparing the construction and skilled labor workforce of the next generation. They tap into varied audiences, including transitioning military, veterans and their families, at-risk youth, justice-involved youth and adults, and displaced workers.

Their motto — “now is the time to train” — can apply to many more careers beyond construction.

Everyone laments about the worker shortage, and without sufficient training in specialized fields, it is only going to get worse. What are you doing today to showcase your industry for children and teens? How can you communicate the benefits of a career that youth may not have considered? Take a lesson from Big Build Day and make it an interactive, group effort to build your workforce for tomorrow.