flexiblefullpage - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
Currently Reading

Marketing to Employees

Advertisement
billboard -
Construction Practices

Marketing to Employees

Ads list what they want in a candidate, but nothing about what they offer


December 22, 2017
This article first appeared in the December 2017 issue of Pro Remodeler.

Recently I was talking with a group of remodelers about the labor shortage, and one of the people in the discussion made an especially insightful comment. The observation came from Vince Nardo, president of Reborn Cabinets, in Southern California. “In order to be more successful at hiring, I had to change the mindset of our HR department,” Vince said. “They were looking at recruitment from the perspective of a human resources task, but it’s not that anymore; it’s a sales and marketing task.”

The concept made total sense, and my first impulse was to take it at face value. I began thinking about ways to market your company as a great place to work, including writing strategic posts on social media, creating catchy classified ads, and making sure every company benefit was discussed in each job interview.

But that approach is incomplete. If you focus solely on the message that your company is a wonderful place to work, you may get more applicants, but they won’t necessarily be the best applicants. Instead, you might end up with people primarily interested in what they can get from you rather than being invested in performing quality work for a company where they can learn and grow.

With that in mind, a strong marketing tactic could be, “We hire the best, and we know how to treat our staff.” That means emphasizing things great workers often care about, such as opportunities for growth and training, as well as denoting the attention- grabbers such as flex time or bonuses.

Right now, on Indeed.com, there are 6,947 job listings with the word “Remodeler” and 40,099 with the term “Home Improvement.” I read a large sample of these ads from all over the country and found that the overwhelming majority of them list every detail they require in a candidate, but explain nothing about what they offer in return.

And the language of the ads is downright depressing. Here’s a typical one for a remodeling carpenter paying $15 to $25 per hour. The ad asks for, “Skills not limited to:

insulation, drywall work, tile work, roofing, and siding.” Other requirements: “Five years’ field experience, own full-size pickup truck, own your own tools.” That’s the whole ad. Now compare that to Rebath of San Antonio, which is looking for someone with the same title and similar experience at $16 to $20 per hour. Instead of a bare list of a attributes, the ad starts, “Are you a remodeling carpenter who takes pride in satisfying customers?” Rebath’s ad goes on to talk about what makes the company special, and it’s clear whoever wrote it takes pride in the brand. “We will invest the me and money necessary to make you a highly successful carpenter with our organization,” it says. Paid vacation is specified, as are bonus opportunies.

The labor shortage poses a challenge to everyone in the industry, but remodelers who treat recruitment with the same level of care as they treat selling to homeowners will end up in a much better position.


written by

Erika Mosse

Director of Content

Erika Mosse is the director of content for Professional Remodeler. Contact her at emosse@sgcmail.com or 972.369.9212.

leaderboard2 - default

Related Stories

6 Must-Knows for Installing Pocket Doors

Save your sanity: Do it right the first time

Crawl Spaces to Basements: Proceed with Caution

Converting a crawl space to other uses can upgrade a home and add significant value, but when done incorrectly, it can also be disastrous 

Webinar: Project and Trade Management Musts—The New American Remodel 2023

Access the webinar here to learn project and trade management lessons from The New American Remodel 2023

How to Attach a Patio Roof to an Existing House

A graceful integration may mean more work but improved functionality and aesthetics 

How To Improve Energy Performance in Existing Attics

There’s more to insulating the attic than attic insulation; there’s venting, air sealing, and misery

Model ReModel 2022: A Case Study in Sustainable, Thoughtful Construction

The eighth annual Model ReModel project features an accessory dwelling unit, designed for aging in place, attached to a 19th-century Victorian

Installing a Curbless Shower

Model ReModel 2022 features an ADA-compliant bathroom. The contractor shares the install process

How to Install PVC Bevel Siding Over Rainscreen

It’s a lot like installing wood bevel siding, except it won’t warp or rot. And it expands and contracts differently and for different reasons

Understanding How PVC Trim Moves

Anybody who’s used PVC in an exterior application knows that it moves seasonally. Just like wood, right? Not exactly

Step-by-Step Install of a High-Performance Cathedral Ceiling

See how Model ReModel 2022 constructed its vaulted ceiling

Advertisement
boombox2 -
Advertisement
halfpage2 -
Advertisement
native1 -

More in Category




Advertisement
native2 -
Advertisement
halfpage1 -
Advertisement
leaderboard1 -