Hiring Tips for Painters: Create Demand for Your Job Supply!
David and I have been receiving more and more requests for help with hiring efforts. From California to New York, Alabama to Oregon, painting companies need quality applicants, and many needed them YESTERDAY.
Mostly, this is a good problem to have! Schedules are full and the demand for painters is high.
This has naturally led us both to think through hiring strategies, and how best to keep interest in the positions you have available, and make sure that folks know you’re a great employer who’s offering an awesome opportunity.
Really, it all comes down to consistency and branding, much like any other marketing effort. Hiring campaigns almost never work well with just the flip of a switch, but rather need to be grown over time with an attractive, ongoing message.
Treat Your Hiring Efforts Like a Marketing Campaign
Imagine if you ran your business the same way you run your hiring campaigns. What would it look like, and how successful would it be? Probably not the best strategy, right? When it comes to marketing your business, you know it’s all about consistency. Even during your busiest months, you still continue your marketing and branding efforts since slower months are inevitably going to come, and you have goals to meet and overhead to cover. In the same way, you may not always be actively hiring team members, but you can keep interest high and your “hiring brand” fresh. Here are a few key ways to do that!It Starts with a Focus On Your Company Culture
Yes, benefits and pay will always be a big draw. But, in today’s world, the focus is shifting! Younger, millennial-age people entering the workforce are EQUALLY interested in how they’ll be treated, the culture they’ll be joining, the value they offer, and the level of appreciation they can expect. What does advertising to this demographic look like?- Employee Spotlights — Every week or so, post a photo of a team member and share who they ARE, not just what they offer. And, share why they’re appreciated and why they love what they do.
- Share Team Testimonials — Ask your crew for a short quote about their work, what led them to your company, what they enjoy doing at work, or a good experience they recently had with a client.
- Share Photos From Your Team — This could be a lunch break, a cool view they had from the top of a ladder, an especially amazing transformation, etc… Don’t just make it about marketing your company, but sharing your team’s experiences and passion. Offer a cash prize for the best pic of the week, or month! No pressure, just for fun. Then tag them on social media and name them specifically.
- Videos — This can be really intimidating to a lot of folks, but it shouldn’t be. A 10 – 30 second video “chatting” with a team member on a job site, asking them what they’re doing and working on, offers a candid peek behind the scenes.