the ABC system for hiring your next employee

Glengarry Glen Ross, a movie based on the play by David Mamet, debuted in 1992 with an all-star cast. The movie depicts a day in the life of four real estate salesmen and their dubious tactics to close less than optimal leads.

Alec Baldwin plays Blake, a suit, sent from the corporate higher-ups to motivate the lackluster sales team. Baldwin appears in only one scene, but what a scene it is!

In his curse-filled motivational speech, which has reached a cult-like status for fans of the movie, Blake explains to the sales associates that they must, “A, B, C. Always Be Closing.”

The point of this motto, Always Be Closing, is to ensure that the sales associates’ thoughts, words, and actions move their leads closer to a deal.

As the owner of a construction business, you should adopt a similar motto for your hiring process (without Blake’s colorful language, of course).

ABC – ALWAYS BE CONSIDERING

With a limited supply of skilled tradespersons, business owners should Always Be Considering from where their next employee will come, how they will recruit that employee, and when they will bring that employee on board.

Waiting until you need that new employee may be too late to meet your scheduled production demands and may cost you more when you operate from a place of desperation.

FORGET HIRING.  START RECRUITING.

Change your hiring system from a “one and done” to an “ABC” system.

Always Be Considering.

Be on the lookout for potential employees before you need them. Develop a system to identify and qualify your next employees, and initiate a conversation with them prior to your production demands.

DEVELOP A POOL OF CANDIDATES

When you identify and qualify potential employees before you need them, you will be able to choose the best person from your pool of candidates for future job openings. Not only will this ensure you get the right person for the job, but you will also make a more informed decision. You will be able to negotiate the best deal for your company and this new employee.

A recent Gallup survey shows that 67% of all employees in the United States are not engaged with their jobs.

Two-thirds of people are likely to change jobs if the right opportunity presents itself.

Present that opportunity to people, and they will respond.

You don’t have to hire everyone that responds. You are only considering them.

START THE CONVERSATION

Start the conversation with those that you consider to be All-Star performers. Demonstrate to your candidate pool that you are serious about the hiring process by being willing to wait for the right person. The right person will appreciate this level of planning and patience.
And that potential employee will be more invested in your company when you make a job offer.

ADVERTISE YOUR CULTURE

Develop a list of potential employees by creating a system that advertises the benefits, opportunities, and culture of your company, along with a description of the existing or potential jobs within your company.

Most construction business owners struggle to find skilled employees when they need them. This problem can be solved by implementing an Always Be Considering strategy for recruiting new employees.

Once you bring these new employees on board, I don’t recommend trying to motivate them like Alec Baldwin’s character, Blake, in Glengarry Glen Ross.

They will have shown their motivation by progressing through your recruiting system.

And because they have an understanding that you will Always Be Considering the next All-Star, their engagement with your company and their job will be higher.  Their performance will reflect that level of engagement.

If you would like to learn more about how to design and implement an Always Be Considering recruiting system for your construction business, then sign up for a FREE strategy call with me at www.shawnvandyke.com/apply/ and click here to download my FREE book – the Paperwork Punch List: 28 Days to Streamline Your Construction Business.