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ApplianceFor years now, industry experts have been talking about the labour shortage facing the home services industry. A movement towards more formal education and an ageing workforce has contributed to predictions of the workforce decline. Even before this worker shortage was identified, businesses were feeling the impact.
While the number of individuals pursuing careers as service techs may be decreasing, the home services industry is not going anywhere. Check out our blog below to learn about how your home services business can combat the labour shortage and find good techs.
Create A Compelling Job Posting
When you have an open service tech position, a great way to gain applications is by creating a job posting. It’s not difficult to put together the posting itself, but what is challenging is making sure you create something that accurately represents the job while enticing people to apply. When candidates are scarce, it’s important to make sure your posting stands out among the rest. Here are a few tips to help you create an engaging job posting.
Sell your position for hire
What is the primary goal of a job posting? To gain applications! To entice your potential new hire into applying for the job, you need to sell the position! When creating your job posting, ensure you include the what, when, and how of the job. Does this person need to be able to lift heavy equipment? Operate specific machinery? Or even just be comfortable being on their feet all day? Be sure to include any particular certifications or qualifications required for the service tech position.
It can be helpful to mention projects your company has worked on in the past to create standard expectations. You can even talk about what the training program would look like to make sure they feel supported.
Mention what a day in life could look like for your future employee
A great way to gain more applications is to provide an example of a typical day for a service tech at your business. Showcasing this information helps your applicants invest in the position before they apply.
Advertise Your Job Posting to Multiple Platforms
Once you have created a compelling and accurate job posting for your service tech position, you need to get it in front of the right audience! One of the main issues that come into play when posting jobs online is that your reach is not broad enough. Here are some tips to not only help you reach more people but also the right people when posting your jobs online:
Posting your job on industry-specific sites will increase your chances of reaching the right people. Consider proving your job posting to recruiting companies such as Direct Recruiters Inc. or HAYS recruiting to find high-quality, relevant applicants.
Advertise your job postings to gain more visibility
While posting your job on high-traffic sites such as Indeed or Monster is a great idea, it is easy for your posting to become lost due to the large size and the fact that they are not industry-specific. To combat this issue, consider allocating a specific budget towards the posting to gain more visibility.
Use Job Fairs
Consider attending job fairs in your area to meet potential applicants in person and sell them on the open service tech position.
Visit local trade colleges
One of the best ways to ensure you always have service techs is to grow and develop them yourself! Check out local trade colleges in your area and meet graduating service techs. Better yet, create an apprentice program.
Ask for referrals
If you already have great staff, there is a high chance they may have friends or family in the same profession. Ask your team for referrals. This may end up saving you time and money on a job posting and ad.
Post your jobs to social media
Social media networks are continuing to grow, and platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have advanced targeting features to help you reach the right people. Consider creating a few social media posts and boosting these posts to service techs. You can even create a dedicated LinkedIn ad and target service technicians who are looking for work.
Screen Your Applicants
So at this point, you have created a job posting and have started to see some applications come in, which is excellent - You’re getting closer to hiring a new service tech!
Once you begin to receive resumes and cover letters, an important first step is to screen your applicants before you interview them. This will help you eliminate unqualified candidates.
Create a checklist with the criteria you are looking for in a potential hire.
If you have a checklist detailing what you are looking for in your new hire, it will be straightforward to wean out those who don’t meet the requirements.
It is also a great idea to send your applicants some questions via email or give them a call. Here are some initial questions you may want to ask before you proceed with an interview.
- What is your work experience, and/or do you have experience with similar roles?
- What is your wage expectation?
- What is your availability? (is the candidate available on weekends?)
- Are you physically able to perform the duties listed in the job description?
The Interview
Once you have assessed your candidates against your checklist and conducted an initial screening, you can move onto the official, in-person (or virtual) interview. Be sure to create a consistent list of interview questions that you ask each candidate, and keep in mind any deal-breaker answers that would disqualify the candidate. Here are a few questions you may want to ask your service tech in the interview.
- What equipment have you worked with in the past?
- Are you able to lift [x] amount of pounds that will be required with this position?
- Are you comfortable working alone?
- Are you able to stay on your feet for long periods?
Hiring
When it comes to hiring the right home services techs… take your time! One of the main pieces of advice we can give you when it comes to hiring the right people is not to hire in the heat of the moment. If you do this, chances are you’re going to end up hiring someone who isn’t qualified or who’s not going to stick around for long. So how can you avoid this? Always be on the lookout for good employees! Whether you are currently looking to fill a service tech position or not, it’s a great idea to have relationships with service techs and not close any doors… you never know when you may need someone.
Ask for references
Do not discount the importance of checking references! Checking references allows you to learn more about how your future hire performs on the job, how they will interact with your clients and staff, and the quality of their work.
Test Run
It is not uncommon for businesses to offer test runs to make sure the new candidate will fit in with the rest of your team. If you are still unsure or feel the need to confirm your decision to hire this candidate, have them come in and help with some office work for a couple of hours. You can even send them on a job with one of your other more experienced or senior service techs to see how they fit in and receive a second opinion.
Make an Offer
At this point, you have decided on a candidate - congratulations! When the time comes to make an offer, ensure you prepare the correct documents whether you are hiring an employee or contractor. Create a clear job description and have the candidate sign off on all required responsibilities. If you are hiring an employee, ensure you go over the expectations regarding insurance and health benefits.
Once your candidate accepts the offer, the fun begins! If training is required, create a clear training plan and transition to regular work once complete.
Last Thoughts
While a labour shortage is still prevalent in the home service industry, there are still many ways for you to hire great service techs. Following the steps outlined in this blog will provide you with a framework to use and follow throughout your search and hiring process.
We wish you the best of luck with finding the perfect service tech, and if you have any questions, reach out to us! We’re happy to help.
