Recruiting quality tradespeople and labourers to join your team can seem like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. And with the current shortage of skilled trade workers in the UK, particularly in the construction industry, employers are having to work even harder. So, how do you go about finding the right people with the right skills at the right price and attract them to your business?

Where to look for new hires?

Let’s start with where you should be looking. Chances are that the best skilled tradesmen are already working, and possibly for your competitors. So, how can you get them to work for you? Your recruitment drive should be targeted at those who are actively looking for jobs as well as those who aren’t but who might be tempted if an attractive job offer comes their way. While everyone may have a different hiring process, the best results are usually achieved by incorporating both breadth and depth in the search.

• Attracting top talent: Word-of-mouth recommendations

Even with the most streamlined recruitment strategy in place, it is often possible to short circuit your search by simply asking around for recommendations from trusted sources. Don’t underestimate the very real possibility of obtaining valuable leads for shortlisting from someone in your in-house team, your industry contacts, suppliers and even friends and family. Did you know that 45% of job seekers hear about a vacancy from a friend?

• Apprenticeships

If you are looking for a longer-term solution to provide skilled tradespeople for the future, think about apprenticeships. Find a youngster who is keen to impress and learn the trade and enrol them on one of the many flexible apprenticeship schemes available, such as this one. The minimum wage starts at £3.50 per hour and there’s lots of government funding available to support businesses.

• Online job postings

Nearly two-thirds of job seekers find their next job online. What’s more, most of this traffic comes via mobile devices – a staggering 75% in the case of job search site Indeed. Once you’ve created a job advert for the trades job you wish to fill, advertise it on your own Careers Page and further afield. Indeed, Monster and Total Jobs are some of the best known online job platforms but there are many others.

• Social media

Don’t underestimate the power of social media when it comes to recruiting for a tradesperson for your team. Use your business socials including LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to spread the message far and wide, encouraging your followers to share your post. An impressive 79% of job seekers use social media in their search, so this is a valuable channel that you cannot afford to miss out on.

• Search engines

Google constantly amazes with the accuracy of the search results it can return. Whether you are looking for plumbers or electricians, roofers or plasterers, typing in a simple search term such as ‘find electricians online’, ‘recruit tradespeople’ or ‘hire builder near me’ may be all that’s needed to produce valuable leads for local talent that you want to investigate further and shortlist for interview.

• Recruitment tools and agents

One of the most convenient ways to hire local tradespeople is to tap into the resources of a specialist recruitment agency, be it for short-term or long-term requirements. They can save you valuable time by screening applications and communicating with candidates, but often for a hefty fee. Recruitment software can help to cut costs while streamlining your search further, particularly if you refine the process by adding semantic search options.

What are job seekers looking for?

In any recruitment strategy, finding potential hires is one side of the conundrum. In a world where demand is greater than supply, the other side is to have an attractive package on offer to tempt the top talent to work for you. Did you know that the top reasons for completing a job application are an easy commute (48%), attractive benefits (48%), a good work-life balance (47%) and only then a competitive salary (46%)? Here are the main things your vacancy for a tradesperson should seek to address:

• Good salary

While money isn’t everything (see above), a good salary is definitely essential in order to attract the best people. You could also consider a basic salary plus bonus scheme as a way to incentivise staff performance.

• Attractive benefits

From generous sick pay and annual leave allowances to a company van or gym membership, there are many additional ways to reward your employees for their efforts. Employers who recognise the importance of a good benefits package will have the pick of the best talent.

• Positive work culture

Present your business as a fun but hard-working environment with a good team culture. From regular team lunches or Friday beers to employee of the month celebrations, sustainable practices and charity initiatives, candidates will be tempted to join the team.

• Career progression

Did you know that 68% of workers changed jobs because of a lack of learning and development opportunities according to a recent survey? A commitment to training and career development will attract ambitious individuals to your business and help you to retain staff.