Winning the War for Skilled Trades Talent with Strategic Recruiting and Candidate Marketing

Julie Anderson, Vice President, Talent Acquisition and Development, Wrench Group

Julie Anderson is Vice President, Talent Acquisition and Development for Wrench Group, which operates home services brands in 26 markets and 14 states from coast to coast.

We’ve been hearing about The Great Resignation and “Quiet Quitting” for two years now, and for good reason. Studies show that 50.5 million people quit their jobs in 2022 and “quiet quitters” may make up as much as 50 percent of the U.S. workforce. But when you work in an industry of essential workers like the skilled trades, these terms are not as applicable.

Instead, what we’ve been battling are chronic, long-standing recruiting and retention challenges, too frequently dismissed as “just the nature of the business.” At Wrench Group, we’ve put a lot of thought into how we change this mindset. We believe it starts with a consumer-style marketing plan for your candidate population and providing candidates with an outstanding recruiting experience.

Let’s begin with how we brand ourselves to the candidate market. First, you must invest in recruitment marketing just like you would with a consumer. Consider establishing or hiring a recruitment marketing team to strategize on how best to advertise your company culture. A potential candidate must be able to see what it is like to work at your company through current employee images and testimonials. The most successful hiring campaigns now are a balance of digital and direct marketing, grassroots outreach, and in-house recruiting.

HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors have traditionally hired through word of mouth, referrals and the “following in generational footsteps” tendency of the skilled trades. But times have changed, and the industry must start reaching new audiences. The skilled trades industry has also shied away from hiring full-time recruiters, opting to put managers in charge of hiring. Despite my recruiting background, I get it: change is difficult. But doing business the way it’s always been done can be even more detrimental. Think of it this way: hiring is offering a job for a wage but recruiting strategically plans for hiring today, tomorrow, and in the future.

There are eight key ways a recruiter can strategically support your skilled trades business:

1. The First Impression– A recruiter is your first representative of your brand to a candidate. They can also spot culture fit in others quickly.

2. Time – Recruiters use their knowledge to find qualified talent that sticks, freeing up time from other managers so they can focus on retaining good employees and running the business.

3. Sense of Urgency – Recruiters are goal-driven and competitive by nature; they understand good candidates usually have multiple offers and act fast.

4. The Resume – Hiring managers often look at a resume and first look to rule a candidate out; but recruiters look at a resume and explore the potential.

5. Network of Passive Talent – Good recruiters are relationship driven and have a strong pipeline of talent to call upon when new openings arise.

6. Anticipation – Good recruiters have a strong relationship with hiring managers and know how to provide candidates who fit their vision. This allows for less wasted time and better outcomes.

7. Seeks Opportunity for Outreach - A recruiter networks with the community and seeks partnerships with trade schools, supply houses, veterans’ groups, local job fairs, and community events.

8. Future talent – A recruiter builds bonds by providing an outstanding candidate experience, which encourages employee referrals.

By thinking like a marketer and empowering recruiters to bring their skills and creativity, companies in the skilled trades can help conquer some of the talent shortages that have plagued the industry for far too long.

Marketing