If you watch college basketball, you know that the key to success is recruiting. Last year, Kentucky went undefeated until a Final Four loss to Wisconsin primarily because they had the one of the best recruiting classes in the country with freshmen Devin Booker, Karl Anthony-Towns and Trey Lyles. Duke won the national championship on the shoulders of their freshmen, Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen and Justise Winslow. Even the greatest coaches in the world find it hard to win with subpar talent.
Your green industry business is the same. You can’t win with mediocre talent. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins says that great CEOs spend half their time looking to develop their team. And for good reason - it’s hard to be successful if you don’t have the right team.
Recruiting is the key to finding a great team. Here are 10 recruiting sources for your green industry business to help you find your next superstar employee:
ZipRecruiter
One of the better values when hiring, ZipRecruiter enables you post one job to multiple sites like LinkedIn, Monster and nearly 100 more sites. They also have a free trial, so it’s worth signing up, trying it, and seeing your results. ZipRecruiter not only posts your job, but it can also help you pre-screen employees. If you require a certain level of experience or certain certifications, ZipRecruiter enables you to create short quizzes that eliminate unqualified candidates.
Classified ads in industry trade publications
If there’s a regional trade publication in your area, consider creating a classified ad about your job. National publications are also an option, but you’re likely to find better candidates in regional publications.
Industry trade associations
Typically, trade associations themselves don't have a lot of resources to help you find candidates. But belonging to trade associations will let you network with other industry veterans and pick their brains on how they hire and where they go to find great employees. It may also connect you to some of the best employees and their networks.
Suppliers and vendors
Building a good relationship with suppliers and vendors not only helps you get better deals on products and learn about new products, but it can also help you find new employees. Most green industry distributors are very well connected in the industry and may know potential job candidates. Placing a quick call to your distributor could connect you to a great candidate.
Trade schools and high schools
If you have a local trade school, cultivate a relationship with them. We’ve had great success hiring from local technology trade schools. Every winter we ask to speak to their best students. Do the same with your local trade school. If you’re hiring a general laborer, connect with local high schools. If you graduated from a local school, keep in touch with your teachers. Ask them for student recommendations.
College internship programs
Create an internship program with a local school or university. We’ve also had great success hiring summer interns who turn into full-time employees. So create a paid internship and try to attract local college students looking for experience.
College scholarships
Want to get great publicity at a local college? Start funding a scholarship in the discipline that’s likely to get you great employees. It may cost you a couple thousand dollars annually, but can generate a lot of publicity and every student that applies can go into your recruiting pipeline.
Industry headhunters
If you’re really having a hard time finding employees, try contacting an industry headhunter. Though I’ve heard mixed reviews on headhunters due to the cost and quality of their employees, if you’re really not having any luck hiring, it’s worth reaching out to someone who may know a lot of candidates.
Craigslist
According to our 2016 Green Industry Benchmark Report, Craigslist was a great source for employees. The best thing? It’s inexpensive and is used by a lot of people, especially younger candidates. If you’re looking to fill an entry-level or office management position, Craigslist could be a great option.
Your website
Finally, don’t forget to post the job to your website. Setup a “Careers” section of your site, and have a number of job descriptions there - even if you aren’t hiring. You’ll get more candidates that way and can potentially fill positions faster if you have a pool of hireable candidates.
Want more tips on how to hire great people for your green industry business? Check out our free eBook, How to Hire the Best Employees for Your Green Industry Business.
