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How to Hire Millennials in Concrete Forming Construction

AFTEC - How to hire millenials in concrete forming construction

The world is quickly changing all around us. Even in the concrete forming and construction industry, changes are being made. While the material being used hasn’t changed for decades (relatively), the technology is evolving. What’s more, the next generation of business owners and employees are entering the market. Millennials are slowly becoming a majority of the workforce globally, and it’s important to understand their motives for workings so that you can better attract great talent your company.

In this article, AFTEC is going to share seven tips on how to hire millennials into the construction and concrete forming industry. We’ve done our best to put together these tips to help you understand the aspirations and motivations of millennials.

7 Tips for Hiring Millennials

As the next generation enters the market, it’s important to shift your approach on how you hire them. An entire generation of people are looking for reason, purpose, and cause in the work that they do.

#1. Show how your company is making a positive impact in the world

Bentley University’s Center for Women and Business show that 84 percent of millennials want to help make a difference in the world. An important factor for millennials when looking for a career is that the company they choose to work for is making an actual positive impact in the world. It’s not enough to just say you are. You have to be able to show what you’re doing, and how it’s positively making a difference.

#2. Show how you’re innovating your industry

It’s not enough to be a steady Eddy in your industry. Upwards of 32 percent of the top talent coming from the Millennial generation believe creativity and innovation are essential skills to hold in the marketplace. Showing that you’re innovating in your industry validates their belief and gives them an opportunity to use their skills.

#3. Show how fun and social your company can be

If you haven’t heard the phrase “work-life balance” yet, you’re behind the eight ball. 52 percent of millennials are looking for a fun, social environment that gives them the ability to be autonomous and create their own work-life balance. While most people spend more time at work then they do at home, a fun, social culture can be a huge draw for talented millennials.

#4. Recruit where millennials spend their time

It can be easy to simply put out a job opening to your network, but who are you missing out on by not using other digital resources like social media or job boards? Ask yourself: where do millennials spend most of their time? For most, job boards is the quick and easy answer. However, millennials use the internet to search for creative, innovative companies. Having an online presence is vital to hiring the top talent from the incoming generation.

#5. Create a flexible work environment

As mentioned above, work-life balance is pretty important to millenials. However, flexibility is the main factor to this balance. 75 percent of millennials say that companies should be flexible with their work hours as long as the work gets done. A rigid structure can deter top talent from joining your company.

#6. Filter out “slackers” with your interview process

You may have heard or believe that millennials are “slackers” when it comes to their jobs. In fact, millennials are hard working and motivated to do more with their time than most others. The caveat, however, is that they need to feel connected to their work. If they aren’t able to plug in their purpose, they will quickly disengage and move on with their lives. Here are some tips from Lucas Group on how to filter out the “slackers” you know exist out there with millenials:

  • Were you employed during high school and/or college?
  • Which accomplishment are you most proud of?
  • What’s the story leading up to your most memorable mistake?
  • What do you attribute your success to up to this point in time?
  • Who have you learned from the most in your professional career thus far?

Want to know some warning signs? Egocentric answers. The answers that focus on the candidates natural talent is a red flag that they may be a bad hire. You want to find those who have real world examples alongside real world results. The types of people who can show you the people, places, and things they’ve worked with, impacted, and utilized to meet their goals.

#7. Build self-paced learning opportunities into the job description and responsibilities

Continuous professional development is a priority to the millennial workforce. If they don’t see some path to get better while they work for you, they will find other opportunities. 81 percent of millennials say that they want self-directed, self-paced learning opportunities to advance their own careers. Make it clear what each role the candidate may be applying for will have opportunities for individual and team learning and working opportunities.

AFTEC: Your Worldwide Leader in Precast Concrete Wall Systems

As a manufacturer, you have many duties to fulfill. One of them is hiring new talent into the company to grow it. One way you can offer new jobs to new candidates is to become an AFTEC precast concrete wall system manufacturer. If you’re interested in selling a new product, hiring new talent, and impacting your customers in a positive way, contact AFTEC today to start the conversation.

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