Recruiting new engineers is no easy feat. As the need for more qualified engineers grows and supply shrinks, more engineering firms are going to have a difficult time finding the engineers that they need. At Austin Nichols Technical Search, we know how critical it can be to get new engineering talent on your team. Here are some of our pointers to get past the engineering staffing struggles.
Appeal to Young Engineers
While many engineering firms will place a lot of emphasis on hiring engineers with a lot of experience, young engineers can be an asset. A huge problem for many companies is attracting young engineers. Young people entering the workforce have different needs than those who entered the workforce 20 years ago. Millennials tend to place more value on things like flexibility and perks. The little things that employers can provide mean a lot more to younger candidates.
If you can’t afford a higher salary than your competition, then you might want to consider what perks you can offer without breaking the bank. Maybe you can offer a flexible work schedule, occasional work-from-home days, Friday early release days, or catered lunch once a month. If you can figure out small ways to show your engineers that they are appreciated, you are more likely to get young people interested in and excited about your company.
Land Skilled Engineers
It can be very difficult to find people who have all of the skills that you are looking for at your company—especially if you are hiring a senior-level engineer. Since qualified engineers are hard to come by, you can be sure that you aren’t the only company that is trying to snag that unicorn engineer that you found.
Due to this competition, you will need to figure out a way to land these engineers. As you are talking to potential employees, you might be able to gauge the types of things that are important to them. Like we mentioned before, things like salary, benefits packages, and flexible hours may help you land the talent you want over your competition.
Connecting with Engineer Candidates
When you are interviewing candidates, it is important to establish a connection with the potential hires. A lot of engineers don’t feel a connection with those conducting interviews, which keeps them from accepting job opportunities.
When you can establish a connection with a candidate, they are more likely to remember you and your company, and they might even choose your company over any others from which they receive offers.
It is also a good idea to start watching your social channels. Take a little extra time to respond to messages and comments on your social media posts, especially LinkedIn. While it isn’t always easy to leverage social media during the hiring process, you can start sharing images from your company’s office. Be sure to include photos from any company activities such as holiday parties or social outings. Using social media within the company can also be an attractive trait to the young candidates you pursue.
Know When to Get Help
In this fast-paced hiring environment, it can be a real struggle for some companies to find the employees that they need. Often, companies turn to websites like Indeed and LinkedIn for a little extra help. However, when you really need to get a qualified engineer on-boarded ASAP, it might be time to step things up a notch.
A technical recruiting service is often the best route for companies looking for engineering talent. Recruiters have a wide pool of talent that they can contact when a job becomes available. This type of service helps both the employer and the candidates because the recruiting service can do some preliminary work to determine whether an engineer and a company will be a good fit or not.
Additionally, a technical recruiting service like Austin Nichols has the ability to reach a lot of people who may otherwise not apply for your job. Plus, using a recruiting service can save your company both time and money during the hiring process.
Austin Nichols is a technical recruiting firm located in Kansas City. Our recruiters specialize in placing engineering, manufacturing, and construction professionals in jobs throughout the Greater Kansas City Area. To learn more, call us today at 816-471-5575.
