Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent at Every Level

Why we should have seen this coming and how to prepare today

Jeani Ringkob, Chief Strategist, Owner at StoryBuilt Growth Strategy and Marketing, shared her top ways to navigate the challenging task of recruiting and retaining talent at every level for any company. As a third-generation contractor, Ringkob has spent her life in the construction industry. She led a session at CONEXPO 2023 where she said, “We should have seen this coming.”

Here are her top takeaways for companies to use today.

JOB CRISIS MASKED BY THE GREAT RECESSION

The job crisis is real and Ringkob said that companies can complain, or they can look for solutions. The job crisis was masked by the Great Recession, with Baby Boomers that didn’t retire, Generation X that the industry didn’t hire enough of, and Millennials that are not aware of how great this industry is. Companies need to do more than hire “warm bodies” and instead do all they can to find their next leaders now.

HR SHOULD NOT WRITE JOB DESCRIPTIONS

In this new age of social media and job seekers with more options than ever, a company’s job description must stand out in a sea of other postings. What worked in the past will not work today. Ringkob encouraged companies to stop talking about themselves in job postings and instead make the potential applicant “the hero” by talking about what they care about. Small changes in your posting can make a huge difference. Ringkob said all companies should be using video in their job postings and utilize social media to create a campaign where every image and word is intentional and designed with the purpose of attracting candidates in the first line of the job posting.

IDENTIFY THE RIGHT PROBLEM

Ringkob shared several case studies, all of which had to first identify what their hiring problem was – through research and interviewing current employees, some found that they didn’t have a hiring problem at all, they had a retention problem. Ringkob said all companies should survey their current employees. “They will give you the actual words you need, where to place, what to say.” Those companies that don’t figure out how to reach the next generation of leaders will not succeed.

DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND UNEXPECTED

The next time a company is hiring, try attending a hunting or fishing event instead of a job fair. Send representatives to “Touch a Truck” to reach kids. By showing up at these events and talking about your company, you will reach the people who are most likely to succeed in the industry and create a pipeline to your company. “Don’t be sitting in a sea of other people at the same events you always go to,” Ringkob said.

SHOW PEOPLE WHERE THEY CAN GO IN ASPHALT

CONEXPO had a record number of attendees with workers who love the industry, Ringkob said, but companies will need to find new ways to find and attract employees. Companies need to attract women by showing them the opportunities in this industry, many of which require no college degree. Companies need to brag about using sustainable solutions, an important point for the new generation. The goal is to align your brand with the values of job seekers. “This is a marathon, not a sprint,” Ringkob said, “But you have to get started.”