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If you are an employer in the industrial and manufacturing sector, you certainly understand the challenges of filling vacant positions. This sector has a surprisingly negative perception of jobs, especially among young people. The need for skilled personnel additionally makes it harder to find top talents. However, this shouldn’t force you into hiring the first candidates. You should consider several factors when looking for employees for vacant positions in the industrial space. The following tips can help you find the best fit.

1.  Use Multiple Recruitment Channels

Despite the negative perception, industrial recruitment is still competitive. The success of finding the best candidate heavily relies on how you advertise the vacant positions in your firm. Relying on one recruitment channel limits exposure to potential candidates. You won’t have access to a wide pool of industrial workers.c You should use multiple recruitment channels to increase your chances of finding skilled and motivated workers. Consider the following recruitment channels:

• Recruitment agencies: You can collaborate with recruitment agencies specializing in recruiting candidates for industrial roles. Energy Resourcing is a reliable oil and gas recruiters. They can help you find top talents.
  
  

• Social media platforms: You should also advertise your vacant positions on social media. Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to share job openings and connect with potential candidates.
  
  

• Online job boards: Glassdoor and other online job boards are excellent places to find top talents. You can reach millions of job seekers on these platforms.
  
  

• Industry-specific websites: Posting your vacant positions on industrial-specific platforms can also land you the right candidates.
  
  

• Employee referrals: Your current employees can refer their friends and former colleagues.

Diversifying your recruitment efforts gives you access to a wide pool of job seekers. However, remember different channels have unique audiences. Tailor your approach to fit the expectations of each platform.

2.  Craft Clear Job Descriptions

Job descriptions are the foundation of hiring the right industrial workers. A perfectly-crafted job description should outline the responsibilities of the successful candidate and the necessary skills and qualifications. Your job description should highlight the following:

• Job title and overview: A brief overview of the vacant position should follow a clear and concise job title.
  
  

• Key responsibilities: List the duties and responsibilities of this role. Use bullets for this section to make it scannable.
  
  

• Qualifications: Include the skills, qualifications, and requirements that applicants should have. Separate must-have and nice-to-have qualifications.
  
  

•  Company culture and values: It is important for potential candidates to know your company's culture and values before submitting their applications.
  
  

• Growth opportunities: Candidates prefer companies that offer growth opportunities. Including this in your job description can attract top talents.
  
  

•  Salary and additional benefits: Though optional, you can distinguish your companies from others by mentioning salaries and benefits successful candidates will be entitled to.

A clear job description attracts suitable candidates and helps companies communicate their expectations.

3.  Screen Resumes Carefully

Screening resumes is the next step in the hiring process. This is a crucial step in hiring industrial workers, as it helps narrow down the large pool of applicants. You should review resumes meticulously to identify candidates with skills and experiences that align closely with your expectations. While there’s no clear guideline for doing this, you should consider the following when screening applicant resumes:

• Identify screening criteria: Have basic guidelines for acceptable skills, qualifications, and experience for the vacant position. This guideline helps you separate eligible candidates from the rest.
  
  

• Keywords and phrases: Identify candidates who use keywords and phrases relevant to the vacant position.
  
  

• Prioritize experience: Focus on applicants who have experience in similar roles.
  
  

• Transferable skills: While education and training are important, identify candidates with transferable skills, even if they aren’t industry-specific.
  
  

•  Customized resumes: Prioritize applicants who have tailored their resumes to match your job description.

4.  Conduct Thorough Interviews

Interviews are crucial in the hiring process. They are an opportunity to dig deeper into the applicant’s qualifications, experience, and suitability for the role. You should use interviews to gather insights beyond what candidates list on paper. Through interviews, you can have a holistic assessment of the candidate and verify their skills and company fit.

You should prepare adequately for the interviews. Have well-structured questions and listen keenly to the candidate’s responses. You should combine various interview techniques to evaluate your candidate’s technical, problem-solving, decision-making, and soft skills. Key competencies to look for during the interview include:

• Technical proficiency: you should hire candidates with strong technical skills for your industrial role.
  
  

• Problem-solving skills: Industrial settings are full of complex challenges. You need employees who can analyze and solve problems quickly.
  
  

• Safety awareness: The best candidate should know the importance of safety in their workplace. They should demonstrate a thorough understanding of safety protocols.
  
  

• Time management: Employees should manage their time to meet production deadlines.

Endnote

Hiring candidates for industrial roles isn’t easy. It requires that you adopt a strategic and thoughtful approach. Apart from education and training, you should prioritize other competencies. Communication skills, safety awareness, and even physical stamina are important considerations.