There is no denying that the labor market is tight right now. That is especially true when it comes to skill-specific positions like those in a shipyard. So how can you find good qualified candidates for your open position? And once you find them, how can you be sure they want to work with your marine industry company and will stay with you for the long haul? Here are some tips for finding, and keeping talent in a tight labor market.
Hire for potential.
Sure, there are a lot of technical skills that you will need to work in your shipyard, but there are also a number of entry-level positions. Often, it makes more strategic sense to promote from within and focus on hiring for potential. When you hire people who can learn the industry from the ground up they will not only become loyal and eager employees, they also won’t have learned any bad habits from other companies that simply won’t’ work in your environment.
Focus on retention.
Attracting top talent sometimes isn’t about the new talent at all. You want to show new fabrication professionals why they want to work with you rather than with your competition. To do this, focus on retention. What makes people want to stay with you? Do you have a path for promotions? Do you have good benefits and perks to offer your team? Are you sensitive to their work/life balance?
Work with an agency.
Of course, finding top talent could be as easy as partnering with a staffing service that specializes in shipyard placements. Hiring is time-consuming and can be expensive. You have a business to run that requires your full attention. When the labor market is tight, you may spend hours just sourcing a few candidates for a position that requires specific skills. A staffing partner can help you with all of this and more. There are a variety of options that can fit into any hiring budget.
Work with a leader in shipyard staffing.
Are you looking for qualified marine industry employees for your shipyard? Contact the expert team at Hutco to see how we can help today.
