Why Top Construction Talent Says “No” (And How to Change Their Mind)

Story by Gemma Beasley / May 21, 2024

Even for high-profile, big-budget construction projects, recruiting qualified labor has become an immense challenge. Time and again, firms are met with rejection from experienced professionals turning down seemingly lucrative roles. This harsh reality exemplifies the obstacles hiring managers and recruiters face today when pursuing top construction talent.

The skilled labor shortage is severe, yet seasoned construction management talent can be extremely selective when fielding offers. When ideal candidates bluntly decline, it signals the need to reevaluate your recruiting strategy and value proposition.

The Skilled Labor Drought

As a hiring manager in the construction industry, it’s frustrating when qualified candidates decline your openings with a blunt “no.” But before getting defensive, you can view these objections as opportunities to improve your recruiting strategies. Top construction professionals have choices, so you need to understand what they truly value.

The construction labor shortage has been raging for years, leaving an incredible dearth of experienced supervisors, project managers, equipment operators, and skilled tradespeople which is likely to get worse over time. These professionals can be extremely selective when entertaining offers.

Common Reasons They Say “No”

• Compensation Gaps: Pay rates have soared as companies bid for limited talent pools. If your base salaries, benefits, and bonuses don’t meet or exceed market standards, candidates won’t budge.
• Work-Life Balance Concerns: Candidates often anticipate unpredictable schedules away from families. Roles needing excessive travel or overtime are non-starters for some – even if they were willing to do this at a different time in their lives.
• Safety Concerns: Workers prioritize companies fanatically committed to safety training, policies, and cultural buy-in after decades of preventable incidents.
• Bad Company Reputations: Online reviews and word-of-mouth about late payments, hostile work environments, or mismanagement can kill candidates’ interest instantly.
• Limited Career Growth: Professionals want upward paths at the companies they join, not dead-end jobs. Stalled career trajectory is often a dealbreaker.

Things To Consider If You’re Hearing “No” A Lot

When an ideal candidate rejects your opportunity, it signals a need to re-evaluate your recruiting approach and value proposition.

• Pay Competitively: If you’re below market rates, be willing to increase compensation or switch your target profile. Top talent knows their worth.
• Sell Schedule Flexibility: Highlight PTO, remote work potential, defined shift schedules – anything showing work-life balance.
• Demonstrate Safety Buy-In: Share specifics on training programs, equipment investments, supervisor accountability, and your stellar safety record.
• Repair Your Reputation: If your company has a poor reputation, work on changing the narrative through marketing, testimonials, and operational improvements.
• Map Career Paths: Spell out pathways for career advancement, training opportunities, mentor programs, and increased responsibilities.

Need Help Turning The Tide?

The construction labor pool is too shallow to alienate qualified candidates. If you’re hearing “no” again and again, this should prompt some self-assessment.

• Are you offering a competitive package that accounts for their priorities?
• Are you effectively getting across what’s great about the role?
• Are you hearing your candidates’ common concerns and making changes where possible?

As a partner to hundreds of skilled construction professionals – we know what really matters to top talent during a job search. We can advise you on how your offerings compare to the wider market and work with you to make improvements based on accurate market data – get in touch with me today to learn more.

Categories: Hiring Insights

Tags: Candidate attraction, construction, construction workforce, Leadership, succession planning