Rental Careers
October 2006
Where to find qualified employees
You have job openings and are in search of qualified employees. The proverbial question is: "How do you find the right candidates?" For years, employers relied on the old standby of putting an ad in the paper. While this is still a good option, many rental companies are supplementing this tactic with others that offer an even more expansive outreach to a potentially larger candidate pool.
"Recruiting is like uncovering rocks," says Kenny May, director of recruitment and retention at Sunbelt Rentals in Charlotte, N.C. "We may try 10 different sources to fill one position. It’s the nature of the beast."
Below are just a few of the diverse ways rental companies are trying to recruit candidates:
Employee-referral programs — "Our No. 1 goal is to promote from within," says Craig Pintoff, vice president of human resources at United Rentals in Greenwich, Conn. "If we can’t match an internal candidate with a job, we look outside."
Many rental companies have implemented employee-referral programs. United Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals, the Modern Group and Rebel Rents have such programs in place, offering incentives for employees who refer good candidates to work for their respective companies.
An employee-referral program is a natural recruiting tool, notes Bruce Lafky, United Rentals’ director of service and maintenance operations. "Some of our most successful recruiting comes from referral."
Job boards — Job boards are growing as more and more people are becoming Internet-savvy. Not only are they time-saving, but they also offer an economical way for employers and job seekers to connect. ARA is launching its own job board this month that will help rental companies expand their reach for finding good candidates. It also will allow job applicants to see specific jobs that are available in the rental industry (see stories on pages RC10 and RC12).
Job fairs — Job fairs are another way to let prospective candidates know about your company and the positions you have available. There are many job fairs available that target a wide range of prospective candidates, from those transitioning out of the military or graduating from college, vocational or technical schools to those who have been outplaced because of company downsizing or for other reasons.
To find job fairs in your area, contact your local Chamber of Commerce, community groups, area high schools, colleges and/or vocational or technical schools. You also can do a Google search online by typing in "Job Fairs." You’ll find numerous listings that can point you in the right direction.
For more information on job fairs that target those who are transitioning out of the military, see the story on page RC16.
Military — Recruiting directly from those who are leaving the military is something that more and more rental companies are directing significant time, effort and resources into doing. "We found that the leadership skills offered by those who have been in the military are a great match for our company," Pintoff says.
For Cindy Hovis, recruitment project manager with Sunbelt Rentals, military recruiting is her main focus because those transitioning out of the military come out with a "great work ethic, discipline and training," she says. "Plus, turnover is lower."
Pintoff and Hovis feel this is an area that hasn’t been fully tapped by the rental industry. "It’s a huge pool of qualified candidates," Hovis says. "They are out there. They are trained and looking for jobs."
For more information about recruiting new employees from the military, see the story on page RC16.
Vocational and/or technical schools — Many rental companies have found that by building relationships with vocational and technical schools, they can reach many students who are being trained in the exact jobs that are so needed in the rental industry.
Michael Reil, recruiter and HR trainer with Modern Group in Bristol, Pa., has strong working relationships with technical schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
United Rentals also has developed such relationships with schools on the national, regional and state levels, Lafky says. "You have to go where they are. It’s where you really get people excited about the industry and show students the value we bring to the table. Education and training: It’s what gets them [students] excited. They want to work for a company that will invest in their success."
Lafky is a strong proponent of going into the high schools to let students know early on about the career potential that rental offers, especially as a way to tell students about the job opportunities for technicians. "It will require us to promote this technical trade as a discipline and vocation in the high school years," he says.
Multipronged approach might be needed — All those interviewed for this story use a variety of methods to help them recruit qualified candidates. "I’m trying to find the right people in the right place at the right time," May says. "We don’t want to not uncover a rock" to find talented people.
