Trucking has an employment problem, which means we are short of both drivers and technicians. In order to attract people to our industry, we are going to have to up our hiring game.
The job description is the starting point for finding the best candidates. It is important to make sure that job descriptions match the job the candidate will be performing. One of the top reasons people leave a job is because the work they end up doing does not align with the job description they saw in the job posting.
In addition to accurately describing the job, a good job description should include the following:
- Major areas of responsibility
- Primary objectives
- Specific responsibilities
- Required knowledge, skills, and abilities
- Required education and experience
- Physical demands of the job; make sure you are EEOC compliant
- Work environment description
Once you’re satisfied with your job description, post it. But simply posting the job description is not enough. Develop a job posting that tells your company’s story in a way that will attract people who align with your culture.
A recent LinkedIn study found that job candidates spend a mere 14 seconds deciding whether or not to apply to a job posting. You better make sure you grab their attention quickly with the headline or first sentence of the posting.
See also: WrenchWay webinar reflects on tech shortage challenges
Once applications and/or resumes begin flowing in, compare them to the criteria you’ve outlined in the job description to see how well they match up. It is unlikely that you will find a candidate that matches 100% with what you want, but look for those that are mostly closed aligned.
Once you’ve narrowed down the candidate pool, I suggest you do a quick telephone screening during which you ask a few basic questions. Here are a couple of suggestions.
- What interested you about this position?
- Tell me about any experience you have doing this type of job.
If the position requires verbal communication, the phone screening can be a good way to determine if the person can communicate clearly and concisely. If it is a sales position, you can get a glimpse of the person’s skills based on how well they “sell” you on considering them for the job.
If you don't encounter any red flags during the phone screening, set up an interview with the candidate. It is my experience that only about 10% of the resumes/applications received for a position match the job description, and only about 50% of those screened in the phone call move on to the interview phase.
Follow a well-developed interview process with each candidate you interview.
When you find the ideal candidate, don’t waste time. Offer them the job. However, keep interviewing in case your first choice turns down the offer.
Here’s an important point to remember: Hiring is just the beginning of the process. You want to make sure you retain anyone you do hire. I’ll talk about the retention process in my next blog.
Jane Clark is vice president of member services for NationaLease. In this position, she is focused on managing the member services operation as well as working to strengthen member relationships, reduce member costs, and improve collaboration within the NationaLease supporting groups. Prior to joining NationaLease, Clark served as area vice president for Randstad, one of the nation's largest recruitment agencies, and before that, she served in management posts with QPS Cos., Pro Staff, and Manpower Inc.
