A construction career provides variety that many people don’t see the full picture. 

The perception of being on site all day and getting dirty is a thing of the past. From our perspective, there are plenty of opportunities to build a successful career and to flourish.

It’s a role for us to play, as recruiters, when recognising that The Construction Skills Network forecasts that by 2025, the industry will need about 216,800 new people to keep the industry wheels rolling.

Let’s put our case forward for why a career in construction is rewarding.

VERSATILITY 

Russell Drinkwater, Director, says that construction is an agile industry. “It doesn’t have to be pigeonholed to a sector where work starts and ends as a carpenter or a bricklayer. There is so much progression.”

“We have seen people work their way to take roles such as construction directors. Versatility means there are so many disciplines such as design, quantity surveying, architecture, planning that makes the whole industry appealing.”

MAKING YOUR MARK

Jack Bond, Director, recognises that the possibility of making your own mark on a project is immense. “Here’s a thought. Imagine having a role to play in a £80m commercial project, in a city, that attracts 20 million of people per year and you can say you were responsible for making it happen!” 

“It feels good to say that you can make your mark on a town or city, even when you are long gone. To put your name to big schemes and projects that can be instrumental for a region is immensely rewarding. That, to me, justifies why a career in construction has meaning.

STABILITY

During times of economic uncertainty, there is the approach that governments look to build their way out of a recession. To Jason Drinkwater, Director, stability gives continuity when the world feels uneasy. “The construction industry isn’t going anywhere. Schools, hospitals and houses will always be built.” 

“If you are looking for a career path with potential, construction provides security for so many people. For instance, ex-military take that career change into site management, it’s a structured way of working. Construction and the jobs around it are here to stay.”

Let’s break this down to why a career in construction is rewarding:

• Variety and scope
• Specialised roles to focus on
• You can shape the future for people and places
• So many teams to grow with (from engineers to investors)
• It can define your career and your future
• You get to see the fruits of your labour!

There are so many paths to progress. If you are looking for a change of career or are already in construction, the good news is you are part of a broad industry.

When working in construction recruitment, what is a niche market, also means that the impression a candidate makes is magnified. 

Skills and the ability to do the job are always important, but how we are as people means a lot.

Let’s share with you the fact that employers want to work with people they feel comfortable with, beyond the job at hand.

Jack Bond, Managing Director, shares how the world works in construction, “The construction industry is a specific marketplace, there are only so many people that are within the ecosystem. That means, for instance, we have a defined number of regional managers, contract managers and site managers working with us. As a result, we know who is going to be of value to a company and huge benefit to a new employer.

“The only point that can let people down is how they handle certain aspects of the interview. For instance, we have all heard the stories of candidates asking about salary, how far they will travel and their holiday requests during the interview. You need to come across as genuine, interested and how you can support a business.”

It might not be what you wear, but that first impression counts, according to Jason Drinkwater, Director, “It could be attitude, it could be being engaged in the interview, it could just be coming across in an approachable, genuine and friendly manner. This is so important to present as we know the people who are right for a business. A recruiter will prep a candidate way before the interview so they feel ready, but if you are unsure about what to wear, make sure you ask about the dress code.”

Sometimes though, it might just come down to character traits that don’t match up. Russell Drinkwater, Director, explains, “We all want to get along, but sometimes it’s not about the skillsets people have, just the fact that personalities don’t match up. For instance, a fantastic manager might not be quite as enthused as an employer was expecting. Sometimes a person’s personality or values don’t sit side by side the way a company behaves.”

“During the early years of Bond Recruit, there were occasions where we would explain to an employer that the candidate deserves their chance, after an interview. A lot here was based on trust and once a candidate had completed their first week, they were settled. It’s important to remember that not everyone can deliver in front of others in what can be an unsettling situation.”

To progress, the relationships and rapport we all build are vital.

Here is what we know when it comes to making a good early impression:

• Positivity matters
• Put aside, for now, bonuses and progression
• Be ok with showing the real you in a believable and authentic way
• Do your research, it helps you feel more comfortable
• Courtesy and a ‘thank you’ go a long way

A successful company works with others working together where people get on and where there is trust and well-suited traits. The impressions we all make can have a lasting effect.

Being clear on why you want to leave your current job and what you want from your next role helps paint a clear picture of where your future lies.

It’s a starting point for many recruiters on learning the reason for leaving. It helps us get under the surface to find the true reason why. Being open from the very start helps everyone.

Russell Drinkwater, Director, shares that the early conversations become fact finding moments, “You have to be honest and know why you want to leave. If someone says they are feeling unhappy or unfulfilled in their current role, there has to be a clear reason why? For instance, is it money, is it progression, is it a change of structure within the current business? A recruiter has to know the exact reason. For instance, if a person is offered a new role, only to be given a pay rise at their current job and a decides to stay, then the overall driver was the salary.”

It’s the clarity that helps with peace of mind for candidates according to Jack Bond, Director, “It can be frustrating for any recruiter when not recognising the motivator for leaving. You can’t progress as a recruiter if you don’t know what a person is after. Whether location or wanting to be there for your family and around for bedtime for the kids, it doesn’t have to be career-driven responses, it has to be from the heart and a true depiction of what you want.”

Let’s share with you some of the main reasons that we are familiar with when it comes to the reasons for wanting to leave a current role.

Jason Drinkwater, Director, shares from a trades and labour marketplace, “A person’s motivation for a new role, isn’t around career progression, but favourable hours, a place to work at that is safe and a location that feels right for them. There are many occasions when a person wants to leave as the job they originally committed to was not clear from the outset, such a non-skilled labourer asked to do skilled work. It all comes down to clarity of the role a person is committed to.”

Jack states that location plays a significant role in a leaving decision, “People want to be near to home. When I was first in recruitment, it wasn’t so much a factor, but today, there is more value in where people work as opposed to how much they earn. The non-salary motivators are apparent. We know of managers who aren’t prepared to drive more than 30 minutes to work.”

According to Michael Page Talent Trend Series some of the most important non-salary benefits (5,000 people) includes the amount of annual leave, healthcare and parental leave.

When it comes to making those early steps to leaving your current job think about:

• What do you want to gain from your next job?
• What do you enjoy and dislike about what you currently do?
• Would an open conversation help with your current employer?
• How do you want to be managed, going forwards?
• What does ‘time for a change’ mean to you?

Everything starts with being clear on what you want and knowing that the next opportunity is going to be suited to you. 

Time to think and be honest with yourself is going to help with every following conversation.

There are subtle differences between recruitment companies. It depends on what you want to take from it. 

All firms have a culture embedded within them. Some may be centred on self-interest and materialism, some may have a highly competitive nature about them and some may have a partnership ethic at their roots.

For the most part, particularly with niche industries such as construction recruitment, there are similarities between consultancies, but that’s ok. Jason Drinkwater, Director, explains, “Many candidates are registered with the same agencies, so to some respects for an employer, they could say that everyone looks the same. They all fish from the same pond. However, it’s what fish you put on the plate that matters.”

“For instance, there are many housing developers in the UK, but all have a slight variation. Some may be known for the more cost-efficient end of the market, whilst others could specialise in luxury developments. It’s the differences that others notice, that is important. Yes, recruitment companies look the same from the outside, but it’s how people operate that varies. Everyone has a different ethic, ours is where the relationships matter.”

Building a good business that doesn’t look and feel like the choices available, comes down to shifting from your needs first, to putting others first. Russell Drinkwater, Director, explains, “People might think you can place a role such as an engineer, into every company, but people work with people and what might fit for one company may not work for another. Similar to many other recruiters, we work in the same space as them and many candidates may be resourced from multiple places. However, the difference is how you treat people. Some candidates only want to work with us, when there are others options available. This is why consultancies are not the same based on the strong bonds they have with those around them.”

“The time and effort you put in as a recruiter, matters. For example, a freelance candidate had been struggling with the balance between work and family life. Taking a few weeks away was the best step. We kept in contact and updated on how the marketplace was, for when they were ready. Knowing others and their circumstances is what becomes a differentiator for many recruiters.”

Jack Bond, Director, believes in integrity and the difference in attitude between a national brand and an independent recruitment consultancy, “When you work for a big brand, it’s the name that almost becomes the safety net, in terms of reputation and industry clout. When it comes to smaller firms, it is the alliances made and interactions that are key to everything. For instance, if we let someone down, it could affect the business. What makes consultancies different is the standard that each company sets.”

Whilst the construction recruitment industry could look the same to some in terms of the marketplace they operate within, the differences lie in:

• Relationships made
• Listening and knowing others around you
• The ability to empathise with clients and candidates
• A look to the long term, rather than the now
• The insights provided and the knowledge gained over the years

Just because a recruitment company is industry-specific, alongside other recruiters, it is safe to say that it’s the values of each business is what sets them apart. It depends on what matters to both employers and candidates.

Maybe it’s time for us to chat? Get in touch here.

Recent forecasts have pointed to a construction recession, but how does the industry look from a company that is involved day to day?

The deceleration in new project starts is apparent, but at the same time, the drive to recruit will continue for the rest of the year. A recent poll of 1,043 managers by the CMI (Chartered Management Institute) highlighted that nearly 90% of those surveyed were actively recruiting during July.

Let’s share how we see the current construction recruitment industry marketplace.

Jack Bond, Director, points to the cyclical behaviour of the recruitment industry. “Autumn and winter have always been less busy. By this I mean summer has been hectic and then a quietening down period. This always happens, but from our side, there are many permanent jobs, just not the volume of the past few months.”

“Sometimes we can be tough on ourselves with the continual drive as recruiters. It means a change of focus, in terms of what needs to be targeted and reacquainting the relationships we have with those around us (candidates and clients). On the industry side, there is opportunity. Within the Hampshire region, the market is not monopolised and we have seen smaller firms growing in reputation over the past few years. This should be encouraged.”

Russell Drinkwater, Director, highlights the ease to be blinkered by what is happening on a societal and economic level. “The slowdown is not as prevalent as some suggest, it is productive to the end of the year. However, I have two concerns. The first is there are respected regional firms that have not won a contract in 2022. How will that look in three to six months? Only time will tell, but that is something to keep an eye on.”

“My second concern is the high inflation on material costs. From speaking to construction directors there are estimating teams who are extremely busy and working on more tenders than ever. The majority of clients want fixed prices. This can become a problem when projects are won, but no one knows the price in a year’s time. The price today and the start price can be very different.”

According to the Department for Business and Energy, building materials during August 2022 were 24.1% higher than one year ago.

Jason Drinkwater, Director, highlights the importance of change, “What the current climate suggests is that as consultants we modify our work strategy. For instance, within the recruitment construction space, it’s now about being seen and banking on the trust and rapport that has been built over the years. As businesses, we can look at the economic statistics all day long, but life goes on, it’s a case of everyone rolling their sleeves up and doing the work. Summer was extremely busy when the work came to you and a case of picking up the phone. Now it’s about adapting within in the industries we represent. We keep moving.”

Where we stand at the latter part of the year, the recruitment construction industry shows activity where the demand for staff is very much evident. 

A slowdown might not be as evident as some expected. However, there is an awareness of the wider economic conditions and shifts are happening us all, whether we like it or not.

Even in such a short space of time, as we come to the latter part of 2022, it looks so much different from a couple of years ago.

Whilst society has had to adapt, how does this reflect on the recruitment industry, business and the world of work? The team shares the major shifts in a short period.

Russell Drinkwater, Director, reflects on progression to remain relevant. “We all have to move with the times, otherwise a business starts to get left behind. This is so much more than being efficient with technology, it’s about how the shift to a candidate-driven market is more prominent than ever.”

“There used to be a time when employers could say how good they are, point people to an ‘about us’ page and this became attractive to others. The move to incentivise candidates today goes way beyond salary. As an example, a quantity surveyor, was recently given two offers with everything they had asked for. Rather than deciding between the offers, the candidate is looking to see another company before making any decision. It all comes down to candidates making the right decision. Control has moved firmly from employer to candidate.”

From a commercial perspective, one of the most noted shifts within the construction industry in the past couple of years has been well-established businesses ceasing trading as the market becomes extremely competitive. Regional firms such as Chichester contractor, W Stirland, who started trading back in 1928 went into administration in 2022. Retirement and care home developer and builder, Castleoak, went into administration in 2021.

From a recruiter angle, Jason Drinkwater, Director, has seen the continued rise of the investment in people, “When I first joined the industry, you would see recruiters move from one company to another. I never really understood why people would leave one consultancy for another if they couldn’t make it work at their original employer. I don’t see this happening as much today. This is because firms are emphasising the value of their staff and management tuned into the importance of building continuity. What is the point in putting hours and investment of time and money in someone, only for them to leave after a short space of time? You can’t treat people as a commodity, businesses have to create an environment for others to be included.”

Jack Bond Director, continues this shift for businesses acknowledging the culture they need to get right. “The Bond Recruit today is perhaps unrecognisable from what it was a couple of years ago. We put a lot of emphasis on our training and getting the culture right. In turn, this means a team of well-established consultants that have a sense of pride. For many businesses, this has been the turning tide. What has been something that adjusts slowly, over some time when it comes to working culture and togetherness, has been thrust on business owners to focus and get right. For many, this is what encourages longevity.”

Let us highlight some of the main changes we have all seen at Bond Recruit when it comes to the construction industry and recruitment:

• Rates have increased, especially for skilled and highly trained employees
• The focus on the company ethos for all businesses
• An emphasis on training, development and encouragement of team harmony
• Legislation such as GDPR and EU Share Code
• A stabilisation of consultant movement
• Candidate ability to ‘call the shots’
• No one is unbreakable as seen with Brymor and W Stirland
• Employees putting more value on security and certainty
• Technology investment and work efficiencies
• The importance of building progressive, inclusive cultures in business

The industry looks very different as we all look to 2023 than when we came into the new decade. What it does encourage is for employers to put their best foot forward in being adaptable, but recognising the opportunity that is out there.