10 Ways to Attract Engineering Talent

You don’t need us to remind you about the global shortage of skilled engineers. In the UK alone, there’s an annual demand for an extra 124,000 engineers and technicians.

So how can you stand out from the crowd to attract the talent your business needs?

Here’s 10 ways to help you get ahead of your competitors.

Sell the big idea and your company

This first point isn’t solely focused on how you sell the project you’re looking to recruit for. Or the way you let people know how they’ll add value. It also involves crafting your company values, nailing your vision and putting together a compelling EVP (Employee Value Proposition) that shows candidates what’s unique about your organisation.

Outline your credibility

Your business might not be constructing the next Wonder of the World but no doubt you’ve got plenty of success stories to fall back on. Make sure your company page and social media promotes the great work you’re doing. Get testimonials, use case studies or even video projects that tell the story of a particular project’s progress.

Show off your people

Your people are the lifeblood of the company. They have skills, experience and insight to share so make sure you give them a platform to shine. This means anything from using people-related imagery on your site, meet the team interviews or announcing company awards via your social media channels.

Use targeted digital advertising

Another important process. It might sound like a no-brainer but it’s essential to make sure your candidate attraction is honing-in on the right people. Segment for your target market, speak to them using language that’ll resonate with them and A/B test job vacancy adverts where possible.

Phone a friend

There’s nothing wrong with getting good referrals. The nature of the industry means networking is still an important tool in the recruitment process. You just need to ensure that your business maintains a healthy reputation in the engineering community. News of poor conditions or culture will travel fast and do little to help your attraction. 

Benchmark against the industry

How do you stack up to the competition? Are you salaries competitive? Do you have adequate succession planning in place? Is your hiring process fit for the future? Taking a step back to re-evaluate what you and other companies in your sphere have to offer is never a wasted exercise.

Listen to your greatest assets

Regular Employee Engagement surveys are vital in any modern organisation. If you’re not doing so already, put measures in place that take the pulse of your business. More importantly, take action on the results.

Look at your perks

Salary and bonuses can’t be ignored but they’re only one piece of the puzzle. Flexible working, additional holiday days, health insurance, free lunches. Whatever comprises your benefits package, it needs to be appealing.

Develop your talent

Mentoring, paid-for training and visible progression are all vital components of your people strategy. Investing in your talent’s development will increase both attraction and retention as candidates and employees see the value of sticking around. 

Open the door to fresh recruits

Experience is always a bonus but it can also pay to put your faith in hungry, graduate talent. They’re likely to show a willingness and desire to learn and improve. In turn, they’ll also become more loyal and motivated employees.

How many of these can your business tick off? Get in touch with me via alex.hess@bps-world.com to discuss any issues your business is facing.