Construction and infrastructure
Skilled tradespeople are scarce, and the contractor down the road pays well too. We make sure your story reaches them first, and that applying isn't a job in itself.
How do you find staff in construction and infrastructure?
You recruit construction staff in the places where tradespeople already spend their day: social media, their network and the construction site itself. What counts is a concrete story about projects, crew and terms, an application that fits between two jobs and personal contact within one working day. For office roles such as work planners, targeted sourcing comes on top.
How our approach works
Recruiting with a story tradespeople recognize
STARTING FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE
A carpenter doesn't choose an employer based on a job description full of corporate language. He looks at the projects, the crew, the equipment and what's left at the bottom line. That's why we build campaigns on real footage of your projects and people, and keep the message concrete.
See how we recruit operational target groupsThe labor market in construction and infrastructure
Order books are full, but the people to do the work are scarce. Experienced tradespeople can work anywhere and they know it. On top of that, this sector has an extra twist: many tradespeople work for a competitor, for a subcontractor or as self-employed professionals on projects, so they never show up as registered job seekers.
That means waiting for applications doesn't work. You need to be visible where this target group looks every day, and put down an offer that's concrete: what work, which projects, which crew, which terms.
The office behind the construction site too
Construction and infrastructure don't run on hands alone. Work planners, estimators, site supervisors and project managers are at least as scarce, and that target group calls for a different route: targeted sourcing, a story with substance and careful screening and follow-up. Within a partnership we cover both sides, each with its own approach, just as we decide per vacancy.
Peaks and projects
Construction projects come with peaks. Sometimes you need an entire team in a short period, from execution to work planning. For those situations we combine volume recruitment with a talent pool you build under your own name, so the next peak gets easier than the last.
What works in construction and infrastructure
Examples from our approach for this sector. The exact mix depends on your roles and region.
- Regional visibility
- Tradespeople rarely move for a job. We aim campaigns at the region where your projects and your workshop are.
- Footage of real work
- Projects, equipment and the crew on camera. No stock photos, because everyone spots those instantly.
- Applying without paperwork
- No resume and no cover letter, just a few questions on their phone. We cover the rest in the first conversation.
- Sourcing for office roles
- We approach work planners, estimators and project managers personally, with a story about your projects.
Frequently asked questions about recruiting construction staff
By being visible in their daily environment with an offer that's concretely better or more interesting: the type of projects, the crew, growth opportunities or terms. Skilled tradespeople don't switch jobs for vague promises, but they do for a clear story. And once there's interest, the process needs to be fast and personal, not a weeks-long application procedure.
Yes, as long as you use it right. Skilled tradespeople scroll like everyone else, they just respond to different images: real work, real colleagues, real projects. Combined with regional targeting and an application that takes a few minutes to complete, we reach candidates who never show up on a job board.
Yes. For office and project roles in construction we work with targeted sourcing and a substantive approach, alongside the campaigns. That target group is small and in demand, so personal contact and a good story about your projects make the difference. These searches often run in parallel with recruitment for the construction site.
Then we set up a volume approach: campaigns that serve multiple roles at once, a tight selection route and daily follow-up. At the same time we build a talent pool under your name, so you don't start from zero again at the next project. We're honest up front about what's realistic there.
Yes, and you notice it most with experienced tradespeople and with office roles such as work planners and estimators. Order books are full, experienced people are retiring and the inflow from training programmes does not make up for it. On top of that, many tradespeople work as self-employed contractors or for a subcontractor, so they never show up as job seekers. The consequence for employers: waiting for applications no longer works. You need to be visible where the target group is and act fast as soon as someone shows interest.
A construction recruitment agency delivers candidates per vacancy and charges a fee per placement. That suits a single, clearly defined role. With RPO, a partner takes over your recruitment structurally, under your own name: campaigns, sourcing, screening and follow-up for all your construction vacancies, for a fixed monthly fee without placement fees. The difference lies in what builds up. With an agency, the candidate relationship stays with the agency; with RPO, your employer brand and talent pool grow, so every next vacancy gets easier.
In our experience these are experienced tradespeople with a specialism, such as foremen, crane operators and fitters, and alongside them the office roles: work planners, estimators and site managers. The first group is never registered as looking for work and has to be reached where they are. The second group is small and approached by everyone, so there personal contact and a good story about your projects make the difference. We map out in advance which roles are the biggest bottleneck for you.
Hiring through a staffing or secondment agency is better when the work is temporary or you need someone within a few days. Recruiting yourself is better when you want to keep skilled people for the longer term, because with agency staff you also pay the agency margin and the knowledge leaves when the project ends. You can also combine both: a permanent core you recruit yourself and agency staff for peaks. So decide per role how long you need someone.
Building your crew?
Tell us which roles are open, from construction site to office. We'll show you how we fill them.