3 Things to Consider When Hiring Manufacturing Positions

May 11, 2021 | Staffing Blog

Manufacturing jobs have become more appealing to the general public over the years. It’s a great industry to enter into for many because there are so many learning and financial growth opportunities. In some ways, this is great for employers because there are always people interested when you have a position to fill. However, not all of those people might be the right fit for the job.

To help you better navigate changes in the job market trends for manufacturing positions, consider the following.

1. Modifying Your Strategy

Filling a position with a weak candidate will only result in more work for you. That’s why it’s important that you’re really thoughtful and strategic about the way you go about your hiring process. Some tips to help you develop or strengthen your strategy are:

• Determine skills and abilities that are a must for the position, and then another list of things that are a plus. This should stand out and be the most important thing in your job ad. Compare these lists with your applicant’s resumes and make sure they align before setting up an interview.

• Be flexible about candidates. These days, manufacturing jobs require a lot of different skills and versatility. What’s really important is that the individual possesses those specific things. Don’t focus so heavily on schooling or industry experience. While those things are a plus, you may find an individual with a different background who is even more qualified for the job based on their skillset.

• Clean up your internet presence. As much as your opinion of potential employees matters, their perception of you does as well. You want your ideal candidate to want you as much as you want them, and the way they’re going to learn about you is through the internet. Get started by making sure your website is easy to navigate and setting up some social media accounts. Those will need to be maintained, so having a person who is responsible for those items is a good idea.

• Invest in training & retention. The initial experience you provide new employees with has a huge effect on their success with the company. Without proper training, the employee can feel frustrated and stressed, causing their performance to suffer and unfair expectations to be set. Investing in a thorough training process benefits you just as much as it does the employee because you will be rewarded with confident people who know what they’re doing and want to stick around.

2. The Most Important Skills to Possess

As the manufacturing climate continues to evolve, it helps to pin down the specific qualities and work ethic that will always be useful in the workplace. This will allow you to have a solid strategy that you don’t have to keep changing. It also ensures you are only spending time on interviews with real potential. As experts in staffing manufacturing positions, we have found that successful employees possess the following:

• Creative problem-solving abilities. A strong employee will be able to make smart decisions quickly when under pressure and know how to navigate solving unforeseen issues. Candidates with any management experience often possess good problem-solving skills.

• Extra attention to detail. Lack of attention to detail can easily result in product quality to suffer and the possibility of injury in the manufacturing industry. This makes it essential that every hire is detail-oriented and meticulous.

• Flexibility. New hires need to be able to cross-train and adjust to change with a commitment to constructive criticism and constant improvement. The more capabilities a person acquires, the more useful they are.

• Strong technical skills. The manufacturing industry is constantly adding in new tools and technology so things will run smoothly. Employees with technical skills allow your company the ability to continue to thrive and adapt in this digitally-driven age.

3. Recruiting Approaches

In addition to knowing what to look for, it’s also important that you know how best to position your job opening to attract the right crowd. Some examples are:

• Make the job description clear, simple, and appealing.
• Require that all job inquiries include a cover letter and resume.
• Offer more than just money (opportunities to grow, training and education options, performance rewards, etc.).
• Receive help from staffing experts that specialize in manufacturing.

We Can Help You Fill Your Manufacturing Positions

Allegiance Staffing has been specializing in finding strong employees for the manufacturing industry for over 20 years. Because of that, we have gathered a lot of intel on the type of individuals that thrive in manufacturing careers. Allowing us to do your candidates’ initial screening process ensures that you are only ever interviewing people at a skill level of your choosing. We also take care of:

• Background checks
• HR coverage and maintenance.
• Employee benefits
• Payroll
• Replacing the employee if needed

Give us a call today to learn more about how we can simplify the hiring process for you!