Fleet owners and managers should use the same techniques employed successfully by staffing and recruiting companies in their search for qualified technicians, said Jane Clark, vice president of member services for NationaLease in a recent blog posting.
"There are pragmatic ways for fleets to increase their chances for success when recruiting from the same dwindling pool of candidates," Clark said. "As someone who worked for 15 years as a recruiter before joining the transportation industry, I can help companies use their time to their best advantage." Before joining the North American organization of full service truck leasing companies, she served in executive positions with some of the nation's top staffing agencies.
Clark's blog outlines a solid strategy that can maximize results for those responsible for finding technicians. These include avoiding traditional newspaper advertising and instead utilizing online options. A best online practice is taking advantage of job aggregator websites such as Indeed.com, which scan the Internet and pull job postings together in one Website. Job titles should describe as closely as possible the actual skill set required, i.e. "Diesel mechanic," the executive says.
She also suggests directing recruiting efforts to websites geared toward diesel technicians, such as SkilledWorkers.com and FindaMechanic.com and to remember to use job posting sites created for former military personnel.
The blog gives advice on how to implement an effective referral program within a company that clearly describes who is eligible, what the company is looking for and if a bonus will be given for a referral that results in a hiring. Finally, Clark discusses the value of using a third-party recruiter to fill positions and points to several reputable firms that specialize in the trucking industry.
