The Best Strategies for Construction Industry Recruiting.(3 min read)

The Middle East construction industry is currently experiencing moderate to good growth which is positive as we climb out of the COVID pandemic which has affected every industry across the world; however, a major frustration among man Middle East based construction companies is a continual deficit of skilled construction labor.

This concern is often regarded as the construction industries top focus given that many graduates are exiting higher education with soft skills and digital orientated skillsets.

In the UAE 65 percent of contractors, we surveyed report frustrations in identifying and finding qualified workers and without key construction workers to fill open high-value positions, costs are climbing, and many firms are being forced to turn down job applicants that do not fit the criteria of the organization.

Despite these recruitment difficulties, there are key construction workers out there. The truth is the construction companies that are experiencing success in attracting and hiring talent in the construction industry are those that understand the importance of modernizing their talent strategy.

With our wealth of expertise and experience in recruiting for the construction sectors throughout the Middle East we recommend the following approaches to overcome any difficulties in locating the right talent you may be experiencing. And if you find this information useful please feel free to reach out to us for more information.

Look for younger talent that is waiting to get a foothold in the construction industry.

A major factor impacting the industry’s labor shortage is an aging workforce. As Middle East Construction trade workers retire and gradually age out of key positions, there are not enough younger employees replacing them, or being trained to replace them.

The key is tailoring your hiring strategy to attract and engage candidates from younger generations is to try to understand what motivates and influences their pivotal career decisions, and then communicate the value and benefits that matter most to them. What used to work 10 years ago in attracting key construction industry candidates does not work now as attitudes have changed radically over the last few years in work/lifestyle and the expectations of a career for a younger audience of applicants.

Social Media is a key tool for recruiting younger candidates.

If your company has never used social media to recruit employees, start with LinkedIn and Facebook. Both platforms offer dynamic tools and resources for talent sourcing.

As we have indicated above it is no secret that many Middle East construction companies still prefer to do things in the old-school way, however while that works great for many things, we would argue that contractors no longer have the luxury of sitting on the social media sidelines.

Create network and recruiter partnerships

Another key to finding top talent is to network locally within your business community. And to establish relationships with top industry recruitment companies like iTalent. Provide internships, training opportunities, job shadowing, mentorship and more. Partner with community organizations and associations that can boost your talent pipeline and generate leads to local candidates. Establish partnerships with local high schools, trade schools and community colleges to bolster your recruitment efforts.

Discover more about iTalent and our recruitment offerings for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and broader Middle Eastern markets.

italent was founded in 2012 in the United Arab Emirates born in a challenging market, one key reason for our success is we have unparalleled commitment and determination to deliver the highest levels of recruitment and executive search.

These fundamentals allowed us to build a reputation and gain the trust and respect of some of the biggest clients and most Senior candidates in the Region. Our team is all seasoned professionals, and with over 100 years of recruitment experience in our office, we are a key part of our clients’ Talent Acquisition Strategies.

You can contact us by using our contact form or call us on +971 (0)4 421 3490 or email us at info@italent-me.com and we will be happy to help.

Check out our useful links

Sectors we recruit for

Construction and Engineering

https://www.italent-me.com/construction-engineering.html

Digital and Technology

https://www.italent-me.com/digital-technology.html

Power and Energy

https://www.italent-me.com/power-energy.html