If you want to be more successful filling entry-level positions in your company, effective recruiting at the high school and college level is a must. And it’s not something you should just jump right into—preparation is key. On a recent episode of the LBM Journal Recruit + Retain Podcast, I spoke with Joe Misiti, staffing coordinator for American Builders Supply in Florida, about his efforts leveraging virtual job fairs and other tools to connect with younger applicants.
Handshake
One tool Misiti uses is an online college forum called Handshake (joinhandshake.com) where employers can post job opportunities to specific colleges based on geography, specialty, and more. Students can view openings and submit resumes directly. This is a particularly helpful tool for promoting manager trainee programs.
Virtual job fairs
Most of us are familiar with in-person job fairs, but since the pandemic, virtual job fairs have become popular and are likely here to stay. Plus, virtual job fairs can help you reach students who may be local to your locations but attend school elsewhere.
Many virtual job fairs operate similarly to in-person events. You have a “booth” where students can learn about job openings, interact with you via chat or video, and submit resumes. Misiti notes that there is a bit of a learning curve and offers these best practices:
Prepare in advance. Just like you would have collateral materials and swag for a tabletop display, you’ll need to prep ahead for virtual visits. Set up your virtual booth in advance with a logo, décor, job descriptions, bullet points outlining benefits, and possibly even a short video. And remember that students may not live in the area where they attend school; when Misiti attends a job fair for University in Central Florida near Orlando, for example, he includes job listings for other locations.
In addition to the job descriptions themselves, be prepared to answer questions about those positions. Type out answers to common questions so you can paste them into the chat box quickly.
Work with a partner. Some virtual job fairs allow you to take a candidate into a private room for a video chat; this is a great way to conduct an on-the-spot first-round interview. Having a co-worker with you ensures you’re not leaving your virtual table empty while video chatting with an applicant.
Review all resumes. Once the event is over, review resumes that were dropped off but didn’t visit. You’re bound to find additional candidates worth reaching out to who might not understand the range of jobs lumberyards have to offer.
Check in early. Often, the virtual job fair goes live days before the event, and resumes will start to trickle in. Look for those and review them ahead of time; if you get a great candidate, you may be able to lock in an interview before other companies.
School presentations
Misiti notes that the younger crowds aren’t going to want to sit through a long PowerPoint presentation. Make it simple, explaining what your company does, its locations, and some of the opportunities.
For high school and trade school visits, bring swag, Misiti advises, with giveaways for all attendees along with some extras to use as prizes for answering questions and such. Tailor your presentation to the vibe of the crowd and don’t be afraid to come out of your shell and have a good conversation.
College in-person sessions should be similar—always bring some swag and food. Focus your PowerPoint on manager training and other applicable topics. They’ll likely have more specific questions and want to know about pay and benefits.
Rikka Brandon is a leading recruiter for the LBM industry. She’s the CEO of BuildingGurus.com and founder of RecruitRetainRock.com where she helps business leaders solve their recruiting and retention challenges.
