Thinking Outside the Box: An Integrator’s Creative Recruiting Practices
It’s no secret that the security industry has a hard time finding, recruiting and retaining fresh talent. Here are some creative ways to refresh your recruitment strategy.
It’s no secret that the security industry has a hard time finding, recruiting and retaining fresh talent. Companies must go beyond simply listing openings on the same three job boards.
It’s time to get creative. Below, Mad Dog COO Michelle Ferlauto and Managing Partner Mark DiPietro share the company’s unique recruiting strategies.
Michelle Ferlauto: We approach procuring talent in many different ways. We have in the past offered an internal referral program for our team to bring on new talent and be incentivized to do so. If they know somebody who is looking for work and it turns into a successful hire, then we incentivize them to do that.
Other methods we use are online job placements, services that are national companies. We’ve also done some work through the Chamber, we’re on their jobs website as well, a lot of who you know in the industry already. Recruiting from our local vendors who see the technicians come in all the time, and it’s a little bit unorthodox to ask them if anyone is looking but we’ve offered to incentivize them as well if it does turns into a successful hire.
And some of the positive results we’ve had is we’ve had two employees come on from another company, not at the same time, but one after the other, and they have remained in place for two years now. We have some other team members that know each other and so the relationships are already there and established.
It makes it a pretty easy transition and as far as training goes, it’s easier for them to almost get a grip on what they’re doing when they are being trained by somebody that they know and is familiar with and there’s not that additional social roadblock that they have to get through to feel comfortable.
It’s easier to mentor somebody that you know, and we’re constantly looking for new talent and shameless — if somebody comes into the office to do a service appointment here and they are a pretty decent service technician, I’ve done this as well, I will pretty much spot interview them without them really understanding what I’m doing and then give them my card and tell them if they are ever looking to give me a call.
I’ve certainly made some contacts that way, it’s been successful. If I’m out and about and I see somebody that demonstrates really good customer service or seems they would be a good culture fit for us, I’ll give them my card out and follow up. And we actually recently did that with one of our newest designers that we brought on.
So talent is where we can find it and we’re definitely looking for more than just the technical skillset, we’re also looking to a culture fit, which is extremely important to us.
Mark DiPietro: I learned this years ago when I was actually working for a homebuilder, our sales manager had gone to a nice steakhouse and the server at the steakhouse did a great job and he ended up hiring her and she ended up being a great new home salesperson.
What I learned from that is — everybody uses Zip Recruiter and Indeed or poaches from a competitor or whatever — but the unconventional way is if you’re out and about and you’re buying furniture or you’re at a restaurant or like Michelle said, if someone comes to you.
We haven’t tried, especially with technicians, we haven’t tried to pitch them the whole “only security or audio technicians.” We said, “Hey, who’s good with their hands, who’s good in front of people?” We can train them if they’re trainable. So that’s what we’ve been doing.
Click here to read an executive interview with Mad Dog’s Mark DiPietro.
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About the Author
Steve Karantzoulidis, Web/Senior Editor
Steven A. Karantzoulidis is the Web Editor for Security Sales & Integration. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Communication and has a background in Film, A/V and Social Media.
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