How to hire welders who are right for your construction projects
According to the American Welding Society, the construction industry will need 330,000 new welders by 2028 to meet increasing demands. As a result, there’s significant competition among companies looking to bring aboard the right welders for their projects. To further support your welder staffing efforts, PeopleReady Skilled Trades shares our five tips for making recruiting welders much easier.
What construction companies can do to recruit and hire welders
Set yourself up for success with a detailed job posting
Creating a job posting is a crucial step of the welder staffing process. While a more general posting may net you a lot of interested job seekers, you might spend a long time sifting through applications of those who aren’t qualified for the role.
So, how do you craft a job posting that draws in the right applicants for your welder jobs? You can develop your job posting by including important details, including:
- The necessary level of experience: Depending on the job, you’ll need to hire welders who are focused on a welding specialty area or with a certain level of experience. Being able to specify that you need a certain type of welder (pipe welder or structural welder, for example) or level of experience (apprentice welder or master welder, for example) can narrow down the list of applicants and streamline the welder hiring process.
- Your hiring arrangements: It’s important to share whether you’re recruiting for short-term, temp-to-hire or long-term welders. As a result, you’ll only receive job applications from welders who can accommodate your needs.
- Your current and upcoming projects: Sharing examples of your construction projects can help ensure that you’re recruiting welders who are interested in these types of projects and can get the job done right. That way, you’ll recruit welders who are excited to join your team and will be engaged in their work.
Employee referrals can make hiring welders and other tradespeople easier
Your current construction crew understands what it takes for your construction projects to be successful, so they can be an excellent resource when recruiting welders or any other tradespeople. Many of your team members will likely know qualified tradespeople from previous jobs or through their professional network. Involving your team in the process can not only help make recruiting welders easier, but it can also make your workers feel valued and more likely to remain with your company.
Something to keep in mind when accepting referrals: A welder’s skills and experience are crucial, but their ability to collaborate effectively as part of a team is equally important. By hiring for both technical trade skills and essential soft skills like communication and teamwork, your construction company can reap the benefits of higher productivity and increased retention rates.
A solid interviewing process for welder candidates can produce results
The interview process gives you a great opportunity to learn more about each candidate beyond their initial application. Asking them questions about their skills, qualifications and career goals is essential. In the end, you’ll have a clear idea of how each candidate might perform if they’re added to your construction crew.
When structuring your interviews, try to incorporate a number of open-ended questions so that you can get a better understanding of your candidates. If you need help getting started, here are some of the questions we might recommend asking welders who apply with your company.
- What licenses, certifications or training programs have you completed related to the welding field?
- What types of construction projects have you worked on in the past?
- Could you describe a time when you solved a complex issue on a project?
- How do you stay up to date with the latest welding codes and standards?
- How do you ensure that you and other crew members follow safety procedures and protocols?
Screen your top welder candidates to verify their skills and qualifications
Identifying the right welders is absolutely crucial, and a thorough vetting process can help determine which candidates represent the best of the best. Conducting a detailed screening confirms that the welders you ask to join your team have the credentials and qualifications necessary for success.
Reaching out to a candidate’s former employers can provide additional insight and knowledge about their previous experience. You can learn more about each welder’s work ethic, teamwork skills and the overall quality of their work. By using the vetting process to confirm welders have the right skills and qualifications, you’re in a better position to make an informed decision about which candidate will be an ideal fit for your team.
Partner with a construction staffing agency for your welder staffing needs
Staffing a construction company with the right welders and other skilled tradespeople can be an immense challenge to take on alone. According to a study by the Associated General Contractors of America, 88% of construction companies are struggling to find welders and other tradespeople. This skilled labor shortage can prolong the hiring process, which can create project delays and missed deadlines.
To save valuable time and resources, many construction contractors and subcontractors are now partnering with a welder staffing agency or construction staffing agency, which will have a deep network of connections that they can use to fill open roles. Their construction staffing experts can also provide insights and guidance on the hiring environment in your area. With their support in hand, your staffing efforts will be a success.
Hire welders for your construction projects with PeopleReady Skilled Trades
Ongoing skilled labor shortages have made it difficult to hire tradespeople of all kinds, including welders. That’s why PeopleReady Skilled Trades is here when you need carpenters, electricians, plumbers and much more. Our extensive network throughout the U.S. enables us to source qualified, safety-minded tradespeople and find the perfect match for your open roles.
Additionally, the welder staffing experts at PeopleReady Skilled Trades understand that each construction project is different. As part of our construction staffing solutions, we make it easy to hire welders across a variety of specialties. For example:
- Pipe welders
- Structural welders
- MIG welders
- TIG welders
- Stick welders
- ARC welders
If you need more support with recruiting welders for your construction projects, reach out to our team today!
