%20(1).png)
You already know that having a strong team to support your business is a key to success. But when it comes to tree service recruitment, you might feel worried about attracting the right people. We know that finding and hiring the best workers is a significant challenge.
To help you make smart recruitment decisions, we’ve rounded up a list of tips to consider as you hire tree climbers. While it can be tempting to hire anyone who is interested in the job, it’s important to stick to some guidelines so that you don’t have regrets later.
1. Differentiate Your Business in the Job Ad
As you look to hire tree groundsmen, you need to think about how you are going to set your business apart from others. The truth is, there are always a lot of companies hiring for tree service jobs (or other landscape industry jobs), so how can you set your business apart?
One thing that we frequently notice is that job ads tend to be very bland. This is a great starting point. Think about how you can make your job ad a lot more enticing. A way to do this is with an “impact line.” As you write your job ad, know that it’s really important the very first line gets the immediate attention of the prospective hire. If they’re skimming through a lot of ads, you really do need to catch their attention right away.
An impact line that we were using at the time this article was published was: “Our clients love us because we provide them with home environments that are safe, healthy, and beautiful.”
This is obviously a lot different from the starting line that most other ads use. Because of that, we’ve found that it has successfully captured the attention of people in search of tree service jobs.
Of course, after you’ve caught their attention, you need to keep it. We also suggest writing a job ad that focuses on the “WE” message. That means that instead of just going on and on about how great your company is (like a lot of other job ads will do), talk about how that potential hire and the company together can succeed.
Even if it’s an entry-level position, make it clear that they will have an impact on the company’s success. At the end of the day, people care much more about this than your previous accomplishments.
2. Identify Where to Post Your Job Ads
Once you have a great job ad written up, you need to identify where you’re going to post it so that you are pulling in the right candidates. Using job boards like Indeed can be a helpful way to find good candidates, but we've also found that pushing that information into the local community is imperative.
You should also be active in your tree service recruitment efforts (as opposed to being passive). That means don’t just put an ad out there and hope that people will reach out to you to apply. Actually, reach out and connect with people, too. LinkedIn is a really great place to take this approach. Let a potential candidate know that you think they’d be great in the role. Even if they aren’t currently looking for a job, they might know somebody that is.
3. Do Your Research on The Position You are Hiring For
Another tree service recruitment tip is to really know the position you are hiring for. That means going to Indeed or other hiring boards and doing some research. Get a sense of what the standard rate for the position is and understand that if you go higher than that standard, you are more likely to attract a higher quality pool of candidates (which should be the goal).
Also, understand that this information changes. If you were hiring for a tree service job a year ago, it’s important to recognize that things have likely changed and you may need to bump up your rate.
4. Build a Referral Program to Help with Tree Service Recruitment
Over the years, we have learned that our current team has been a tremendous help with our tree service recruitment efforts. Rather than just trying to randomly reach people, it makes sense to turn your focus inward and talk to your existing team about who they may know. They already have a vested interest in your company and they want to see it succeed.
We have used referral bonuses to encourage our existing team to bring in new people. Team members can earn $500 if they refer someone for a tree service job and that person gets hired. It’s such a simple thing to do but it can have a really great impact.
5. Hire Based on Core Values
Finally, when you go to hire tree workers, it’s important that you keep core values in mind during the hiring process. This speaks to the point that you can’t just hire anyone who is willing to do the work. You want to hire people that align with your core values.
To do this, ask questions that help draw that person’s values out. For example, being a team player is a really important core value. So, ask questions about how that person works on a team. If it becomes clear they do not enjoy working in a team environment, that should be a red flag.
You can prevent a lot of problems down the road by considering your core values during the tree service recruitment process.
Partnering With You in Success
Hopefully, this has provided some insight that will help you with the tree service recruitment process. We know that it can feel challenging at times but following some of these tips should help you to attract and hire the right people for your business.
Of course, if you are a Joshua Tree Experts franchise owner, then you’re not alone in this process. If you need advice or more tips, we are always here to help.
Are you ready to grow a successful business from strong roots? Joshua Tree Experts has the proven systems and processes in place to help. Request a meeting and begin your journey today.
