Skilled tradespeople are becoming scarce in Germany: The number of job openings will be in the six-figure range by 2022. What to do when search after search is unsuccessful because suitable candidates are not forthcoming? Small and medium-sized businesses in particular must then seek new recruiting approaches. One of these leads to headhunters.
Headhunters and skilled trades – how do they fit together? Better than you might think. Read this article to learn what you should know about headhunting and the real state of the skilled trades workforce.
In summary :
– Headhunters help to quickly fill high-level specialist and management positions
– Both the profile creation, as well as the search and assessment, are handled by the headhunter
– The headhunter approaches the candidates directly and effectively to maximize the chances of success
– There are various compensation models for headhunters, in particular the commission and the installment model
Situation in Germany: Craftsmen are in short supply
The order books of German skilled trades companies are full, but the waiting times are long: It often takes several weeks or even months before a contract can be started. The reason: a shortage of staff. According to the Central Association of German Skilled Crafts (ZDH), there is currently a shortage of around 250,000 positions.
According to ZDH President Hans-Peter Wollseifer, the shortage is particularly dramatic in areas such as civil engineering, road construction, and plumbing, heating, and electrical engineering. And the fewer staff available, the longer customers have to wait for their orders (and the more money trades businesses lose). “There is now a widespread shortage of skilled workers in the trades,” says Wollseifer. But why is this?
Where does the shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades come from?
There are many reasons for the shortage of skilled tradespeople. Training trends, for example, are a reason: Many young talents today simply prefer an academic path to apprenticeships. The association complains that the tendency toward university is “accompanied by the devaluation of dual training.” “For many years, too few young people have chosen to pursue an apprenticeship in the skilled trades.”
Of course, there are also demographic reasons: declining birth rates result in smaller generations. When older craftspeople retire and there aren’t enough young people following in their footsteps, a shortage of skilled workers is the logical consequence.
Why the use of headhunters in the skilled trades is worthwhile
Because the demand for skilled tradespeople is so much higher than the supply, career prospects for (good) skilled workers are excellent. The resulting problem for skilled trades businesses: Talented workers are in high demand on the market and can afford to be selective. To attract them to their company, medium-sized companies in particular have to come up with something new. This is where headhunters come in.
Headhunters can help you attract talented individuals to your company who would never have applied through traditional job advertisements. Through direct searches and direct approaches, such as email or social media, they actively contact suitable candidates and sometimes even discreetly poach them from other companies. This type of search and direct approach to specific candidate profiles is often difficult for internal HR departments to manage, especially in medium-sized companies. Therefore, a headhunter is also worth considering in the skilled trades sector.
Headhunting in the skilled trades: The process
Every headhunter has their own strategy, but the approach is generally similar. Headhunting in the skilled trades typically involves the following phases:
Profiling
First, headhunters must create an employee profile to establish what they’re actually looking for. This involves not only technical criteria, but also soft skills and cultural fit. Some headhunters conduct this step over the phone, while others visit their clients on-site. At Riverstate, we visit you personally on the setup day to create a particularly precise profile.
Search for suitable candidates
Based on this employee profile, the headhunter begins their search. Good headhunters specializing in the skilled trades sector already have an established network of talent within the industry. In Germany-wide comparisons, Riverstate is the recruiting company with the greatest reach for certain searches (for example, for construction managers) in some metropolitan regions.
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Headhunters don’t wait for candidates to apply to job postings; they actively approach suitable applicants. This direct approach takes place through various channels, such as email, social media, or telephone. Even specialists who are currently working elsewhere are not left out. This is where reputable headhunters must demonstrate particular sensitivity. Riverstate recruiters proceed with the utmost discretion when poaching to prevent potential conflicts.
Presentation of suitable talents
Headhunters then make a shortlist based on many factors—employee profile, aptitude tests, references, and personal experience with the applicant. These skilled tradespeople then present them to the hiring company. Riverstate compiles a clear list of pre-selected candidates, so you only have to select the ones you’d like to meet.
Accompanying job interviews
Headhunters are the best intermediaries between candidates and companies because they know both parties well. Therefore, they are often present at job interviews. Riverstate tailors its service to customer needs: If you need our support during job interviews, we’re there. If necessary, we can also provide further support after a successful placement, for example, with drafting contracts.
So much for the basics. Of course, there are many other tasks that headhunters can take on. The exact range of services varies from recruiter to recruiter.
We place specialists and managers in the fields of engineering and construction
Customers throughout Germany trust us to solve their recruiting problems.
Reliable tradesman headhunting with Riverstate
Why Riverstate? Because our headhunters specialize in finding skilled tradespeople. We use modern search methods to attract the perfect candidates for your business and deliver fast results through perfectly coordinated project management. No one knows this better than our more than 400 satisfied clients: You can read a selection of our success stories in our references. If you’d like to find out more about what we can do for you, contact our sales team.
Headhunters for craftsmen: frequently asked questions
A headhunter for skilled tradespeople is a human resources consultant who assists companies in their search for qualified skilled tradespeople. Headhunters are particularly useful in filling critical positions where companies cannot afford to miss a single opportunity or where traditional recruitment is difficult.
No two headhunters work exactly the same way, but most follow a similar pattern when searching for skilled tradespeople: First, they work closely with the company that has hired them to create a candidate profile. They consider both technical criteria and tangible qualifications, as well as soft skills and character suitability. Then they search for talent that meets these requirements. They search, for example, on social media, in databases, and in their own networks. They don’t shy away from talent that is currently working for other companies – with the aim of poaching them. Finally, they actively approach the shortlist of potential candidates to introduce them to the company they are working on behalf of and the position in question.
With a headhunter, you can significantly increase your chances of finding an excellent tradesperson for your company as quickly as possible. Headhunters have a much greater reach than the internal search methods available to most companies. They even reach tradespeople who aren’t currently actively looking for a new job. Headhunters are also particularly adept at approaching applicants and guiding them through the application process.
It’s best to start your search for a headhunter within your network: Perhaps colleagues or acquaintances at other companies have already had experience with a recruitment agency or headhunter and can put you in touch. Of course, you can also search on your own, for example, using the right keywords (industry, region, job title) on Google. It’s best to compare the services of several headhunters specializing in the trades and choose the provider that best suits your needs.
You don’t apply to a headhunter—they find you. Therefore, it’s somewhat difficult to introduce yourself to a headhunter on your own initiative. It’s best to regularly maintain your profiles on social and professional networks and build a network in your industry. This increases your chances of catching a headhunter’s eye. You can also try contacting a headhunter directly (e.g., on LinkedIn) to be included in their network.
