BC UNEMPLOYMENT: CONSTRUCTION

Recruiting Specialized Candidates

While generalized roles have become somewhat easier to fill in recent months, it remains a challenge for companies to find quality candidates for specialized positions. Clients have turned to Goldbeck for help in a number of areas, including:

• Public accounting searches and specialized accountants within certain industries
• Engineers with specialized expertise, particularly those who are willing to relocate
• Cybersecurity experts
• Data analysts
• Human Resource Executives with multi-location, multinational experience
• Digital marketing specialists
• Industrial equipment sales engineers 

“Companies certainly know what they want,” says Goldbeck Recruiting President Henry Goldbeck.² “Sometimes it’s realistic, sometimes it’s not and the parameters need to be massaged. We stay current with the candidate market and are able to support our clients in that process.”

Are Fully Remote Positions Available?

Hybrid roles are increasingly common, but this has come at the expense of fully remote positions, not in-office ones. Companies continue to move toward bringing remote workers back into the office. While 100% in-office is still the outlier, it is becoming more common for many types of positions.

During the pandemic, some speculated that office work would become a thing of the past, allowing companies to hire candidates from across time zones. While this is certainly occurring, it’s not exactly commonplace.

“These are less than 5% of the searches we get,” says Goldbeck. “While some companies have committed  to a fully virtual model, they are the exception, not the rule.”

What does that mean for companies trying to convince people to relocate?

“We often find success when a qualified candidate is interested in the position, but also has a personal interest in the location,” says Goldbeck. “Candidates in larger urban centers already have career opportunities, so they tend to relocate for personal reasons. Those in smaller towns and cities may have less opportunity, so they’re more likely to relocate for the position itself.”

Is Artificial Intelligence Expertise a Common Job Requirement?

The jury is still out on the extent to which artificial intelligence expertise will be front and center in job requirements. According to Goldbeck, companies are not just looking for someone who’s good with AI, but for candidates that are proficient with very specific software platforms that rely upon AI. 

“Just as clients look for someone with project management skills in certain industries, such as construction or marketing, they’ll be looking for those that possess AI experience in certain industries and applications,” says Goldbeck.  

Are Candidates Willing to Switch Companies?

It’s a well-known fact that a slowing economy will typically cause candidates to place additional value on job security, making them hesitant to entertain job offers. Despite current economic uncertainties, Goldbeck says that candidates are still available.

“People right now are open to discussing opportunities,” he says.

In recent years we’ve experienced an employee’s market, which means candidates have become accustomed to receiving multiple offers. This has presented an opportunity for them to increase their salaries, and they have responded by making this a priority. As we move toward a balanced employment market, Goldbeck expects this to gradually shift. 

“Salary will remain important, but other factors like work-life balance, potential for career advancement, learning opportunities, and commute time will once again be weighted heavily,” he says.