The Challenges of Recruiting Blue-Collar Workers

Blue-collar workers are the backbone of the economy, and that backbone is under strain. More and more sectors struggle to find skilled “blue-collar” applicants to fill open positions. For example, 65 percent of durable goods manufacturing jobs, 40 percent of wholesale and retail trade jobs, and 55 percent of leisure and hospitality jobs remain unfilled.

“The simple fact is that there are too many open jobs and not enough applicants to fill them,” says Jason LaMonica, COO of Spec On The Job. “The shortage of qualified workers makes it difficult for today’s blue-collar industries to compete and thrive. The solution lies in adapting the way we approach, recruit, and hire blue-collar talent.”

Blue-collar workers are not looking for work on job portals

White-collar workers flock to job portals like LinkedIn, indeed, and Glassdoor when they need employment. These platforms also cater to blue-collar job seekers, but the applicants are not coming. As a result, blue-collar job seekers miss out on many opportunities, and blue-collar recruiters have difficulty reaching a wider pool of candidates.

Many blue-collar workers still prefer traditional hiring routes. These job seekers may be intimidated by the conditions of the online application process. Some find the hurdle of new technology daunting, and others face language barriers on online platforms that do not support their native languages. Hence, your organization may want to partner with an oil and gas staffing company, for example, to ensure a quick process and qualified candidates.

“On the whole, blue-collar workers are not looking for work on job portals,” observes Lamonica. “They’re looking for work through word-of-mouth, social media, and personal connections. If you want to attract blue-collar workers, you need to reach them through channels they are most likely to use.”

Successful blue-collar hiring managers fish where the fish are. They place ads in local newspapers and on websites such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

Blue-collar workers prefer temporary projects vs. intentional career building

As a group, blue-collar workers tend to be attracted to jobs with freedom and flexibility. Understandably, this leads them to choose career opportunities differently than most white-collar workers. Because they are generally task-oriented, rather than driven by growth and momentum, they often opt for immediate temporary projects over long-term career-building paths.

Recently, blue-collar workers have gravitated toward the freedom, flexibility, and instant gratification of the gig economy. Many work several jobs at once and create their own schedules. Though they may experience burnout over time, in the short term, they are unphased by these jobs’ lack of benefits and consistent income.

“Rather than staying in one place for a long time, many blue-collar employees prefer to move from job site to job site,” says Lamonica. “They like the freedom of temporary projects, short-term engagements, and changing jobs without consequences to their future employment.”

Today’s blue-collar recruiters need to understand the competition and hire accordingly. They know workers will not wait around for good opportunities. They must make offers quickly and lure top talent with flexible work arrangements.

Lack of standardized skill evaluation system for blue-collar workers

Recruiting blue-collar workers is difficult because there is no standardized skill evaluation system for blue-collar workers. Blue-collar jobs require various skills, but these skills are not standardized across industries or companies.

Blue-collar workers are not trained in a specific skill set; instead, they learn on the job through apprenticeships. This means hiring managers must first determine whether an applicant has enough experience and training to perform the tasks required by their position before making an offer of employment.

“It’s virtually impossible to explore a candidate’s entire skill set during a job interview,” Lamonica remarks. “When hiring blue-collar workers, many managers rely on the face value of their first impressions or on word of mouth.”

With this challenge in mind, many blue-collar recruiters consider starting an employee referral program. This enables current employees who are familiar with the company’s requirements and needs to refer friends and family. Recommendations from trusted employees go a long way to fill the hiring gap.

The hiring process has never been easy,” concludes Lamonica. “However, the rise of online job platforms, competition from the gig economy, and lack of standardized criteria make today’s task of recruiting blue-collar workers even more challenging. Despite current shortages, with a focus on the right approach and channels, you can still find quality talent, attract them to your company, and build long-term relationships.”

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