[PPMA Pulse]

You’re Hired! Strategies to Effectively Market
Your Company to Attract Quality Employees

In any industry, finding and retaining qualified, hard-working and driven employees can be a challenge. This is especially true in service-oriented fields, such as professional pest management, where the ideal employee should possess an array of capabilities, including the technical knowledge and requisite experience, as well as more subtle skills such as strong customer service abilities. After all, in the professional pest management industry, employees serve as the face of the company to current and prospective customers every day. For these reasons, hiring and retaining quality employees is critical to running a successful pest management company.

How does a business owner or human resources manager in a pest management company go about marketing their company in a way that will attract — and retain — quality employees? It can take both work and time. Yet, rather than viewing the recruiting process as a chore, think of it as an investment in the future of your business. The more work you put into finding the right employee, the more successful you are likely to be. Here are a few important tips to consider the next time you need to hire new employees.

Don’t Rely on a Sign. While it never hurts to post a "help wanted" sign outside your office, put a listing in the local paper or post on career search engines such as Monster.com, don’t rely solely on these methods. Consider posting openings on your company website, and attending career fairs at high schools, colleges, trade schools and community events.

One of your greatest assets when searching for new employees is your own social network — your family, friends, coworkers and industry colleagues. Let them know that you’re hiring and chances are word will spread fast. Perhaps someone in your own social circle is interested or knows someone who would be. And if someone you know personally is willing to serve as a reference, it is likely that the interested party is more qualified and capable than a candidate you may find through other methods.

An easy way to let your social circle know that you are hiring is through social networking sites that you or your company already use, like Facebook or Twitter. Using these new media tools to find potential employees is known as "social recruiting." While it is easy (and free!) to post on your Facebook page or Twitter account about a job opening, you also may want to consider placing a paid advertisement on these social networking sites. Advertising in these communities can be more effective than traditional media outlets because of the ability to target very specific audiences. On Facebook, for example, the advertiser can target his audience using options including age, gender, location, keywords, education level, current and past workplaces, etc., increasing the chances that the ad will reach the right candidate.

Leverage Current Employees. Your current employees can be your biggest asset when recruiting. If they are happily employed, encourage them to let others know and provide platforms that allow them to do so. For example, you could create inexpensive videos for your company website that feature current employees discussing what they enjoy about the company and their job. Implement a recruitment program where current employees are rewarded with bonuses, vacation time or other incentives for bringing new talent to the company.

Have you ever seen lists on the "Best Places to Work" in local business journals, newspapers or websites? In many cases, companies make these lists by nominating themselves and encouraging their employees to vote. If your city or town has a list like this, consider nominating your company! Job seekers are likely to look at lists like this when deciding where to seek employment (not to mention, prospective customers like to know that you treat your employees well).

Employment Hub on your site. Your company website is likely the first place most prospective employees will go to look for information about your company and any position openings. Make it easy by creating a central place on your website dedicated to providing information about employment at your company. In addition to posting job openings, create an online application form or provide clear directions on how interested candidates can apply.

Use this section of your website to highlight the benefits of working for your company. Post the profiles of current employees so that candidates can get an idea of the culture of your company. Share success stories about your business. Consider starting a blog where employees can share fun news, events and stories about a day in the life on the job. The goal is to give prospective employees a realistic idea of what it is like to be a member of your team.

Think Like a Prospective Employee. Most importantly, try to put yourself in the shoes of your prospective employees to get an idea of how they will view your company when considering career options. Be honest with yourself. What are the big draws to working for your company? What are the cons? Market your company’s strengths to prospective employees, just as you would market your capabilities to your customers. And always look for ways to improve on areas where your company may lack.

Final thoughts. The good news is there is a strong chance that many businesses in the pest management industry will have the opportunity to put these tips into action over the next several years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the pest management industry will grow by 15 percent between 2008 and 2018. This represents an additional 10,300 jobs that will need to be filled.* Knowing how to attract and retain qualified employees will be key to continuing the growth of your business and the entire industry for many years to come.

The author is executive director of the Professional Pest Management Alliance. Contact her at mhenriksen@giemedia.com.