Steve Eade, director of Tradeline Recruitment, speaks to us about the construction jobs market right now, how employers and employees can maximise their careers success and what effect Brexit may have on roles in the UK construction industry.
Have there been major changes to the industry’s recruitment market over the past 12 months?
The last couple of years have been extremely buoyant in construction which has meant recruitment in this sector has seen real growth. The effects of Brexit have been talked about continually and towards the end of 2018 we started to see the first signs of clients becoming more tentative as a result. The start of the year has continued in the same vain and I think the majority of clients are keen for the whole Brexit scenario to play out (whichever way that may be) so that we can all start moving forward again.
Are there roles that are notably popular or difficult to fill?
This can vary greatly but I suppose our experience would say that with construction site-based roles you tend to have far more options; but many of these candidates may then lack in quality or longevity of employment. On the flip side, with commercial roles such as QSs and estimators, the candidates can be harder to come by, but if you find a good candidate they can be much easier to place. The difficulty in filling roles is often more related to other factors such as the remuneration on offer or the location of the company offices/site.
Are housebuilders and construction companies generally easy to deal with?
I think they both possess their own unique challenges! With the majority of housebuilders we work with we have long-standing relationships so have become accustomed to the way each other works. It’s always important from a recruiter’s point of view to appreciate everyone in the chain; the client contact, their superiors, HR and the candidate. Balancing these isn’t always easy but that’s part of our role as recruiters and the day-to-day challenges we have to work with.
Is there a ‘perfect’ way for employers to interact with specialist companies like Tradeline Recruitment?
In an ideal scenario we would have exclusivity with all of our clients, with freely open channels of communication throughout the entire process. The reality is that this is very difficult. What we would ask, is for there to be the utmost honesty in the relationship. The more we know the easier it becomes to find the right candidate and ensure that all parties are happy. Whilst we try to understand client difficulties it would also be good if our clients understood the difficulties we face as a recruiter on a daily basis. Nobody can offer a perfect, fault-free service but what we can offer is total honesty and transparency.
Is there something about your approach to clients and applicants that you are most proud of?
Going back to my days as a consultant my biggest mantra was respect, honesty and communication. In my early career I hated the way some of my more senior colleagues would treat their clients like kings, but not their candidates. Since setting up on our own in 2008 I have tried to instil these beliefs in all of our staff. We are only ever as good as the people (candidates) we represent and it is imperative we treat them with respect and honesty throughout the process. Treating people properly ensures long-standing relationships, many candidates have become clients and vice versa over the years, and these relationships throughout the company are something that I am continually proud of.
For potential employees, does showing an interest in jobs in this sector always require qualifications and experience of a particular kind?
Yes, prior construction knowledge might be advantageous for a potential Tradeline employee but the recruitment, sales and service process is the key to being successful in the job. At Tradeline, we have a real mixed bag of previous experience. Some from strong recruitment and sales backgrounds, a few university graduates and others from a trade or connected construction background! The latter prove to be just as prosperous and important to the environment that we have created here. Personality and work ethic is key, whilst qualifications and an academic background can help they are by no means a necessity.
For young people applying for their first job, how much of an advantage does having internship/work placement on the CV give?
Every bit of experience you gain in life is vital. Even now I look back on my school work experience placement and vocational roles I had in the retail and airline sectors (alongside my studies) and recall lessons that these experiences taught me.
What are your predictions for the next 12 months in the industry jobs market?
We’d all love to have a crystal ball to be able to answer this!! I do expect Brexit to have an effect and predict the first quarter of 2019 to be a tougher one. Assuming that by 29 March we finally know what is happening then the second quarter may also remain difficult as the country comes to terms with the effects of the Brexit changes. Most clients we talk to still feel very buoyant though and I expect the second half of the year to be really busy and for construction and recruitment within this sector to really thrive.
