The market for forklift drivers is growing at a steady pace. Experts predict that the employment growth for forklift operator jobs will be 7% between now and 2030.
The demand exists in both the private and public sectors but finding the right warehouse employee is key to success. So, how can you create a competitive job offer that attracts the best forklift operator applicants in Greer SC?
Consider Existing Candidates
When attempting to hire a forklift operator in Greer, don't make the mistake of overlooking your existing pool of candidates. This can include past applicants you've interviewed but were passed over in favor of another candidate.
Reviewing past applicants can save you time and resources since they've already been reviewed. If you don't have past candidates, consider creating a system to mark rejected candidates for future job openings.
Encourage Referrals
Filling forklift operator jobs in Greer through referrals can be one of the best ways to hire people, especially if you have a referral program in place. A referral program offers an incentive to employees if their referral turns into a hire.
Some companies offer a financial incentive if the new hire lasts a certain amount of time. Existing warehouse employees will likely only refer the best candidates to obtain the referral bonus.
Learn the Market
If you don't have an existing pool of applicants and no referrals, you'll have to turn to the job market in Greer. Before posting forklift operator jobs, be sure to do your research and learn about the current job market.
This includes understanding forklift operator pay and other benefits. Without this information, it's more difficult to write an attractive job posting and make a competitive offer.
Optimize Job Ads
Your research is one part of optimizing job ads. The other is offering specific details. Create a list of specific skills needed for your company's forklift operations to limit the number of candidates.
Being too broad may attract more applicants, but many of them likely won't fit your company's needs. It's better and more cost-effective to take longer to hire the right people than it is to hire the wrong people quickly.
Include Qualifications
If you want to hire a forklift operator in Greer, consider which qualifications are essential for your company. If forklift certification is high on your list, don't try to expand your applicant pool by excluding this from your ad.
While it may take longer to find the right applicant, it will save you time from sifting through those that don't fit your needs.
Make Time for Hiring
Creating dedicated time for hiring may seem counterintuitive if you're trying to fill forklift operator jobs quickly. However, it can help you hire people faster by improving your response rate to applicants.
It's easy for great applicants to fall through the cracks if you're not paying attention or take too long to reply, and you could be missing out on some great candidates in the Greer area as a result. Dedicated time also means better quality time than rushing through applicants when you have a spare moment.
Streamline the Screening Process
Don't waste time bringing in every candidate for an interview. You can do this by implementing a pre-screening process. This can include preliminary questions to narrow the applicant pool.
The right questions give you a feel for the candidate's personality, work ethic, and skill. Only the best applicants should then be invited for an interview, while the rest can be marked for future opportunities.
Inclusive Interview Process
Another common timewaster during the hiring process is the interview process. Consider conducting interviews with all team members responsible for hiring, including human resources, hiring managers, and supervisors.
Scheduling one-on-one interviews wastes time, especially if one member rejects the applicant. Having one interviewer conduct the only interview is also problematic since you can't account for personality differences.
