Minnesota Manufacturing: A Recruiter’s Perspective

The past few months have proved to be a difficult time for Minnesota manufacturers. According to the article posted below, manufacturers across the state are having trouble finding the skilled workers they need to fill their jobs. In a recent survey conducted by the state of Minnesota concerning the shortage of skilled workers, almost half cited that positions were unfilled due to a lack of skilled applicants and that the shortage of workers was a mild to serious problem in their company. This is indeed a serious problem for the manufacturers of Minnesota. Plants need the engineers and skilled laborers to continue production and keep the company afloat. Without these technical laborers, production in Minnesota won’t meet the needs of customers and businesses will go out of business.

From our vantage point, as a retained search firm that specializes in manufacturing, we’ve rarely seen organizations across the state with such a need for professional manufacturing talent. It’s clear from the data that MN manufacturers need to step up and compete for future business by looking at their workforce. We have already seen several companies in the same industry gain market share or go out of business due to their technical staff and production capabilities. MN manufacturers can improve their positions by identifying their pivotal workforce, identifying high potentials, creating succession plans and evaluating their workforce strategy. Now is the time to review all these areas as well as the employee brand, retention policies, employee training and total compensation packages. We highly recommend creating an alliance with professional services organizations that have the expertise and understanding of small to medium sized manufacturers to provide you with a marketplace advantage through your employees.

Here is a link to the article from myfox9.com: http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/job_shop/skilled-worker-shortage-mn-oct-24-2011

Written by: Sarah Tessien

A Plant Tour is Priceless for Candidates

After each search we realize how important access to information is for both ourselves and candidates. Many companies recruiting process ends up to be a one way street.   The more knowledge and information a candidate receives about the company and the position, the more they become engaged. For candidate, having an indepth understanding the company, processes and the people during the recruiting process is invaluable. Explaining a manufacturing process versus getting out on the floor and witnessing the process makes a world of a difference in the hiring process, benefiting both the client and candidate.

We have been working with a Sales Manager to hire a National Account Manager-OEM.  Our client is a distributor that provides industrial products as well as value added services. 

Assumption

All candidates understand our client’s business as well as we do, so there is no need to explain much of what we do, who we serve and why clients want our products and services.

Problem

Candidates were having difficulty understanding what does our client really do and what are these “value add services." Candidates consistently asked, “So you mean this” or “they do that” and “I am not sure if I am technical enough for this position”.  Many times they were off the mark

Minor Details

• Sales Manager travels regularly
• Client’s HQ is in the Twin Cities
• Position is in Northern IL area territory.
• Service center is in Northern IL
• Candidates live throughout the U.S.

Solution

Because of logistics, hours and hours have been spent on the phone, in coffee shops and restaurants in the middle of nowhere - together Sales Manager and candidates discussing the position without seeing the operation. Our Client’s Operations Manager created a presentation demonstrating our client’s value-add capabilities.  This document was originally used to communicate capabilities in the sales process.  You know “Engineer to Engineer” or “Real cost savings to the Procurement Dept” stuff.  He took the initiative to develop this “360 view of the backroom” and present it in a Powerpoint.  Now we can step through the presentation and describe exactly what our client does to add value to the distribution process without actually visiting the facility.  Once there is a mutual interest, he provides a “Hands-on” Operations tour for our candidates. 

Conclusion

Giving candidates the opportunity to visualize in the presentation and visit the plant to understand the value proposition of your products/services is invaluable.

Additional Benefits

1. Self-filters candidate in/out of the recruiting process
2. Sells the opportunity –from the presentation and tour candidates can easily see the opportunity to sell these services
3. You can observe very quickly if candidate can see themselves in the role