Employees are in short supply these days, especially in blue-collar industries. But finding the right team members doesn’t have to drain your resources — it just requires a little creativity.
That's why we've compiled this massive list of 113 ways to find potential candidates for your open positions! You'll find 81 ideas on the list that are completely free or very low cost, and 32 options that could fit even a modest budget.
No matter what size your business is, scroll down for creative ideas to find the talent you’re looking for ⬇️
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
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Free & Low-Cost Methods
Paid Methods
Adjust Internal Processes to Become More Appealing to Candidates
77. Offer job shadowing opportunities to give potential candidates a taste of the job
78. Proudly display the salary range & benefits for your open positions to stand out from the competition
79. Start an in-house apprenticeship program to attract unskilled talent and train them from scratch
80. Offer flexible work arrangements to attract candidates who value work-life balance
81. Offer remote work options to attract candidates from other regions
Integrate Recruiting Throughout the Business
74. Record an “on-hold” message that describes current open positions and the benefits of working at your company
75. Put a link to your careers page in your email signature with a call-to-action to apply for open positions
76. Add information about open positions and a hiring call-to-action on your invoices/receipts
1. Add a careers page to your company website
2. Add a hiring banner to your website homepage
3. Write a blog post about the benefits of working for your company
4. Publish cheat sheets or checklists on your website for people who might be interested in a career in your industry and collect their email address to download it
On the Company Website
On Social Media
5. Film your own recruiting video and share it everywhere
6. Search for people on Reddit by location or trade/industry
7. Update all your social media bios to include info about open positions
9. Change your social media banners/cover photos to a custom graphic that says “We’re Hiring” and update the “call to action” buttons
10. Brag about your top employees on social media to boost your company culture and attract candidates organically
11. Interview your employees on Facebook Live
12. Share Facebook and Instagram Stories of your employees talking about what it’s like to work for your company
13. Create a TikTok account and post videos showcasing your company culture and job openings
14. Host an “Ask Me Anything”/Q&A on Facebook Live or YouTube Live about what it’s like to work at your company
15. Create a YouTube channel sharing information about getting started in your field to attract interested candidates
16. Join local Facebook groups and share that you’re hiring
17. Join job-seeker Facebook groups and share that you’re hiring
18. Join Facebook groups related to your trade/industry and share that you’re hiring
19. Search on LinkedIn by occupation and then send a connection request and personal message to potential passive candidates
20. Search on Instagram by hashtag related to your industry and then follow and send a DM to potential passive candidates
Customer Referrals
21. Send a newsletter to your customer email list outlining your open positions
22. Send a text to your customer list announcing that you’re hiring & linking to your careers page
23. Leave a hiring flyer with every happy customer to share with friends or family
24. Offer a discount to customers who bring you applicants
Employee Referrals
25. Start an employee referral program
26. Promote from within
27. Cross-train your employees in different roles/departments
28. Create a point system and “gamify” your employee referral program for more engagement
29. Promote someone in-house to the position of “recruiter” and task them with year-round outreach
>> WATCH: How to get more out of your employee referral program
Existing Candidate Pool
30. Revisit old resumes from past applicants
31. Contact ex-employees that you would like to rehire
Around Town
32. Pass out business cards and job applications at supply houses
33. Wear your company’s branded gear everywhere
34. Attend local networking events and bring applications
35. Leave a hiring flyer on your competitor's truck windshields
36. Hang out in hardware stores and give a hiring flyer to anyone who seems competent with tools
37. Put up hiring flyers around town
38. Get referrals from your local BNI group
39. Contact local trade unions
40. Look on Thumbtack or TaskRabbit for people offering handyman services or other services related to your industry and contact them
"We're Hiring" Signage
41. Stock up on branded “We’re Hiring” yard signs to leave in every customer’s yard
42. Get a custom “We’re Hiring” magnet and place it on all your company vehicles
43. Add a hiring call-to-action on the back of your business card design and get new ones printed for all employees to hand out
44. Print door hangers and have employees hang them on neighboring doors while at residential job sites
45. Hang a vinyl "We're Hiring" banner on all your big job sites
Generate Media Coverage
46. Offer to be a guest expert on local podcasts and discuss hiring
47. Offer to be a guest expert on local radio shows and discuss hiring
48. Contact your local newspaper/news channel to be a source on segments regarding labor shortages or other employment issues
49. Partner with local influencers to get the word out
50. Write an article for any relevant trade journals to get more exposure
51. Write a guest blog for any relevant websites in your industry for more exposure
Host Events
52. Host a charity event or volunteer day to showcase your company's values and attract candidates who share those values
53. Hold monthly open houses & invite anyone with a resume to apply, interview, & get hired on the same day
54. Host a "speed networking" event where job seekers can meet with hiring managers for brief interviews
55. Host an online or in-person DIY workshop and recruit anyone who has a knack for what you’re teaching
Partner with Schools
56. Contact your local college/university career center
57. Post hiring ads on local college/university job boards
58. Contact local high school skills centers
59. Contact local trade schools
60. Sponsor local high school sports/theater/clubs, etc. and put a hiring ad on their programs, flyers, brochures, etc.
Partner with Organizations Supporting Minority & Disadvantaged Groups
61. Contact local veteran organizations
62. Contact local women or diversity organizations
63. Contact local reentry programs that specialize in helping people with a criminal history find work
64. Connect with local non-profits that specialize in helping people get back to work
Partner With Vendors, Suppliers & Non-Competitors
65. Contact your suppliers or vendors to spread the word for you
66. Create relationships for referrals with non-competitors in complementary trades/industries
67. Contact local general contractors and tell them about your open positions
Leverage Job Boards
68. Post your job ad on Indeed
69. Post your job ad on Google for Jobs
70. Post your job ad on LinkedIn
71. Post your job ad on Craigslist
72. Find niche-specific job boards that cater to your industry and post your job ads there
73. Get reviews from current employees on your Indeed, Glassdoor, CareerBliss, etc. to make your company more enticing for job seekers
Miscellaneous
109. Hire a professional videographer to film a recruiting video and share it everywhere
110. Purchase a list of technicians that passed their certification tests in your industry and contact them directly
111. Hire specialized recruiters for your trade/industry
112. Use local temp/staffing agencies
113. Commission a mural that promotes your brand and highlights employees/culture
Traditional & Digital Advertising
83. Create a radio ad to promote that you’re hiring
84. Pay for advertising at a local amphitheater
85. Pay for advertising at a local fairground
86. Run Google ads in neighboring cities or states and offer a relocation bonus
87. Place an ad in the local newspaper
88. Place an ad in neighborhood magazines
89. Place an ad in your industry trade journals
90. Run hiring ads on social media and YouTube
91. Advertise on public transportation
92. Run hiring ads in neighboring cities, counties, and states and offer a relocation bonus
93. Run a direct mail postcard campaign promoting you’re hiring
94. Pay for an ad in the local high school yearbook
95. Pay for a billboard on a major freeway
82. Use retargeting ads to reach people with the same demographics as your current and past employees using their email address
Attend Events & Conferences
96. Participate in trade shows and industry events and bring applications
97. Attend job fairs
98. Join a virtual Meetup that’s local or related to your trade/industry
Sponsor an Event or Organization
99. Sponsor local semi-pro sports teams and put your hiring ad at their stadium
100. Sponsor local clubs or community organizations and put a hiring ad on their resources and marketing materials
101. Sponsor a 5k or other marathon
102. Sponsor a bike-share program in your city and include your website’s career page on the bike wrap
103. Donate to local charity organizations in exchange for promoting that you’re hiring
Incentivize Referrals with Prizes
104. Use various softwares and prizes to “gamify” your recruitment efforts for more engagement
105. Host a contest on your social media pages and give a gift card to whoever brings you the best applicant
Invest in Technology
106. Add a chatbot on your website to answer job-related questions instantly
107. Add a chatbot on your social media profiles to answer job-related questions instantly
108. Use software like TeamEngine to automate and simplify your hiring process so it's easier for you to manage, and more efficient for applicants to apply
If you're looking to streamline your hiring process and save your HR team valuable time, look no further than Team Engine! Designed specifically for blue-collar industries like construction, manufacturing, and the home services, Team Engine can:
How Team Engine Can Save You Money & Reduce Hiring Headaches
Post jobs on multiple job boards with one click
Sift through resumes to find the best-qualified candidates
Pre-screen candidates with automated assessments
Schedule interviews automatically to keep the process moving quickly
Communicate with candidates throughout the process to keep them engaged
Track the progress of each applicant to make sure no one falls through the cracks
Generate detailed reports to help you make data-driven hiring decisions
By eliminating these manual tasks, you'll save invaluable time and reduce labor costs in the process. Give Team Engine a try today and see the benefits for yourself.
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Need help with the heavy lifting?
Team Engine takes care of the tedious and repetitive parts of recruiting—like pre-screening applications, scheduling interviews, and keeping the candidate updated on progress—so that you can focus on making the right hires and taking care of the rest of your staff.