What Good Candidates In Renewables Are Saying To Recruiters

INTRODUCTION

As a professional recruiter, it’s my job to listen to good candidates carefully.  I’d like to know why they might consider a new employer. If I get the right information, it makes it easier for both candidate and client to come to terms for a new job.

Moreover, good candidates have choices. They are generally highly regarded by their present employer.  A new employer that offers improvement  in one or more of the areas of concern discussed below will be successful in hiring them away..  A present employer who pays attention to these will be more successful in employee retention.

I have also found that firms don’t “sell” candidates on the key elements of job satisfaction or concerns.  At the very least, hiring managers should know how to take advantage of job concerns for potential employees.

There are five different things that might drive candidates to new employers. These are the five in decreasing order of importance.

Normally, there’s one or two of the five that might be key.  Note—compensation is generally  the lowest  in importance.

1) work content

2) reporting relationships

3) opportunities for advancement

4) work environment

5) income/compensation plan.

Work Content—what is their job, and how challenging, dull or exciting is it.  Does the firm’s business model work well in the current competitive environment?

Reporting Relationships—Do they like/respect their boss and the management team?  Do they think that their boss is looking out for them?

Opportunity for Advancement---What does the candidate BELIEVE about opportunities where she/he is?

Work Environment—Is the firm a pleasant place to work?  Are co-workers good to be around? How political is the atmosphere?

Income/Compensation ---Does the employee feel that compensation is competitive? Is one rewarded for  individual achievement?.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

Work content is the top issue I hear about from candidates in the renewables world.

A major concern about the work environment from developers looking for new jobs is SUPPORT.    In their present company, they feel as if they could be far more productive if they had some type of help on a daily basis.

This might be as simple as an admin person to handle some of the details of filing regulatory items.  Or, it might be some person to talk to about the legal issues relevant to a project they’re working on.

The current job definition of most developers, even in the largest firms, is very broad-ranging.  It includes permitting, regulatory, engineering design, engineering, project management---it’s an extremely long list of possible duties.

Larger firms have more departments devoted to support, but larger firms have more people that need this support.  So, size of firm doesn’t automatically mean better support for the ground troops.

WHAT MANAGERS SHOULD CONSIDER DOING

First, they should ask what their people need in terms of support. Second, they should get involved to see if the need is legitimate and if the support might be truly available at the moment, but not being requested in a way that is appropriate.

If you just ask “do you need more support?, you will always hear “yes.”  So, maybe ask what are the five most important support items you need, and rank them in order of importance.  Which of them might you trade for the others?

As a field manager in several roles in my past, my teams really appreciated my calling headquarters to bring in more firepower.  And as a HQ type, I’ve had to field those inquiries and can assure that it’s really appreciated when it is supplied on a timely basis.

Also, I started my career in attitude research conducting confidential job satisfaction studies among the staffs of major US corporations.  It’s amazing what you can find out about the firm and how it could do a better job for its employees without more costs by asking.

A BIGGER FIX

Is to do a bit of job re-design, perhaps shrinking the role of the developer by not having them do new business development.  As companies have grown in size, many have begun to separate new business development from project development.  

Even without growth in size, there are ways to separate functions including hiring some consulting help and other paths to improved support.

We have begun to ask candidates how their companies provide support  (good and bad), and it’s given us some ideas to pass along to clients.  Please ask if you’re interested.

Charles R. Bamford,  Managing Partner

Rockwood Energy Search LLC

crbamford@rockwoodenergysearch.com

(212) 744-0905