The difference between a person who is ordinary and one who is extraordinary is someone who goes the extra mile, thinks outside of the box, takes calculated risks, and is willing to push beyond the realm of comfort.

As a residential electrical contractor, you want your staff to consist of extraordinary technicians. Needless to say, achieving this can be a challenge when you’re wading through a sea of lackluster job candidates. So exactly how do you attract the cream of the crop when you’re seeking new talent? First, start by asking yourself if you’d want to be an electrician at your company if someone else is running it the way you do. Do you follow the Golden Rule by treating others the way you want to be treated? Abiding by this simple principle can pave the way for long-lasting relationships and make it more attractive for the right talent to find you. Find you? Yes, great technicians know where to look when they’re seeking to start or advance their careers. However, you must make sure you’re in the places they are looking. How does this happen? As I’ve often said, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan. Almost everyone wants success, but only a few companies have the drive — and the team needed — to get where they want it to be. If you’re interested in putting together an outstanding workforce, then read through the following recommendations that have helped me throughout my career in the residential electrical contracting business:

1. Be a professional company. Establish a legitimate office space. Incorporate the use of uniforms so everyone looks the part. Make sure you follow all OSHA requirements for your business. People want to know they are safe on the job.

2. Have a clear career path laid out for each tech you hire or plan to hire. Let employees know where they can expect to be professionally in one, two, and even five years.

3. Offer outstanding training and development. This is a major attraction for both potential and current employees, and it assures you they will excel/continue to excel at what they do. Some people believe if they train their workers well, then those workers will take the training they receive and go to work for a competitor. Although this can happen, the opposite is more likely to occur: Poorly trained employees will stay with your company and make your life difficult. Counter this by holding weekly and monthly training opportunities to keep your employees in constant development.

4. Create an atmosphere conducive for personal and financial growth. Offer incentive plans and bonuses. In addition, encourage employees to plan and take vacations. Better yet, pay them for the week or two they are gone. Make sure they know you value their time, and be sure to respect their personal time away from the company.

5. Provide enough work for your techs to perform. Following this practice is crucial for retaining top-notch employees. The easiest way to lose techs is by not keeping their work consistent. Added benefits include decreased negativity and increased morale.

6. Place word at the local supply house that you are looking for reliable, hard-working, clean-cut techs. The supplier can be your best friend when it comes to sending you potential employees.

These are just a few ideas to help you find and retain the right talent. And never forget that as a manager, this is one of your main job functions.                                                

Talbot is a licensed, master electrician in Georgia, where he was born and raised. He has been in the industry for 19 years and is currently the operations manager for Mister Sparky Atlanta, where he oversees a team of technicians. In his spare time, he plays with his kids, volunteers, and enjoys flipping houses. He can be reached at [email protected].