Attending or hosting a career day is a great way to recruit workers for your business! From students just starting to plan for their future to veterans looking for rewarding career opportunities, there are a number of potential recruits just waiting to hear what the p-h-c industry has to offer.
Career days occur all the time in many different venues with varying audiences. Some possible opportunities include:
- Schools (elementary to high school)
- Community Colleges
- Trade Schools
- Scouting Meetings
- Orphanages and Foster Care Organization (give them a bright alternative to a college education!)
- Military Organizations (including your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Local Fairs
Can’t find a ready-made career day? You can always host one at your business! Many PHCC contractors have hosted their own career day events with great success!
Start by building relationships. Create a school/work partnership with schools in your area. Schedule a meeting with other contractors to meet with key educators in your area. Seek out school counselors to present the positive aspects of a p-h-c career path. Help them along and demonstrate the proven success of life in the trades. Participate in curriculum development in high schools, trade schools, and community colleges.
At the same time, reach out to other organizations in your area, like the Scouts, Veterans, job fairs, etc., to investigate ways you can partner with them.
Once you identify a career day opportunity that is best for you, be ready to let your enthusiasm come through. When it comes time to “make your pitch,” make your presentation fun and speak from the heart.
- Include visuals in any promotional materials you use. People respond more to pictures, videos and interactive activities than just words.
- Bring products you stock and/or tools and let them try them out.
- Be sure to consider the age of your audience and have proper safety precautions in place.
- Adjust your pitch to match your audience. If you’re speaking to young students, for example, explain in basic terms how “p-h-c systems are part of every home, building, sports stadium and school.”
- Use your surroundings! For example, if you’re in a classroom that has a sink with an exposed piping system underneath, use that to explain drainage and supply.
- Give your audience a glimpse into all that’s involved in a “day in the life” of your job.
- Pump up the benefits!
- Explain the multiple career opportunities in your profession, from technicians and project managers to technical writers, marketing managers, and accountants.
- Show the variety of skills needed, such as analyzing and solving problems; using computers and diagnostic equipment; and working independently.
- Explain job security, salaries, career ladder and benefits.
- Show the importance of the p-h-c industry to the health and safety of your community … and the world (protecting water supplies, preserving energy resources, etc.). Explain, for example, that “plumbers do more than fix a leaky toilet.
- Share success stories.
Be sure you have a way for both you and your audience to follow up with each other.
- Make sure you have plenty of business cards available.
- Have a mechanism for the audience to provide their contact information for you to follow-up.
- Bring giveaways! This could include information on your company, business cards and items with your company logo and website (screwdriver, tape measure, etc.)
- Send thank-you notes to both attendees and those who helped you arrange the event (school administrators, guidance counselors, etc.). Encourage the educators to save your information for future events. Ask for any feedback of your participation and suggestions for future events.
- Invite attendees to visit your business and/or shadow you for a day.
- Send a press release and photos to local media and post information on social media. You may reach other potential recruits, plus you’ll gain great exposure for your company.