Recruiting in the Industrial Sector
And the Skills You Need as a Candidate
New challenges face the global manufacturing industry as it evolves. While leaders navigate the supply chain, recruitment is another focus for many companies. Many roles in the industrial sector require technical knowledge and experience, which can make recruiting the right candidate a challenge. We talked to our HR teams around the world about recruiting in the industrial sector and what they look for in candidates for the technical roles they are looking for.
Trends in Recruiting for Industrial Sector Jobs
Some of the top trends in recruitment span the globe, with remote work, employer branding and technology being important no matter which country our teams are recruiting from.
"Working from home emerged in India as a major trend in talent acquisition.
Artificial intelligence in recruitment will be one of the best HR trends in the future, and its presence will become widespread. Companies will use it to source candidates, parse resumes and onboard candidates with more ease and accuracy.
More focus on diversity and inclusion candidates that can be easily sourced for niche skills.
Reskilling and internal mobility will make it easy to find the right talents internally and make use of them appropriately, instead of searching for candidates from outside the company.
Sustainable employee well-being, as well as rewards and recognitions to retain talents, will help make a company appealing to candidates.
Having a strong employer brand in the market can attract new talent."
- Paul Pandi, HR Manager at Radiall Bangalore
"The latest recruiting trends are very different from previous years, as we are experiencing more uncertain times than ever.
Millennials are already the largest workforce, and Generation Z is joining its slightly older counterparts. As the youth will soon become the principal generation in the world of work, recruiters will have to adjust their recruitment strategies and campaigns for these two generations.
Remote work and flexible schedules are more in demand after the pandemic. Potential candidates want to see a focus on health and the value of wellbeing. However, keeping workers engaged in the new environment is challenging, so there is a focus on the employer experience.
Employer branding is one of the most significant recruitment trends that every firm should pay attention to, since every job applicant examines a company's reputation and brand before applying for a position.
While this is one of those recruiting trends of the last few years, we will see a rise in HR technology, such as upgraded applicant tracking software, recruiting systems and onboarding platforms."
- Elizabeth Aguilar, HR Manager at Radiall Obregon
"Candidates have more and more expectations than just salary, including well-being at work, work-life balance and CSR commitment. Candidates are looking for an easy way to apply for jobs. Lengthy application processes for recruitment slow down applications."
- Carole Michalland, HR Manager at Radiall Isle D’Abeau
Challenges in Industrial Sector Recruitment
As with anything, there are unique challenges that face HR professionals recruiting for industrial sector jobs. Sometimes, those challenges are related to the technical skill sets needed for success in this industry, while others are related to the recruitment process itself.
"There is sometimes high expertise and specialized knowledge needed for some specific positions that are not found locally. Attracting candidates with expertise and seniority is complex for some locations. External candidates require flexible work modalities and have high salary expectations. There can also be little attractiveness in the region to attract external candidates."
- Elizabeth Aguilar, HR Manager at Radiall Obregon
"There is high competition on the job market and high salary demands. We need to highlight our advantages (with flexible working hours, teleworking, a commitment to CSR, etc.)."
- Carole Michalland, HR Manager at Radiall Isle D’Abeau
"Candidates may withdraw the offer letter during their notice period, as good candidates are often contacted regularly by recruiters. Sometimes candidate profiles are suitable for the vacancy, but they don’t meet the requirements during a technical interview, which is time wasted for both the recruitment team and the candidate. Very good candidates may have salary expectations that are very high, especially in niche positions that may be beyond the budget for the role. This can be quite a challenge for salary negotiation. Sometimes, we receive the same candidate profile from multiple external recruitment consultants simultaneously, which makes reviewing profiles repetitive."
- Paul Pandi, HR Manager at Radiall Bangalore
Skills to Develop When Finding a Job in the Industrial Sector
If you are interested in finding a job in the industrial sector, our HR team has compiled a list of the top skills they look for in candidates for technical industry positions.
"Technical skills adapted to the company's needs, but also soft skills like teamwork, communication, creativity, adaptability and dynamism."
- Carole Michalland, HR Manager at Radiall Isle D’Abeau
“These are the top 10 skills we look for in candidates.
- Very good communication skills
- Leadership skills
- Teamwork and interpersonal skills
- Self-management skills
- Strong technical skills
- Problem-solving techniques
- Out-of-the-box thinking
- Adoptability
- Highly ethical standards and integrity
- High potential”
- Paul Pandi, HR Manager at Radiall Bangalore
“Regarding our industry, specialty and expertise are really important to evaluate during the recruitment process; however, soft skills in this new environment are really important to make a hiring decision.
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Creativity
- Interpersonal skills
- Work ethic
- Resilience”
- Elizabeth Aguilar, HR Manager at Radiall Obregon
