Tips on Hiring College Students This Summer

Summer is just around the corner, and for many construction firms, that means the beginning of busy season! When scheduling gets tight, the more hands on deck, the better. What better source of seasonal help is there than college students? They have a higher level of maturity than high school students while also remaining young, energetic, and inexpensive. (If you are tempted to hire a high school student for summer help, be sure to refer to this brochure from NIOSH.)

The though of bringing a young, inexperienced worker onboard can be nervewracking—so many things can go wrong! But by considering the following tips, risks can be minimized—but only if the right candidate is found and properly trained.

• Start the search early. The best summer job candidates are proactive and responsible, which means they will be joining the job market early. Other competitive employers are acting on this. Don’t find yourself scrambling for summer help when May rolls around!
• Look for candidates interested in construction. Students who are working toward a career in or related to the construction industry bring more to the table. They will be more interested and eager to learn than the student just working for extra cash. They may also bring more knowledge, which means a shorter learning curve.
• Use your network. Chances are, you have workers, friends, and family with college-aged kids. Ask them to share information about the position opening with their children. Children of your employees, friends, and family usually realize poor performance will reflect badly on their parents and work to avoid that uncomfortable situation.
• Involve your foreman. Your foreman is on the site all day, every day and will bring a unique viewpoint to the resume review and interview process. Involving your foreman will also show you respect their input and realize they want a voice in selecting a candidate who will be around all summer.
• Find a responsible student. All applicants will tell you they are responsible, but you need to dig deeper. Look at their grades and their extra-curricular activities. Be sure to reach out to their references and ask detailed questions to learn who is actually responsible.

With these tips, you should be able to hire a seasonal worker who can meaningfully contribute to your business. It can feel wasteful to invest in training for an employee who will only be on the job a few months, but proper instruction is essential. Construction is inherently dangerous, and these new employees lack experience on a jobsite. That can be a bad combination, but with proper job training and safety training, accidents are avoidable.