Construction 101: On hiring workers

Reddy Kancharla got his master’s in civil engineering from Texas Tech University at Lubbock and has since had a long career in civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction QA/QC spanning 25 years. He also has more than a decade of senior management experience. Some of the projects he has worked on include numerous high-rise buildings in New York City, the USTA National Tennis Center, Yankee Stadium, the Giants/Jets Stadium, and Terminals 1, 4, 5, and 7 of the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport.

This past year, Reddy Kancharla has kept himself busy by writing and releasing several blogs on various sites to help educate readers on the finer points of construction and engineering. The topics of these blogs range from insights on what the future of construction could look like to the requirements of becoming a geotechnical engineer to construction engineering management.

However, for this blog, Reddy Kancharla tackles one of the more overlooked yet significant parts of construction management – hiring workers.

First, it’s important to remember that ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, hiring anyone has posed a challenge to just about any business, construction included. With that in mind, there are still pillars and principles to follow. Reddy Kancharla shares his thoughts on the matter.

On job postings

The right job posting will attract the best construction workers for the tasks ahead. Ads should be specific and clear enough to catch the attention of workers who possess the abilities and characteristics needed in the type of work offered.

On tapping networks

The first step, Reddy Kancharla mentions, is to ask key figures in the company about the details of the job and what kind of workers they need. They can also reach out to long-time clients, company employees, and other people connected to the company to help get the word and find suitable construction workers through their networks.

On references

Reddy Kancharla emphasizes the importance of reference. Anyone tasked to interview applicants should ask for the reference list as well as the contact information of their past clients and employers. These references can give the company a clearer picture of who they are potentially hiring and may find important information that isn’t on a resume, information such as performance and work ethic.

What about you? Do you know of any good tips when hiring workers? Feel free to share them with Reddy Kancharla in the comments section below.