How to Find and Hire Qualified Commercial Electricians: A Contractor's Guide

For any commercial electrical project to go well, it's important to hire the right electricians for the job. Many commercial electrical contractors may have a general idea of the hiring options that are out there, but this article will explain and expand on those options, giving you a full picture of how you may want to go about the hiring process.

Overall, there are several hiring options for electrical subcontractors, and each has its own pros and cons. Here is a quick overview guide that lays out the most popular choices, allowing you pick the method that fits your project needs and resources the best.

Exploring Commercial Electrician Hiring Options

Partnering with Electrical Staffing Agencies

When you need extra hands on deck quickly, staffing agencies are a solid option for filling those labor gaps. Electrical staffing agencies have a roster of pre-vetted electricians ready to start immediately, helping you keep your project on track without any delays.

• Quick Access to Pre-Vetted Electricians: Staffing firms connect you with commercial electricians who have already been screened and are ready to work right away.
• Flexibility: Scale your team up or down based on project demands, giving you the flexibility to handle any situation.
• Potential Higher Costs: While convenient, using staffing agencies can be more expensive compared to direct hiring due to service fees, so be sure to check the costs and hourly markups align with your project budget.

Before choosing a staffing agency, ask about their vetting process to see if matches your standards and project’s needs. Additionally, review any terms, fees or contractual obligations carefully to make an informed decision.

Leveraging Online Job Boards for Recruitment

For a cost-effective approach to finding qualified commercial electricians, posting job listings on online job boards like indeed, or electrical industry-specific platforms like Buildforce can be an excellent option. These platforms allow you reach a local talent pool of electricians actively seeking work. You can specify skills, years of experience and other important job description qualifications when you create your own job listings.

• Local Talent Pool: Receive applications from commercial electricians in your area who are actively looking for work.
• Cost-Effective: Typically cheaper than staffing agencies, making it a more budget-friendly option
• Vetting Process: Be prepared to set aside time to review applications and interview candidates.

Buildforce makes this easier by automatically notifying qualified electricians about your job post, and a dedicated Buildforce Account Executive helps you find the right candidates quickly. The power is then in your hands to approve each candidate based on their profile statistics.

Investing in Apprenticeship Programs for Long-Term Workforce Development

A long-term plan for building a skilled workforce of commercial electricians can be investing in apprenticeship programs. When looking for apprentices, many electrical contractors hire people from local trade schools or union apprenticeship programs. This gives you a chance to train and develop electricians to your standards.

While apprenticeship programs require a longer-term commitment and investment in training, they can be a cost-effective way to cultivate a talented pool of electricians for your future commercial projects. However, it's important to note that the availability of apprentices may be limited, and you may need to plan ahead to secure suitable candidates.

• Custom Training: Apprenticeships allow you to train electricians according to your specific needs.
• Long-Term Investment: Although it requires a long-term commitment, it’s a budget-friendly way to secure skilled workers.
• Limited Availability: The availability of apprentices may be limited so plan ahead to secure suitable candidates.

Utilizing Professional Networks and Word-of-Mouth Referrals

For commercial electrical work, sometimes the best electricians come through personal recommendations. Leveraging your professional network can lead to trusted and reliable workers.

• Industry Connections: Experienced electricians often get jobs through referrals from contractors and industry contacts.
• Trusted Recommendations: Word-of-mouth referrals give you insight into an electrician's work quality, professionalism, and reliability.
• Limited Availability: This method depends on your existing network and may be limited.

Building and keeping strong relationships in your professional network leads to more word-of-mouth referrals. Strengthen your network by attending industry events, joining trade associations, and building good working relationships with contractors, suppliers, and other professionals in your field.

Collaborating with Local Electrical Unions

Contacting local electrical workers' unions can be a good way for contractors to find skilled and trained commercial electricians to hire. Union electricians usually get the same training and are paid the same amount every time. This makes sure that qualifications and pay are always the same.

• Union Electricians: Local electrical workers' unions can help contractors hire union electricians for commercial projects.
• Standardized Training and Wages: Training is usually standardized, and pay rates are set.
• Union Regulations: Be prepared to follow union rules, regulations and collective bargaining agreements.

Before working with local unions, it's important to fully understand the rules and any fees or costs that might come with hiring union electricians. Also, be ready to learn how to use the union's processes and procedures so that adding union electricians to your commercial electrical project goes smoothly.

Remember that how you hire people can make a big difference in the quality of the work, how quickly the project is finished, and how well it goes overall.