[2006 State of the Industry] Recruitment Issues Concern PCOs

Recruitment and hiring of employees at all levels seems to be a universal concern among PCOs. Close to half of PCOs surveyed, or 48 percent, said it’s more difficult to recruit employees today than it was 12 months ago.

And interviews of PCOs from coast to coast indicate the same thing: recruiting technicians, as well as sales and management staff, is one of the industry’s biggest challenges. And with unemployment at low levels in many areas, PCOs say, the problem only gets worse.

Rick Rogers, Myers Pest & Termite Services, Bedford, Texas, observed, "Our biggest concern has been finding middle and upper management that can help us continue to grow the business and help us maintain our service quality." He said while the company has been able to fill technician positions pretty easily, it has had a tougher time finding salespeople and managers. "We want a branch manager to operate entrepreneurially," he explained. While the company likes to promote from within, he said, finding that type of individual sometimes requires outsourcing. The company also uses personality profiling systems to assist in selecting individuals with certain qualities, Rogers said.

Louis Taranto, president, Tonto Pest Control, Brooklyn, N.Y., is concerned about finding quality technicians. "It’s hard to find a good technician, in New York especially," Taranto said.

And in Southern California, the high cost of homes is wreaking havoc on some PCOs’ ability to fill positions. "In California, we’re struggling finding people," said Debbie Byrne, vice president and general manager of Western Exterminator Company, based in Anaheim, Calif. Byrne says with the median statewide price for homes close to $500,000, many of the company’s technicians can’t afford to live there, particularly in the Southern California metro area. And that’s an area where a lot of the company’s business is located.

"I’ve lost a number of good employees this year that have left because of the cost of living," said Byrne. These people often move into areas such as Nevada, where they can afford to buy homes. In other cases, technicians will find affordable housing but it’s up to an hour’s drive away from their job.

RECRUITING METHODS. Byrne says Western uses all of the standard recruiting methods such as newspaper ads, job fairs and Web sites, but its most successful hiring strategy comes through referrals from current employees. "We really lean on and look to our people to be our recruiting army for us," said Byrne, "and that’s where we get our most successful applicants." Toward that end, the company has a program where each employee carries "Career Opportunity" business cards and recruitment brochures. Employees are encouraged to distribute the referral cards to friends, family members and relatives, who might be good candidates. If the candidate is hired, the referring employee then receives a referral bonus.

Byrne says the one thing the company does not do is actively recruit employees from other pest control companies. She points out that the company’s excellent reputation means Western has no trouble attracting people from within the industry. But ultimately, Byrne notes, "you have to recruit from outside your industry."

Referrals are also the number one method of recruiting for Western Pest Services, Parsippany, N.J., said Jeff Palko, staffing manager. The company, which is a subsidiary of Rollins, uses what it calls the GEM Card Program, with GEM standing for "Great Employee Material." All associates are given GEM Cards, which are small business cards promoting employment at Western. When they encounter someone providing exceptional customer service, they are to give the prospective employee a card. The candidate receives an automatic interview, and a referral fee is paid to the employee if the individual is hired.

Palko says the company is constantly soliciting its staff to bring in people like themselves. Even new hires at Western are asked to provide a few referrals.

Some other strategies at Western include contacting companies which have recently had lay-offs (to attract displaced workers) and working with staffing firms. The company also works with placement officers from all four branches of the military to attract individuals who are transitioning back into civilian life.

Palko observes that a main staple of recruiting for the industry has become online employment sites, such as CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com, however, he notes it cannot be the only way. One problem with this method, he says, is that individuals who may not be well versed in computers may be missed. "So you may not hit all the people you need," he said.

Palko says difficulty in hiring differs greatly within his territory, depending on unemployment levels in those areas. But he notes hiring is more difficult today than it was a year ago. "The economy is doing pretty well at this point and there are less seasoned sales people or sales managers currently available in the market," Palko said.