The “new normal” is an adjustment for everyone when it comes to the hiring process. The best tools anyone can utilize during this period are flexibility, patience, and understanding as both candidates and hiring managers do their best to move forward safely and efficiently.

Five years ago, we used the hard-earned wisdom of the past to look at recruitment strategies, ideal workforce target groups, and significant trends that would impact the future of the industry. We have seen many of our recommended strategies pay dividends to companies that utilized them. Looking forward to 2025, the most important piece of advice we can offer is this: expect the unexpected.

There are three common misconceptions about working with recruiters. It’s important to know that the right recruiters are in the relationship-building and career-building business. The best way to ensure a successful and rewarding working relationship with a recruiter is to do research, plan ahead, and be patient.

At Kimmel & Associates, we have a unique perspective on the construction industry. This perspective is informed in part by the thousands of conversations that our consultants engage in every year with construction professionals across the country. Our goal is to use the information we gather from these conversations to serve the industry.

There’s a way to make both relocation and changing jobs a simpler and more positive experience: reach out and talk to a recruiter. There’s no risk to connecting with a recruiter in a new market and exploring how they might be able to help during a relocation.

During the hiring process, small details matter just as much as the big picture. A company might have all the “big” boxes checked off for a potential recruit, but if they don’t focus on the little things that make a recruit feel special, they might lose out on top talent.

Making a career change on someone else's timeline never benefits you. By exploring job opportunities before it's necessary for you to change jobs, you put yourself in the driver’s seat of your career. In some cases, 'if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it' might be great advice, but when it comes to your career - fix it before it breaks!

Bad interviews can prevent even great companies from making key hires. But by putting in the effort and treating every interview as a top priority, managers can open up doors to top talent across the market.

Relocation is a major life change that may seem daunting. But in many cases, it can be the key to unlocking life-changing career opportunities.