ASA Research Uncovers Industry Perceptions from Job Seekers

ASA recently commissioned a research project to, in part, understand the perceptions job seekers have when considering the PHCP and PVF industry.  This research was completed as part of the association’s Project Talent initiative which seeks to attract job seekers to the industry and provide tools and resources to aid in members’ recruiting.

Information was gathered from more than 50 people including students or recent graduates, women, mid-career professionals and military veterans seeking private sector opportunities. After reviewing their thoughts and opinions, all respondents appeared to fit within one of the three following job seeking categories:

• Ambitious Achievers who seem to be primarily driven by specific goals or milestones they are looking to accomplish as a way of defining who they’ve become.
• Stability Seekers whose priority is improving their current way of life. Their job is a means to an end, rather than a primary source of identity.
• Open Explorers who approach their careers with a general direction based on interests and ability but don’t have a preconceived path or expectations about where it might lead.

When presented information about the PHCP/PVF industry, it was found that the people interviewed were generally open to the idea of working in the industry.  However, most were not aware of the industry or what it does.

Those respondents who expressed the most interest in working in the industry often fell into the stability seeker or open explorer mindsets.  These candidates recognized the long-term stability of the industry and stated that compensation, company culture, job function and responsibilities were the most important factors in considering an opportunity.

The majority of respondents interviewed indicated they would be willing to learn more about a job posting in this industry assuming the position is relevant, and compensation aligned to their needs.

Some respondents had relatives or people close to them who worked in the trades. For those people, that familiarity of what they did seemed to positively influence receptivity to working in the PHCP/PVF industry.

Oftentimes, the industry is portrayed as warehouse or warehouse-related work.  Despite this, most of the interviewees could imagine a relatively accurate depiction of the industry and expect an “organized,” “modern,” “clean” and “fast-paced” workplace environment.  What’s more is those seeking professional career paths wee able to separate the depiction of a warehouse environment from the environment in which they would be working.

Aside from perceptions of the industry, other insights discovered addressed how job seekers evaluate specific companies and jobs.  As expected, it was clear that candidates are doing deep and extensive research about prospective employers.

A theme that was consistently reported was the importance of a culture of “people over profit” that is clearly evident to candidates considering a job opportunity.  Candidates also want to see enticing job descriptions including perks and benefits.  Additionally, respondents mentioned that they look for specific signals in a company description that point to its stability and validity such as years in business, number of customers served and commitment to a local market.

Finally, the concept of a “family-owned business” faced mixed perceptions among respondents.  This is based on their own experiences and beliefs that advancement in a family-owned business is limited and that these businesses are typically smaller in size.

What does this mean to local recruiting efforts?  As ASA further refines its messaging to create more awareness of the PHCP/PVF industry as part of its Project Talent efforts, members can use the information mentioned above to critically review their recruiting materials, website and job descriptions to consider and address these perceptions and biases.

Project Talent is a component of ASA’s Employee Recruitment and Education goal, one of four mega goals included in the Association’s strategic plan.  This goal includes the objective of developing and implementing a program to attract and grow the number of talented workers taking advantage of fulfilling career opportunities in the PHCP/PVF Industry.