Seventeen. That’s how many job applications Turner Mining Group, an up-and-coming mine services contractor, receives every day.
Of course, not everyone who applies is a perfect fit for a job. But 17 applicants a day means the pool of people available to Turner Mining Group undoubtedly provides a few gems who can go on to become valuable, long-lasting assets.
How does one company attract so many applicants? In an industry that’s desperate for people, Turner Mining Group makes the pursuit of employees appear effortless. There is a concerted effort behind the company’s approach, though.
Founder and president Keaton Turner and COO Thomas Haun will tell you their success derives from telling a thoughtful story about their company and the industry. Their success is also a product of being adaptable for millennial prospects.
Whether you’re a mine services contractor, a C&D recycler or a traditional aggregate producer, “sexy” isn’t a word most people call your business. But the work contractors like Turner Mining Group do is arguably tremendously appealing.
Operating heavy machinery is extremely sexy if you’re an equipment buff. So Turner Mining Group tells that story, showing off its young employees and the equipment they operate with vivid videos and eye-popping photos that are promoted on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Turner Mining takes a very millennial approach to promoting its business. On social media, thousands of followers see the company’s leaders engaged with employees. Company leaders discuss the concept of promoting from within, showcasing employees who started in one position and made their way up to a higher level within the company.
These are stories millennials want to see. They don’t want to be just another “warm body” occupying a machine. They want to feel invested in the work they do. They also want to have fun at work.
Our industry needs to rewrite its story. A distributor at an industry meeting recently referred to millennials as square pegs, and to the construction materials industry as round holes. The two just don’t fit, he says, and it’s unlikely those “square pegs” are going to conform anytime soon.
Instead, he suggested it’s the industry’s challenge to adapt and provide a place where millennials fit. Otherwise, our industry, which prides itself on having great people, will soon find itself without this absolutely crucial resource.