Has anybody used Indeed or another site to hire part-time workers for landscape/gardening work?
It looks like Indeed wants $55/day minimum to list job postings. That's pretty expensive for us.
What are other small businesses doing to find workers?
I am in the same situation. The job sites are so expensive and really do not get you anywhere in my experience. I have started using Facebook Marketplace under jobs. I have gotten a few hits but nothing steady yet but better than spending all of that money for nothing.
Hi. The best advice I got was to ask all your customers if they know anybody. We also posted (for free) on Indeed and got an immediate hit. The ad will get pulled because we're not paying for it. I also put something out on the neighborhood listserv and got another immediate hit. Another bit of advice was to put a big sign on your truck - HIRING! with a phone number or email. That could work. Good luck. This small business thing is super challenging!
Ads on facebook... yard book offers hiring and so does jobber. Posting on indeed and other apps, just be sure to include contracting, part time, so u dont get people expecting 20.00 an hour
I use local job training centers they have a board or Facebook market place and I found some good people that work hard
Hey, the job training center is a great idea! Thank you.
All these suggestions are great - I'd really lean in to your network. Send our an email and BCC other companies you work with. They might have a beat on some good people. Also, when you are out and about, don't be scared to give out your card to people working another job that you like.
Many thanks. Yes, some great suggestions.
We limit our indeed spend to $300 per month. In the past, we’ve posted to (Neighborhood) Facebook groups and also have offered refer a friend program programs to existing employees. Another thing worth mentioning is running an email campaign to your existing client base- the economy is rough and there are a lot of kids home from college looking for work. Hope this helps.
Thanks very much. Yes, we're putting the word out with customers, hoping for a bite.
We use indeed and we do not pay 55 per day. We have a 300 limit per month. You can set custom budgets. I also find that if you don't sponsor your ads at all then it will not generate leads.
Many thanks. Yeah, I think without 'sponsoring' it doesn't go very far.
When you're been running crews for long enough you'll realise that you should always be advertising for staff as well as jobs... obviously you need to do it in a way that's economically viable, but plan for it to be an ongoing cost.
Think about places your ideal team members would spend time, and advertise there, put flyers up etc. You can also ask for referrals from within your team. All good suggestions to have a simple message on your vehicle/trailer, ask your customers for referrals - if you really want to push your referrals offer a real reward to the person who refers you an A grade pro. This can be paid after 3 months when the employee has been fully onboarded and passed probation, some use an AUD $3-5k bonus. This shows you're serious, places you head and shoulders about your competition and for the amount of money a top technician will make for you, it's a no brainer. But you do need your hiring, onboarding and development processes dialled in..
I know some businesses run paid ads online/socials to recruit team members. I thought this was a particularly good one:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1avVookhNv/
Also consider that ads targeting the partner of your new staff may be a different angle... the person you want may be burnt out, not enjoying their work, and just doesn't have the energy to look for another job. But their partner will see how it's affecting them, you can use that. Something along the lines of "hey is your partner unhappy with their work? Tell them to apply to join us, we have a team they'll love working with."
Great suggestions! Many thanks.
Word of mouth has been one of the best resources for many small businesses. You can also check local Facebook groups, community centers, colleges, and workforce programs. Sometimes the best candidates come from personal referrals.
Right. We've put the word out to our customers, also a neighborhood listserv. Thanks for your suggestions - super helpful.
Following because I'm interested in seeing the responses too! I would probably start with Facebook groups, referrals, churches, and local colleges before paying for expensive job postings.
Here are some ideas to help find part-time outdoor labor without paying for ads:
You can still post for free on Indeed. Write the ad, and when it asks for a daily budget, scroll to the bottom and click the tiny, gray "Skip Sponsoring" link. Post completely for free. It automatically pushes your job listing out to over 100 smaller, partner job sites.
Post directly in local "What's Happening in [Town]" or "Buy/Sell/Trade" groups. Keep it simple: "Looking for local, part-time outdoor help. Paid weekly. Perfect for college students. DM me."
Contact the local high school guidance office or college career services center. They will list student-friendly part-time work on their job boards for zero cost.
Put a high-visibility sign on your truck tailgate or trailer that says: "NOW HIRING: Part-Time Help. Text [Phone Number]." You’ll recruit people right out of the neighborhoods you already work in.
I hope this helps you out!!!
This is all super helpful. Thank you for taking the time to make these suggesitons.
Don't overlook your existing customers. Sometimes a customer knows a son, daughter, nephew, or neighbor looking for part-time work and can make a trusted introduction.
Building relationships with local trade schools can be a great long-term strategy. Students often want experience, flexible hours, and a chance to learn.
Yes, we should probably do an email to all our customers. We've put the word out but not systematically. Thank you!
