"In the technical trades, good candidates can pick and choose"

Martin Mercier, director of recruiting for Technogénie Ressources

Martin Mercier is a head-hunter for Technogénie Ressources, a Montreal firm specializing in the recruiting of technical people. Employers hire him to find engineers and technicians to fill job openings. According to him, these professionals are in a good position.

What's the market like for technical jobs?

For the candidates, it's great! Right now, there is a shortage of technical labour in most sectors. All firms are having trouble hiring, some more than others. Since there is a big demand for employees, good candidates can pick and choose the jobs they want.

Which sectors are having the most trouble recruiting? Which jobs are the hardest to fill?

Civil engineering and construction are experiencing great difficulties. Many companies are seeking civil engineers specializing in structures, municipal engineering, transportation and terracing. In addition, the building sector is crying out for technicians and engineers in mechanics, electricity and project management.

How do you explain this imbalance between supply and demand?

My impression is that young people are not interested in technical trades. Fifteen years ago, entry-level job opportunities were not that good for engineering graduates, and their unemployment rate was 14%. Many of them turned to other professions and today, there are very few intermediate and senior-level staff. There is also the multiplication of large projects, like Hydro Québec's Eastmain generating station, and the extension of Highway 30 on the South Shore. Contractors have more and more contracts, but not the labour to execute them.

What specifically does this mean for candidates?

They have some great opportunities to seize. Salaries are increasing, and it is not unusual for good professionals to increase their earnings by 10% in a single shot, simply by changing companies. Some companies are also enhancing their in-kind benefits, like cars, for example. As soon as engineers or technicians have three years of experience, they become very much in demand. I have clients who have been looking for employees for six months.

How do you go about flushing out professionals?

CVs don't just fall into my lap; engineers and technicians send me none or very few, unless they are unemployed. For most of the openings I have to fill, I get people who are already working referred to me and I approach them directly. I call them at home or at work, and I talk to them about the company and the job. Once I've made the first contact, I try to sell them on the position to be filled. I have to convince them of what's in it for them: opportunity for promotions, geographic proximity, dynamism of the field, etc. I never talk about salary at this point, but I ask what their expectations are. I then send them as much information as I can by e-mail, and let them think about it for a while. If they are still interested, I give them a few more details about the job, to make sure that they have perfectly understood my clients' requirements.

What do you think is a good candidate?

It's often someone who already has a job. If I see on a CV that a technician hasn't worked in 18 months, I ask myself why. If he or she has changed jobs eight times in eight years, I find that strange too. A stable work experience counts for a lot. Today, opportunities abound, but a good candidate must be truly interested in the job and the project that is being offered.