As with any recovering industry, trade show exhibit designers and producers across the nation are finding themselves in search of quality, seasoned talent to help support their incoming client projects. In the custom trade show industry specifically, this increased demand for support personnel, including exhibit design, project management, account management and estimating is a strong indicator of a stable business environment.

Just twelve months ago it was on the shoulders of the candidates to aggressively present themselves for hard-to-find positions. As the economy begins to improve, it is now the exhibit builder's turn to energetically showcase themselves for hiring purposes. By employers keeping their recruiting pipeline flowing with qualified candidates, they are able to quickly and effectively fill their company's hiring needs with experienced employees. But how do employers continuously fill that pipeline?

Look outside the local area. Costs of living, spouse transfers and the growth of new communities are causing talented individuals to move across the country as never before. These are often ideal candidates, offering fresh talent and an objective approach to that community's work environment. These "transplants" can offer a better solution than the typical scenario of companies filling their open slot by nabbing the competitor's employees down the street. Many companies fear having to pay relocation expenses – however, these are negotiable and can be of minimal cost, if any at all. What's more, for those companies who decide to offer a relocation package, they can build into an employment agreement that it is to be reimbursed should the employee leave the company before a certain length of employment.

Don't be a slave to software programs. While finding experienced trade show professionals familiar with the same software as the company uses is definitely a plus, it is important not to overlook potential candidates who might have used, say, Vectorworks instead of AutoCad. This is because a quality candidate who was able to master Form Z, for example, should also be able to learn another rendering program like 3D Studio Max. The pool of quality candidates greatly opens by not limiting the search to specific software users.

Let the Web site do the talking. Adding an open job position link to a company's Web site is an effective tool for many businesses. Make sure to provide contact information for people to send their resumes. For credibility sake, it is important to quickly remove positions as they become filled. In this visual-oriented industry, it is crucial that the Web site has a modern appearance and is constantly updated. Remember, the Web site is the company's ambassador before the candidates step foot into the office.

Be creative and fair with compensation. Paying the bare minimum will never attract the top professionals in any field. However, this does not mean companies must cipher large dollars out of the bottom line. New trends in compensation, including bonus structures and benefit packages, prove to be a win-win relationship between companies and the employee.

Turn to a professional. Professional recruiters continuously maintain an updated database of qualified candidates. Recruiters that focus or specialize exclusively in one industry will either represent or have knowledge of candidates that could be an ideal match for a company's needs. Recruiters are often the best resources for finding those out-of-area candidates as well.

Job's closed? Keep interviewing! A forward thinking company should continue to interview and accept resumes even when there are no current openings available. In doing this, the employer should be clear with candidates by informing them the company's needs are not immediate. It is imperative to design an effective method of organizing incoming resumes, preferably separated by job title. Be sure to date them when they come in.

Act quickly. Once a candidate has gone through the motions to contact and interview with a company, he/she may be mentally ready to make their change. Odds are, if one company is interested in hiring this individual and they are also interviewing elsewhere, other companies will most likely also have an interest. Slow offers to top candidates often leads to missed opportunities for the employers.

Public relations, networking and communications are a must. Just as the candidate must provide a portfolio or resume, offer references, dress appropriately and exercise superior manners, companies too must reciprocate these efforts. Quality candidates take comfort in reading good news about a company in the industry trade publications, whether it's about an award, new hires or newly landed accounts. Industry functions are ideal to send best employees out as an ambassador of the organization. Sending personalized "thank you for your resume or interview"notes or e-mails also reflects class and shines a good light on an organization.
Have no fear. We live in an era of talented and hard-working individuals. Your company will be able to fill open positions with superstars quickly if you just put some effort into your search. eb