The Talent Pool

Recyclers have a variety of resources available for recruiting young talent to the recycling industry, and with the attention the environmental movement has been garnering lately from the mainstream print and broadcast media, interest in recycling is higher than in the past. Throughout the past few years, consumer awareness in recycling and environmental concerns has heightened, thus increasing the need for companies providing services in these areas.

Additionally, the recycling industry is multidimensional, and its increased exposure has generated a myriad of job opportunities. As a result, recyclers are able to attract talent from many candidates within the wider environmental industry.

Recruiting young talent provides several advantages to the recycling industry. Companies have an opportunity to illustrate the importance of the industry while emphasizing segments of the recycling industry that are often overlooked. Until recently, it was erroneously presumed by the public that recycling was limited to metals, plastics, glass and paper. Actually, the industry is involved in the recycling of various items including, but not limited to, oil, electronics, water and soil.

Young talent should be exposed to the many opportunities the recycling industry affords. Particular focus on the industry’s future opportunities for growth solidifies the prospect of a promising career in the minds of young recruits.

Recruitment firms can provide a resource in procuring young talent for the recycling industry. Effective firms use their knowledge of the environmental industry to attract qualified candidates.

Finally, several colleges and universities offer programs with environmental and/or recycling concentrations. Partnering with those institutions and offering internships and entry-level job placement will produce a greater awareness of the recycling industry in general and your company in particular, resulting in qualified candidates with an enduring interest in the industry.

It is essential for employers to target those colleges, universities or technical schools offering degrees in the environmental and/or recycling industries.

The presence of recycling firms at career fairs and on job boards will give exposure to the industry, creating the initial steps to recruit young talent. Additionally, companies should make a concerted effort to expose young talent to all facets of this expansive industry. This will introduce the environmental and recycling industry to some potential job candidates while also strengthening the impressions of those individuals who have had previous exposure to companies in the industry.

It is equally important for companies to provide internship programs for field experience. Increasing field experience opportunities will improve candidate recruitment and subsequent retention.

In an effort to increase employee retention, young employees should be educated about the expansive and continually evolving recycling industry. Comparatively, the recycling industry is new and is continuing to grow and expand, providing young talent with many opportunities for career growth and development within the field. Very recently, the industry has made notable transformations that have affected the energy sector as well as the environment. This trend is not likely to abate. By informing young talent of the past, present and future direction of the recycling industry, recruiters can help them make important and enduring career decisions.

The promise of growth and the opportunity for advancement within the industry has the potential to attract and retain young talent, as does the number of career options within the industry. Young prospective employees often become excited at the possibility of improving the environment and conserving energy. Employers should take opportunities to highlight their environmental contributions.

Our experience has revealed some notable variances between the younger generation and its predecessors.

Young talent is often more technologically savvy as the result of exposure to computers in education. Such exposure has equipped the younger generation with the ability to multi-task and to complete some responsibilities with greater efficiency. Therefore, younger talent often seeks additional responsibilities and a more stimulating working environment. These factors may contribute to the increase in compensation often requested by young talent.

Historically, earlier generations tend to focus on finite details and on completing a single task before accepting additional or simultaneous responsibilities. Earlier generations can be less familiar with technology, thus decreasing the speed at which they complete tasks involving technology.

Additionally, more established employees may have a level of comfort with their customary work hours and methodologies. Conversely, employees new to the workforce traditionally demonstrate more flexibility while initially possessing less personal and family responsibility. These factors can contribute to a young worker’s ability to accept greater responsibility and to engage in several projects concurrently.

Once a young prospective employee has been identified, recruited, employed and committed to the opportunities offered by the recycling industry, effective managers will promote his or her exposure to facets of the business that extend beyond the role for which the recruit has been initially hired.

When entry-level or junior-level candidates are hired, it is often based on their strong interpersonal skills and their potential to thrive as they gain experience in the field. Initially, young recruits will implement their prevalent interpersonal skills and secondary strengths to assist in varied duties. As their knowledge of the industry is cultivated, they can often be of value to other departments within the organization. This will reveal undiscovered strengths, thus permitting the recruit to develop a sense of efficacy. Allowing for a comprehensive learning experience will also illustrate a company’s genuine interest in the young recruit’s growth.

Our clients who are most successful in retaining young employees have implemented orientation and training programs as well as a "steps to success" checklist. With the checklist, the recruit meets with the employer as he or she completes each step outlined, discussing the experience he or she has gained. This allows the recruit to provide feedback relating to his or her professional growth.

Upon completion of each step, the recruit is given additional responsibility, thus creating new challenges and continuity. Furthermore, the recruit has an established set of goals and anticipated achievements promoting self-motivation with an understanding of expectations. The new recruit becomes engrossed in a constant state of accomplishment, maintaining momentum toward furthering his or her professional and personal growth and development. Challenging the new recruit while also establishing opportunities to excel has proven to be an effective management technique.

The author is with Environmental Recruiting Services, Milford, Conn., a national recruitment firm. He can be contacted at jlipton@environmentalrecruiting.com.