How to Run a Hiring Campaign for Your Lawn Care Business

Spring is coming, which means your phone is about to start ringing off the hook. But do you have the crew to handle it? Here's how to build a hiring campaign that actually works.

Start Before You Need People

The biggest mistake lawn care business owners make is waiting until they're desperate. By then, your competitors have already scooped up the good candidates. Start your hiring campaign 6-8 weeks before your busy season kicks in.

For most lawn care businesses, that means posting jobs in late January or early February. Yes, it feels weird to hire when there's still snow on the ground. Do it anyway.

Write a Job Post That Doesn't Suck

"Now hiring lawn technicians" isn't going to cut it. Your job post needs to answer three questions:

• What's the pay? Be specific. "$16-20/hour based on experience" beats "competitive wages."
• What's the schedule? Full-time seasonal? Year-round? Weekends required?
• What makes you different? New equipment? Weekly pay? Advancement opportunities?

Post in the Right Places

Indeed and ZipRecruiter are table stakes, but don't stop there. Some of the best lawn care hires come from:

• Local Facebook groups (neighborhood groups, buy/sell/trade, local jobs)
• Craigslist (yes, still)
• Community college job boards
• Word of mouth from your current crew

With HRGP, you can easily post to 50+ job boards and manage all your applicants in one place. No more checking six different websites every morning.

Screen Fast, Interview Faster

Good candidates don't stay on the market long. When an application comes in, you've got maybe 48 hours before they've taken another job. Set up automated screening questions to filter out the obvious no's, then get your maybes on the phone within a day.

Keep interviews short and practical. A 15-minute phone screen followed by a working interview tells you more than an hour of behavioral questions ever will.

The Bottom Line

Hiring for lawn care isn't rocket science, but it does require a system. Start early, write clear job posts, cast a wide net, and move fast when good candidates apply. Do this consistently and you'll stop scrambling for workers every spring.