Clark: How fleets can attract top candidates in a shrinking labor pool

In the battle to fill positions in fleet management, the front lines have never been more competitive. For too long, fleet managers have struggled to find qualified candidates to drive their operations forward, whether they’re looking for drivers, technicians, or logistics specialists.

With Baby Boomers retiring in waves and younger generations not rushing to fill their shoes, the workforce is shrinking rapidly. Fleets are locked in fierce competition for a dwindling pool of talent, and the stakes are high.

Leaving job positions open in the fleet world isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it comes with a hefty price tag. Every unfilled role translates to lost sales, frustrated customers, soaring overtime costs for current employees, and countless opportunity costs in product and service development.

At a recent NationaLease meeting, Chris Czarnik, international speaker, author, and business trainer, discussed this problem and described the optimal way to attract the talent you need.

A generational talent gap

The Baby Boomer generation, once the backbone of the workforce, is dwindling. There are about 75.4 million Boomers, but most have already reached or are reaching retirement age. Generation X, with 65.9 million people, isn’t large enough to close the gap left behind. Millennials make up the largest workforce chunk with 76.8 million, but they are already in high demand. Generation Z, with 67 million potential workers, is at the start of their professional journey, and they’re navigating an entirely different work landscape.

Fewer available workers mean stiffer competition for talent, forcing companies to rethink how they approach recruitment. To win the war for talent, posting a standard job description on a recruitment site won’t cut it. The traditional methods of attracting talent are failing to engage today’s job seekers.

Recruitment is about more than just a job offer; it's emotional

Today’s job seekers aren’t simply chasing a paycheck. For many, switching jobs is an emotional decision driven by their desire for more meaningful work, better conditions, or a healthier work-life balance.

Fleet managers need to understand this psychology if they hope to stand out in a crowded job market. The goal isn’t just to sell a job; it’s to sell the first conversation. That’s where many companies go wrong; they try to answer all the questions in the job ad instead of sparking the curiosity that will lead to deeper engagement.

See also: Does your fleet have a driver pay problem or a messaging problem?

The three-step strategy: crafting a job ad that works

Think of your job ad as a box that contains three essential steps. If you can master this, you’re well on your way to connecting with the right candidates:

Step 1: Connect with their unhappiness

The most critical question to address is, "Why are you looking?" Job seekers rarely make a career change without some level of dissatisfaction in their current position. Maybe it’s long hours, lack of upward mobility, or a toxic work environment. Get into their mindset. What pain points are driving them to open up a job search engine? Burnout? Lack of growth opportunities? Your ad needs to hit those emotional triggers.

Step 2: Show them the solution

Once you’ve tapped into their dissatisfaction, you’ve got to present your company as the solution to that problem. Offer them better work-life balance. Promise opportunities for advancement. Your job ad needs to be laser-focused on showing candidates how your fleet offers something their current employer doesn’t. It’s not about throwing in buzzwords; it’s about solving a problem they’ve had for too long.

Step 3: Paint the picture of a better future

Finally, you need to help them envision a brighter future with your company by illustrating a tangible improvement in their life and career. How will joining your fleet make things better? Will they feel more fulfilled? Will they get the respect and recognition they deserve? Your job ad should make them think, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

Leverage insights from your own workforce

But how do you craft a job ad that really hits home? Your current employees are a goldmine of insights. They’re the ones who left other jobs to join you—and they hold the key to understanding what attracted them in the first place.

Start by asking them some simple but powerful questions:

• What job or industry did you leave to come here?
• What was the tipping point that made you start searching for a new job?
• What tools or platforms did you use during your job search?
• What words or phrases did you type in to find our ad?
• What’s the one great thing about working here that needs to be in our job ads?

This internal feedback loop will help you craft job ads that actually result in good hires.