How to Recruit and Hire Transit Workers: Attracting Job-Seekers with Competencies an Agency Can Build On

The urgency to recruit and hire new transit workers has never been greater—and this will likely continue for the foreseeable future as the wave of retirements in the industry continues. Meeting this challenge will require innovative, modern approaches. Key take aways from this volume include:

• Reduce employment barriers wherever possible. Review job ads and job descriptions for outdated physical, educational, and background requirements, and consider replacing specific required skill sets with more general competencies.
• Speed up the hiring process. Streamline hiring in frontline positions so that candidates can fill out applications on the spot at job fairs or other career events and get an answer as soon as possible.
• Involve current employees. Incentivize employees to help the organization find good recruits, and train leaders to interview candidates for their departments themselves.
• Lean on partnerships. Nonprofits, national organizations, educational programs, and community events can all be sources of job applicants.
• Recruit from other industries. Seek out displaced labor from related industries, including trucking, manufacturing, and even the military.

See the full list of APTA Workforce Mini-guides