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storytelling has become central to talent The most compelling narratives embrace talent shortage until potential employees
attraction. Rather than leading with corporate transparency about challenges and failures. can easily imagine fulfilling careers in the
achievements or technical specifications, they Rather than presenting unrealistic perfection, sector. This requires sustained, industry-wide
center recruitment narratives on employee they show how organizations learn, adapt, and commitment to storytelling that makes both
journeys and project impacts. These stories grow stronger. This honesty builds trust while work and impact visible.
demonstrate career progression through real demonstrating resilience; qualities that attract
examples, highlight technical work’s human thoughtful professionals seeking authentic The Path Forward
impact, and create connections by revealing workplaces. Effective storytelling requires systematic
current employees’ personal motivations. approach rather than occasional anecdotes.
This approach addresses both practical Beyond Individual Hiring: Industry Organizations must commit to collecting,
questions (“What would I do?”) and existential Transformation developing, and sharing authentic stories
ones (“Why would this work matter?”) by Storytelling serves purposes beyond that illuminate both their work and their
showing rather than telling. filling positions. When building materials people. This involves training managers to
companies consistently tell compelling identify compelling narratives in everyday
Elements of Effective Recruitment Narratives stories about their work and people, they experiences, creating systems for capturing
Compelling recruitment stories require collectively reshape public perception of the employee stories, and integrating storytelling
a deliberate structure of key elements that entire industry, combating the invisibility that into all recruitment touchpoints.
create emotional resonance and practical makes it difficult for talented professionals to In an industry where products literally
appeal. imagine careers in building materials. shape our built environment, the stories
Origin stories establish context and This narrative shift becomes crucial as the we tell about the work will determine who
mission, focusing on specific problems the industry faces demographic transitions— chooses to join us. The talent crisis in building
company was founded to solve and how aging workforces and changing career materials is, ultimately, a crisis of narrative.
those challenges remain relevant today. preferences among younger professionals. Companies that master authentic storytelling
Employee journey narratives demonstrate Stories connecting building materials work will not only solve immediate hiring
possibility by tracing real career progressions, to sustainability, technology integration, and challenges—they will transform an entire
answering the unspoken question: “What social impact help the industry compete for industry’s relationship with its most essential
could become of me here?” talent with sectors traditionally seen as more resource: the human talent that turns raw
Project impact stories make abstract work dynamic. materials into structures that shelter, heal, and
concrete by describing specific challenges The challenge extends beyond individual inspire us all.
tackled and human impacts achieved, companies to industry associations,
emphasizing both technical achievement and educational institutions, and media coverage.
human benefit. Building materials will struggle to solve its

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20 LBMAO Reporter - September-October 2025 By Dan Cant, DMC Recruitment