Let’s take a look at how one of the nation’s major industries is going to have to change their recruiting and hiring practices in order to be successful going forward. I think there are lessons here for companies in any sector.

The construction industry has been hit as hard, if not harder, than any during recent years by the free falling economy and its myriad problems. Just when other businesses appear to be stabilizing and, in some cases, beginning to improve, construction continues to struggle. In fact, according to John McManus, Editor of Big Builder, more staffing cutbacks have recently happened or are in the works (check out his recent article here ).

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I’ve recently spoken with a number of managers who are thinking about doing something they haven’t done in a while: hiring. After several years of cutbacks and hiring freezes, business is improving in their markets. They’re figuring that sometime in the first half of next year they may need to add a couple of people to their teams. And they’re wondering whether it makes more sense to look at new candidates or consider rehiring some of the people they let go during leaner days.

Why would rehiring seem like a good option? Mainly because in the past few years many companies have been forced to release some really good employees. The first round of personnel cuts frequently allowed them to trim the “dead wood” and eliminate people who probably shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. But after that, managers sometimes had to downsize strong performers they wished they could keep but could no longer afford. Some of these were individuals they were sad to lose and wouldn’t mind having back.

In this situation, it’s very tempting to rehire individuals you already know. You’re familiar with their personalities, their work habits, their various strengths and weaknesses. They’ll probably need less training and can get up and running more quickly. They have a head start on relationship-building since they already know most of the other employees and managers.

However, rehiring is not without risks, and you need to consider whether you’re making the best decision or simply taking the easiest route.

Here are three questions to consider if you’re thinking about rehiring a former employee:

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The last thing on the minds of most managers I talk to these days is recruiting new people.  Most are still reeling from the lay-offs and staff cuts that have defined the past few years.  Lots of them don’t know when they’ll be hiring again, but they’re pretty sure it won’t be right away.  So they don’t give much thought to keeping their eyes open for great candidates.

And that’s a big mistake.

I’ve spoken with a few forward-thinking managers recently who tell me recruiting is at the top of their priority lists.  These people understand that the time has never been better for networking within their industries, finding out where the talented individuals are, keeping tabs on what the high performers are up to.

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