Why Hiring in Commercial Roofing Has Never Been Harder

Recruitment in commercial roofing is harder than it has ever been, and it is not because companies are doing anything wrong. The reality is that the market has fundamentally changed.

The industry is facing a genuine skills shortage. Fewer people are entering commercial roofing at the same time that a significant portion of the workforce is retiring. That alone would be challenging, but it is only part of the picture. The other factor is competition. Candidates now have more options than they have ever had before.

The days of good people lining up at your door hoping for an interview are gone. Today, the strongest candidates often have three, four, or even ten companies competing for their attention. In that environment, speed, relevance, and credibility matter more than ever.

The Estimator Problem Everyone Is Facing

Commercial roofing estimators are one of the hardest roles to fill in the country, regardless of market, company size, or brand strength. It is a highly specialised skillset and a genuinely rare one.

But technical ability alone is not enough. Estimators sit at the intersection of operations, finance, and client relationships. If the cultural fit is wrong, the hire fails, even if the resume looks perfect.

That combination of technical depth and cultural alignment is exactly why so many companies struggle to fill these roles, even when they are willing to pay well.

Why Traditional Hiring Methods No Longer Work

Most traditional recruitment methods are simply not built for today’s market.

Job ads are slow and reactive. They rely on candidates actively looking, which excludes a huge portion of the best people in the industry. Companies then spend weeks filtering resumes, only to find that very few applicants are even close to what they actually need.

Internal referrals can help, but they are limited by the size and reach of existing networks. When you need someone quickly, relying on word of mouth is rarely fast or broad enough to solve the problem.

Generalist recruiters create a different issue altogether. Commercial roofing is highly specific. If you are looking for a superintendent with experience in re-roofing projects and deep knowledge of TPO, EPDM, and modified systems, you cannot afford to be sent residential project managers or groundworks supervisors. Yet that is exactly what happens when recruiters do not understand the industry or speak the language.

Instead of accelerating hiring, these approaches often slow it down and create frustration on both sides

Why Roofing Talent America Works Differently

At Roofing Talent America, we do not operate as an HR function. We operate as an extension of our clients’ commercial engine.

Our team is on the phone every day speaking directly with hard-to-reach candidates across the country. These are not people actively applying for jobs. They are experienced professionals currently working at competitor firms, delivering results where they are.

Our role is to start professional, consultative conversations. We take the time to understand each candidate’s goals, motivations, and concerns. We then represent our clients properly, selling their culture, their vision, and the real opportunity in front of them.

That approach is fundamentally different from posting ads and waiting. It is proactive, targeted, and aligned with how this market actually works

The Real Cost of Getting Hiring Wrong

When hiring drags on, growth slows. Projects get delayed. Teams stretch too thin. Leadership becomes distracted.

In a market this competitive, recruitment cannot be treated as an afterthought or a box-ticking exercise. It has to be intentional, informed, and proactive.

Commercial roofing companies that recognise this reality and adapt their approach will continue to grow. Those that rely on outdated methods will keep fighting the same battles, role after role.

At Roofing Talent America, our focus is simple. We help companies hire the right people faster by working the market the way it actually exists today, not the way it used to.

If recruitment feels harder than it ever has, it is because it is. The solution is not more resumes. It is better conversations.