What Employers Look For When Hiring Landscapers and Horticulturists
Landscaping and horticulture employers hire for reliability first, then the practical skills their type of work needs. As recruiters who talk to these businesses every week, here’s what makes a job seeker stand out at each level.
Reliability comes first
Every employer we work with puts this at the top of the list. Teams are small, clients are waiting and one person not turning up can stop a job. A job seeker with steady work history and good references will often beat a more skilled one who has moved around a lot.
Skills that match the work
Employers look for skills that fit their side of the industry.
Maintenance businesses want:
- Pruning, hedging and plant care done to a high standard
- Plant identification and an eye for plant health, pests and disease
- Confidence with mowers, blowers, trimmers and irrigation
- Attention to detail, because the client sees every edge and every leaf
Construction businesses want:
- Set-out, levels and drainage
- Paving, retaining walls, concrete and turf
- Machinery experience, such as a skid steer, excavator or posi-track
- The ability to read basic plans
Job seekers with both sets of skills are rare and in demand.
Licences and tickets
A driver’s licence is close to essential, and a manual licence or a licence to tow a trailer is a bonus. A white card is required on construction sites. Machinery tickets, first aid and chemical handling all help, especially for commercial work.
Working with clients
Residential work puts you in someone’s backyard, so manners, presentation and clear communication matter. Commercial clients such as estates, resorts and councils expect consistent standards and good reporting. Employers notice job seekers who understand that the client relationship is part of the job.
For team leaders and supervisors
Once you step up, employers look for different strengths:
- Organising the day and keeping a team productive
- Training and motivating less experienced staff
- Checking quality before the client does
- Keeping safety front of mind
- Talking to clients confidently about progress and problems
Many great team leaders are simply the experienced worker everyone already turns to.
For project managers and estimators
Senior roles need commercial skills on top of site knowledge: reading plans and specifications, pricing work accurately, programming jobs, managing budgets and coordinating trades and suppliers. Employers value people who have come up through the tools, because they price and plan jobs that can actually be built.
Attitude
Skills can be taught. Employers consistently tell us they will take a willing learner with the right attitude over an experienced job seeker who isn’t a team player.
Find your next role
If you have these strengths, we would like to hear from you. Browse our current roles or register with Select People. For employers, we screen for exactly these qualities so you meet people worth hiring. See our landscape recruitment and horticulture recruitment services.
