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Episode 102: Breaking Into Construction: Career Pivots & Recruiting in Hard-Hat Industries with Kala Kapahjalou
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Is construction the next big thing in recruiting? In the 100th episode of Recruiting is No Joke, host Joel Lalgee sits down with Kala Kapahalou, Director of Talent Acquisition at W.E. O’Neil, to talk about a rarely spotlighted industry with massive opportunity: construction.
From ditching culinary school dreams to leading TA at a top national contractor, Kala shares his deeply personal and professional journey—from being told he was “too quiet” to thrive in recruiting, to proving everyone wrong. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at what hiring looks like in a world of million-dollar projects, civil engineering demands, and an ongoing talent shortage.
Joel and Kala cover everything from soft skills and culture fit, to career pivots and whether AI will ever take over construction jobs. They dig into why construction needs better branding, how soft skills have become the new superpower, and what younger talent is missing when stepping into the workforce.
In this episode:
- (00:03) Introduction and milestone update
- (01:17) Meet the guest: Kala Kapahalou
- (02:53) Kala’s origin story—from culinary dreams to recruiting
- (05:01) Leaving agency life for internal TA
- (06:52) Taking a pay cut to level up long-term
- (10:58) Construction vs. tech: why you should consider the hard hat
- (12:35) What do project managers in construction actually do?
- (13:50) Importance of relationships in construction
- (14:20) The underrated power of soft skills in blue-collar industries
- (16:45) Where construction hiring is headed
- (18:02) Field vs. Office jobs in construction
- (19:13) Decline in union interest and labor pipeline
- (21:49) Construction’s growing culture shift: balance, flexibility & retention
- (23:18) Will AI and automation affect construction?
- (26:38) Soft skills in Gen Z: what recruiters are noticing
- (28:25) AI in recruiting: tool or threat?
- (33:08) What makes a great interviewee
- (36:31) Joel’s classic advice: interview = conversation, not interrogation
- (41:05) Culture fit vs. hard skills: what really matters
- (42:11) How to connect with Kala & W.E. O’Neil
- (44:01) Wrap-up and Joel’s call to action
About Kala Kapahalou
Kala Kapahalou is the Director of Talent Acquisition at W.E. O’Neil, a leading national construction firm. With over 16 years in recruiting, Kala’s career began unconventionally — starting as a recruiting assistant after pivoting from culinary school ambitions. His journey spans agency staffing, direct hire, and now corporate talent leadership in one of the most relationship-driven and complex industries: construction.
Known for his resilience, adaptability, and emphasis on soft skills as a competitive edge, Kala has helped shape recruiting strategies that balance field operations with long-term cultural fit. He's a vocal advocate for elevating the perception of construction careers and building pipelines that meet the real demands of the industry.
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About Joel Lalgee
Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships.
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