Episode 102: Breaking Into Construction: Career Pivots & Recruiting in Hard-Hat Industries with Kala Kapahalou

Episode notes

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.