Rethinking Manufacturing Hiring: Bill Seaman on Building Better Teams

Manufacturing companies are facing important questions about how they attract, develop, and retain talent. Are job descriptions setting unrealistic expectations? Should experienced engineers have to become managers to advance their careers? And what actually makes someone want to stay with a company?

In this episode of Automation Ladies, host Nikki Gonzales sits down with Bill Seaman, Director of People Operations at Filamatic, for a conversation about the people side of industrial automation and manufacturing.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in recruitment and talent acquisition, Bill shares practical perspectives on manufacturing hiring, career development, and creating workplaces where people can do their best work.

Career Growth Doesn't Have to Mean Becoming a Manager

One of the challenges Bill addresses is the assumption that the next step for an experienced technical professional must be people management.

At Filamatic, he worked on establishing clearer engineering career levels, from mechanical engineer to mechanical design engineer, senior engineer, and principal engineer. Each level represents a different degree of autonomy, experience, responsibility, and contribution.

A principal engineer, for example, can serve as a subject matter expert, mentor others, and bring a broader perspective to technical decisions without necessarily managing a team.

Bill emphasizes that people management is a separate skill set. Promoting the most experienced engineer into management without providing the right training or support can create problems for both the manager and the team.

Companies should recognize that individual contributors can grow professionally and be compensated at a comparable level without having to move into management.

Rethinking Job Descriptions and Hiring Requirements

Another major topic is how traditional hiring practices can unintentionally limit the talent pool.

Bill encourages employers to distinguish between qualifications that are genuinely necessary and those that are simply nice to have. Requirements such as a specific degree or experience with a particular software platform may discourage qualified candidates, even when those skills can be learned.

He also discusses how overly demanding job descriptions can disproportionately discourage women and minority candidates from applying.

Rather than listing every possible qualification, companies should focus on what someone actually needs to do the job.

For candidates, Bill recommends demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to learn through real examples. Whether someone has developed skills across different roles, built something outside of work, or taken the initiative to explore new challenges, those experiences can help show how they approach learning.

Interviews Should Be Conversations on Both Sides

Bill believes interviews should give both the employer and the candidate an opportunity to understand whether the relationship is a good fit.

He encourages candidates to ask questions about the company's direction, work environment, and biggest challenges. Employers, in turn, should provide enough context for candidates to understand what they're being considered for.

He describes the hiring process as a two-way relationship built on honesty and clear expectations.

That idea connects to what Bill calls the employment tripod, which has three essential parts:

• The work: Do you enjoy what you do?

• The workplace: Do you like the company, culture, and people you work with?

• Compensation: Are you being fairly paid for your contribution?

When all three are balanced, employees have stronger reasons to stay.

Creating Workplaces That Attract and Retain Talent

The conversation also explores the challenges smaller manufacturing companies face when competing for talent, including finding people with broad technical skills and keeping compensation competitive.

Bill explains why companies need to pay attention to salary benchmarks and internal equity, particularly when long-tenured employees' compensation may not keep pace with the market.

He also highlights flexibility as an important part of the employee experience. Options such as flexible start times, work-from-home arrangements when the role allows, and wellness benefits can help companies support employees with different needs and priorities.

Listen to the Full Conversation

Building stronger manufacturing teams takes more than finding someone who checks every box. It requires thoughtful hiring practices, meaningful career paths, honest conversations, and workplaces where employees feel valued.

Bill Seaman's conversation with Nikki offers a practical look at how companies can rethink their approach to people and talent in manufacturing.

Listen to the full episode of Automation Ladies and join the conversation about the future of manufacturing careers and workplace culture.

A special thank-you to Inductive Automation for sponsoring this episode!