In our current economic times, many companies are wondering, “How is it possible that we’re having trouble finding qualified candidates when unemployment is still so high?”
The answer to this question is not that easy. There are many wide-ranging factors at play which impact the ability to find qualified applicants. Several contributing factors include:
- The baby boomers are starting to retire, which sounds like it would be a good thing—more job openings for those who are looking, right? Not necessarily. Generation X is a much smaller group; the candidate pool is about 11 percent smaller.
- In times of economic uncertainty, individuals that are employed are more hesitant to consider making a job change. They choose to hold on tight to what they have and not risk moving to a new position.
- The majority of jobs available are for skilled workers, as industries are shifting away from unskilled work. But the makeup of the workforce hasn’t shifted as quickly. It used to be that 55 percent of jobs were unskilled; now that same 55 percent are skilled. That eliminates opportunities for most workers who may not have college degrees or who have training and experience in industries that have seen a downturn.
If you’re one of the employers struggling to find the right employees, what can you do?
The good news, there are several things.
First, we suggest you establish a relationship with a reputable staffing firm. When finding good people is essential to the future of your business, having a team of professional recruiters working for you and your company is a business necessity.
In the short term, consider using temporary employees who will be able to cover the shortage in your workforce while you and your staffing partner invest time searching for the ideal candidate for the job. Using the various hiring options offered by staffing companies will help you eliminate people who aren’t a good fit for the job long term with minimal impact on your business.
For the long term, your company can take more responsibility for building employee skills. Previously, businesses had career plans for their employees and invested time in their training and development. As the nature of work changed, and people no longer stayed at one company for most of their careers, and businesses began hiring people with existing skills rather than investing in training.
With 13 million unemployed people seeking work in this country, it would seem like anyone who wants to hire someone would have little difficulty doing so. But in certain industries, there is a legitimate talent shortage: there aren’t enough workers with the skills needed to do the jobs available.
To create both long-term and short-term solutions, you can also partner with a reputable staffing firm. They can help you assess your current and future hiring needs, create strategic staffing plans to help you achieve your staffing goals cost efficiently, and take the responsibility for advertising, sourcing, screening and interviewing candidates. Staffing firms have the time and the expertise needed to find qualified candidates in today’s market.
Are you looking for more answers on how and where to find skilled employees? Contact the experts at Synerfac today. We’ll be happy to discuss the current state of the employment market with you, and see what we can do to help.