If you are an employer who is struggling to fill open positions, you might have trouble believing so many people are still looking for jobs. With the growth in the economy and new jobs, especially in the healthcare and technology industries, the competition for talent also increases; a problem with which HR managers are already too familiar.
Perhaps employers are looking at the wrong criteria for addressing the jobs gap. It may not be a lack of skilled people, but a lack of the job paying a living wage. The jobless rate may be at the lowest of the decade, but wages have not caught up with the level of the late 1990s. Nor has career growth been an option.
Economic experts have said the post-recession situation hit hardest on workers without a college degree. College graduates are still taking home about 50% more income than high school graduates.
What if your hardest-to-fill jobs don’t need a college degree? Why is there still a labor shortage?
Five factors drive the hiring needs
- Not enough of an established, trained workforce is available for newer positions, such as data scientist or software engineer. This situation requires workers to enter this field from other disciplines which, in turn, necessitates a period of training and a learning curve.
- There exists a lack of qualified workers for in-demand jobs, such as for RNs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the projected need for nurses is more than a million more than are currently employed.
- There is a decline in the number of recent college graduates. This lack creates a skills gap. But there is also a skills gap in general labor, such as truckers and construction workers.
- Many skilled workers or nearly skilled have opted for temporary or contract positions rather than permanent positions. That accounts for high turnover.
- Some geographic locations lack the talent pool from which to choose, even to train workers in new skills and workers elsewhere may decline to relocate.
So what can employers do to fill their vacant positions?
One of the most effective ways is to enlist the assistance of a staffing firm such as Lingo Staffing. A staffing firm has prequalified candidates and connections to other resources to help you fill your open positions.
About Lingo Staffing
Lingo is a full-service staffing firm dedicated to providing top quality services to its clients and its candidate pool. With extensive knowledge and experience in light industrial, administrative, and professional employment, Lingo encompasses the capabilities and resources necessary to help you get ahead.
Our experience and commitment to client satisfaction make us the perfect choice to manage all of your staffing needs. Our staff guarantees exceptional customer service with an expedient response time.
Our experts are located at an office near you: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Lingo, the language of On Demand solutions. Contact us at an office convenient to you.