There is much talk about the need for more skilled applicants to meet future needs of companies, especially in the technology industry.  Some refer to lack of math and science education, and others mention lack of manual skills for manufacturing jobs.

The American Management Association 2010 Critical Skills Survey found that managers are focused less on the basic 3R’s (reading, writing and arithmetic) and more on a general ability to respond to their environment.  These skills, the 4 C’s, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and finally creativity, are seen as important to today’s ever-changing business environment. 

According to an article in Staffing Management (July-September 2010), the majority of executives assess both job applicants and employees on these skills.  The respondents indicated that these skills help the companies respond to the pace of change in their business and the factor of global competitiveness. 

As to how the current workforce measures up, over half the employers felt their employees were only average in communication skills and creativity and innovation.  They did rate them slightly higher in critical thinking and collaboration and team building.  They have addressed these issues in the workplace by using one-on-one coaching and mentoring, followed by professional development and training.  The report did say that managers felt it was much easier to develop these skills in students early on, rather than teaching the experienced worker.

A few years ago I attended a meeting between employers and community college educators, held to get input from the business community on what they wanted future employees to learn.  I was amazed that the issues were personal responsibility, clear communications, reliability (showing up on time and staying at work for their entire shift), and problem solving.  Sounds like not much has changed.  The real question is, why are students not learning these skills as part of their K-12 education?  That opens an entire new topic for a later time.

In the meantime, as a job seeker, be aware of these needs and tune up your skills before you apply.  Godd luck.

Tags: applications, effective learning, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, job seeker attitudes, performance management

As we are all aware, the jobless rate hasn’t dropped much in the last year.  Hiring is happening, but piecemeal, and for specific talents.  So, one way to set your target is to watch industrial/business news about what positions have been difficult to fill.
An article in the SHRM Magazine, June 2010, highlights a projected severe shortage in workers for the utilities industries.  According to the article, electric power industry companies estimate that 30-40% of its 400,000 workers will be eligible for retirement in the next two years.  These positions range from executive level to skilled craft workers and may create a huge demand for people to fill these slots. 
HR folks in all utilities have been aware of this issue for years, but there has been a lack of future workforce planning to make sure the right people are available to meet the need.
One company in this industry, Southern Co. built a statistical model that highlighted particular hot spots..technicians, system operators, control system engineers, water and wastewater operators and operations management.  So – hiring ahead is part of the plan.
There is, however, a problem finding qualified replacements for the industry– inadequate training and education of workers.  Companies are even willing to train on the job but the candidate needs to be science-savvy and a high school graduate.
Another industry that will need (and does now) more skilled workers is the healthcare world.  There are not enough trained nurses and techs to fill the needs now.  One nursing educator in southern California said most of her students were preparing for a second career.  The healthcare insurance industry will also be adding folks as more of the population obtains formal insurance coverage.
Job seekers need to check business/hiring surveys put out by local departments of labor or professional organizations.  Educational institutions will also have hiring and salary information for the area.  Then, get the tools you need to fill the jobs there are.

Tags: candidates, change management, hiring process, hiring talent, industry news, job seeker

Tags: hiring process, hiring talent, job, job fair, job seeker

There is a major focus on jobs in the current economy – who is adding, why some are still laying off folks, and what is coming in the future.  There is a large pool of job seekers, some who have been looking for jobs for quite awhile.

The old standby methods are still used;  ads, job fairs, and listings on job sites.  There are some new twists, however.  Many companies, because of a flood of applicants, have set up online screening processes to find the candidates that most closely meet their needs.  This method does add time to the equation, as these systems can take awhile to sort through the information.  Companies may also set up their own private job fairs, looking for specific talent to meet a current need.  Some companies also participate in job fairs for the exposure and to “test the waters” to see who is looking for jobs and if they might meet a future need.  Many, when they are trying to find a specific person to fit an important position, use recruiters, or network through professional groups.

All this means that job seekers need to be more flexible and agile in their searching.  There are a few important things to be aware of, some of which I’ve mentioned before but bear repeating!

Showing up takes energy and effort you don’t always have, but it can pay off.  A recent job fair in Albuquerque paid off in some immediate job offers, and in other cases scheduling of follow up interviews at the company.  Note:  don’t show up in sweats or shorts!  You still need to appear professional, no matter what your occupation.  Business casual is most appropriate for these events.  Also it is good to have a polished resume with you – and have an email address they can access for followup.  Some applicants have put online resumes on Linked In or Facebook.  Do make sure these sites are done carefully and look professional.

For companies that require an online application, be patient – it may take awhile for them to get to your resume.  It never hurts to have a name to follow up with, just an email which lets them know you’ve applied and would appreciate their attention.  This may require some networking on your part. 

Finally, don’t apply unless you fit the requirements!  This just wastes everyone’s time, including  yours.  In the case where you are trying to make a career change, as I once did, you somehow need to present the resume as having experience and skills appropriate to the new field even though  they were learned in a different industry.  Your cover letter should explain why you are making the change and how you have prepared yourself for the new career.  

Good luck to both companies and job seekers.  Patience is the key.

Tags: applications, For Employers, hiring process, hiring talent, job fair, job seeker, job seeker attitudes

We live in interesting times!  Not necessarily fun, but interesting.  One of the casualties of the economic downturn seems to be a lack of opportunities for C-level candidates.  As companies downsize they also eliminate leadership positions, and so there are many very experienced executives looking for opportunities.
There is also an increase in CEO turnover as some take early retirement, some are removed by their boards and some are casualties of the economic times.  According to an article in Staffing Management magazine the government/non-profit sector led all industries in May with 19 CEO departures.  The budget shortfalls being experienced by this industry means it continues to struggle, even as job losses in the private sector have slowed.  The largest turnover for the year was experienced in health care with 98 executives leaving so far this year. 
In the technology industry, and particularly in companies just starting out, the CEO has a major impact on success.  One of the problems in this area is that many of the new companies are cutting edge and there is no established market, or the business has a disruptive technology that requires a new approach.  Tech companies with new ideas need leadership that can apply new tools to grow the company. 
So, there is opportunity for leaders to find positions in these tech startups – but they may have a very small office and no secretary!  They also may not be able to pay much of a salary up front.    Ownership in the company is sometimes offered in lieu of salary, but to collect, CEO’s have to get the company into the profit mode, and this could take awhile.  We need the talent that these executives possess, and our challenge is to provide an opportunity that  these leaders will find attractive. 

Tags: candidates, Executive jobs, For Employers, industry news