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

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

The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and Kirtland Air Force Base are hosting their second annual job fair at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque on August 4 from 9AM to 2 PM.  Technology Ventures Corporation is also a major sponsor.
This year in addition to the government sector jobs available through KAFB and their partners, nmtechjobs.org and NM WIRED Project are expanding the employer list to include private sector technology job opportunities as well as administrative positions in the area. 
Opportunities in the government sector include: Federal Protective Service project managers and criminal investigators; Air Force Research Lab in physics, space sciences, geophysics, chemistry, computer sciences, all engineering field, and management positions; US Fish and Wildlife Service openings, and many more. 
In the private sector: Mechtronic Solutions software engineers, controls engineers, technical writer and others;  Analytical Solutions software programmers; Wells Fargo bank tellers, and others to come.

As part of this event there will be subject matter experts at the KAFB booths, as well as work stations to help job seekers navigate the USAJobs site to apply for government positions.  This is a great opportunity to learn about the jobs available with some of our largest technology employers. Check out the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber website for updates:  ahcnm.org.

Tags: candidates, hiring talent, industry news, job fair, job seeker

Interesting survey result: one in four high-potential employees believe they will be working for another employer in a year.  This statistic is from a survey done by the Corporate Executive Board of the Corporate Leadership Council.  An article in the Harvard Business Review , May 2010 summarizes results and ideas for resolving some of these issues. 
The survey, done in September 2009, found that one in three high-potential employees (rising stars and high achievers) admit they don’t put all their effort into the job, and one in five believe that their personal aspirations are different from what the employer has in mind for them.  This in spite of the fact that most companies have some form of program designed to nurture future leaders, and with good reason, as these individuals have major impact on business results. 
The survey also found that the sense of disengagement of these employees has been remarkably high since the start of the recession.  Results suggest that as the economy rebounds and the labor market warms up, companies may see the best employees leaving in large numbers. 
Working with HR departments the Corporate Executive Board studied more than 20,000 employees that were considered high-potential at 100 organizations worldwide.  Findings show clearly that management teams stumble when trying to develop the next generation of leaders. 

Mistakes noted:
- Assuming that high potentials are highly engaged.  Disenchantment has increased since the economic downturn began, and so renewed efforts to engage these employees as well as regularly checking in with them is important.
- Equating current high performance with future potential.  The survey showed that 70% of the high performers lacked critical attributes important to handling future roles
- Delegating down the management of top talent.  If you leave the selection of future leaders primarily to line managers, the selection will be based heavily on current performance.  Suggestions are to develop a leadership program handled by the executive level to help both candidate and managers to understand future potential.
- Shielding rising stars from early derailment.  Just as in the education system where there’s a halo effect if you are perceived as a good student, rising stars are given more help along the way rather than being tested more rigorously.  
- Expecting star employees to share the pain.   Research indicates that under normal circumstances the star employee puts in 20% more effort than others in the same role.  Therefore, when salary freezes and layoffs occur, it is important to find a way to shield the top employees from that pain.  Bear in mind that other companies are scoping out your stars and may lure them away.
- Failing to link your stars to your corporate strategy.  On the other hand, don’t hide the pain from your high potentials.  Keeping them engaged means keeping them involved in the process.  Find ways to share future strategies on a privileged basis with your stars.

Finally, always make these high potentials aware that the designation is mainly an assessment of future contribution.  Don’t just celebrate current achievement.

Tags: candidates, change management, employee morale, Executive jobs, performance management