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Can Employers Find the Right Skill Set For Their Current Job Openings?

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:29:12 +0000

Right now Congress is battling about how to resolve the budget deficit. Some might argue that the most important issue to improve our economy is to get Americans back to work. According to an article in the Society For Human Resource Management’s HR News, economists suggest that jobs should have been the focus of the Super Committee all along.

However, in areas of the country where there is job recovery, there seems to be another problem. There is a significant gap between skills needed for these jobs and skilled workers ready to go to work.

The SHRM article asked for responses concerning the skills deficits in job applicants for specific organizations. A response from the Arlington, VA Workforce Investment Board said that in some cases job seekers just don’t know how to promote themselves. When responding to the question “Why do you want this job” the applicant’s answer may be – “Because I want a job.” Not a good way to highlight the skills a worker could bring to the company.

Job seekers need to be aware that the current economic productivity is similar to levels reached prior to the 2007 -2009 recession, but there are millions more people out of work. The good news is that 58% of companies that laid off workers during the recession are making direct replacement of those jobs. The bad news is that many of those jobs now require completely new skill sets.

The applicant needs to be able to separate him- or herself from the pack by highlighting the talents and skills they bring. Recently there has been a change in the focus of the HR Recruiters from years of experience to actual skill sets available in the job seeker pool- reflecting the trend of changing skill requirements.

The really interesting issue highlighted by companies responding to the SHRM-posted question said that the most common skill deficiencies in applicants are 1) writing in English 2) math skills 3) reading comprehension and 4) speaking in English. The cited language deficiencies could be easily addressed by applicants through local training organizations. Students in secondary or post-secondary educational institutions need to be aware of these needs and be focused on heightening their skills going forward.

Hiring, or hunting for a job are stressful and difficult processes, and even with the right skills, or the right group of applicants the one thing we all need is persistence and a sense of humor. Good hunting!

Small Business and Startups Feel the Pinch, Slowing Job Growth

Ingrid Baker — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:27:15 +0000

As most economic writers will tell you, it is the small business sector in our country that adds the most jobs to our economy. As a matter of fact large businesses (over 500 employees) have reduced the number of employees significantly in the last few years. Thus job seekers are feeling the pinch as new business startup statistics are the lowest since the 1990s.
An article in USA Today Small Business provided a summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the 12 months ending in March 2010 there were 505,000 new business startups – the weakest growth since the bureau started tracking this stat in the 1990s. Other publications have tracked current trends and say the outlook is not very rosy (National Federation of Independent Business). After steady increases through early February, the optimism index dipped for March and April of this year.
The lack of new business is attributed by many to the lack of consumer spending. Sales trends are down, and there is a lot of uncertainty about what is next. Also companies are worried about what will happen in the next year in U.S. Government.
This news impacts our unemployment issues. National unemployment statistics hover at 9%, and an article in the Financial Times said that the “basic unemployment” percent (people between jobs or permanently unemployed) may not ever get back down to the 3% level we’ve held for years. For every “opportunity” for growth in an industry there is a balancing economic factor that may dampen that growth. One example was the optimistic view that companies might move manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. because of rising costs overseas. The pessimistic view is that these same companies will adopt more technologies that would replace these very jobs!
There is an interesting factor in all this news. Technology companies (mostly small businesses) and technology jobs continue to make gains, and there are jobs going begging. The reason – the workforce lacks the skills to fill these positions. One article talked about the loss of jobs in the construction sector, and the need for trained workers in the healthcare industry…and these skills don’t cross over. There are also jobs to be had in IT, and even in skilled manufacturing.
There is no easy answer to the problem. There is hope for the job seeker with technology or IT skills, but it will require time and patience to find the best match. Keep hunting!

Performance Reviews – Are They Worth The Pain?

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:00:32 +0000

Performance reviews are not fun for either the employee or the reviewer, but in the past were viewed as a necessary evil of working in an organization. The fact is, however, that they are not a requirement except in the case of some governmental or union employees. The other fact is that they take an enormous amount of time and create lots of stress for everyone. So why do them?
An article in Legal Section of the Society for Human Resource Management site brings up some interesting points. The April article by Judith Droz Keyes discusses both the reasons for and the pitfalls of performance reviews.
The formal review system was developed predominantly as a defense against discrimination lawsuits in the 50’s and 60’s, to justify terminations and disciplinary actions. They were also supposed to serve as an honest and accurate assessment of an employee’s job performance relative to the employer’s standards and, to the performance of the team. They were intended to motivate the employee to achieve great things and improve the morale of the company.
The problems with these evaluations are many. First and foremost, most supervisors are not good at reviewing their staff, and tend to avoid confrontation. Therefore the employee may have been reprimanded in some way during the year, and at review time will get a satisfactory rating, so as not to cause waves. In other cases, the language used in the review is not clear – saying “I would like to see” rather than “this job requires”. In addition, most supervisors are not held accountable for the quality of their review process, so there is no consequence, until the employee is let go and a lawsuit is file.
That brings up the second problem. Many times the review process is designed more as a career path management tool than a disciplinary tool and so problems with employees may not be accurately documented in the process. Then, when an employee files a “wrongful termination” suit, they cite their years of positive reviews as evidence. Sadly this means that the supervisor must now always look at the process as a potential legal pitfall rather than a helpful tool for management.
Yet another problem with the process is the lack of timeliness of the feedback. Management should be addressing problems or achievements as they occur, rather than waiting a prescribed amount of time to give praise or criticism. As a supervisor I had to keep careful notes during the year to avoid the “feeling of the moment” – the employee had just done something to irritate me that might affect my attitude during the review.
Finally (though there are probably more issues I haven’t thought of) there is the legal side of employment which says you need to be careful about commenting on things such as “professional attitude”, excessive absences, or cases where there is a conflict with the supervisor. Any comments must be weighed against the protected rights of the individual employee, which tends to lead to a very bland review. It is very difficult to deal with an employee with serious health issues when their position is vital to the organization and slows down the whole business process. A supervisor must be very careful to comment in language that addresses the goals of the company and how they are not being met…or some other cleaver way to discuss the problem.
So if not performance reviews, what? As mentioned earlier, timely addressing of the issue, either positive or negative, is much more useful for both employer and employee. Record of these discussions need to be documented just as in a review, especially when compensation is tied to performance. In place of a review, a “career plan” showing goals for the employee to work toward would be much more useful. The goals should be developed through mutual input and allow the employee to show how they would like to grow in the business.
Whether you are a manager or part of the staff in an organization, it is a challenge to keep dialogue open and keep everyone on the same page. Good luck!

Cause & Effect: Hiring/Interviewing Well

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:57:08 +0000

I find it very interesting that articles on how to retain your employees and how to hire successfully are intimately intertwined. The overall assumption is that if you interview carefully, you and the candidate will have a long and happy life together.
As a job applicant, the same rules apply. For every “suggested question” the interviewer/recruiter asks, you need to ask others to find out what you need to know about the job.
Some suggested reasons for why employees might not stay, gathered from resource Profiles International, are as follows:
* Inadequate capability
* Poor job fit
* Fuzzy goals and accountabilities
* Poor relationship with manager
* Poor relationship with co-workers
* Health and wellness issues
* Physical and environmental factors
On the other hand, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has an article on its site listing the three main goals of a good interview:
* Find out as much as possible about what the candidate knows.
* Learn how their work skills have been applied and tested in work situations.
* Determine where their aptitudes lie, defining the path of future growth and development.

If you glance between the two, it appears that the interview list covers most of the “why they leave” list. Health and wellness and environmental factors may be harder to control for, but the rest seems to fit.
The SHRM article gives some great advice – check your interview questions (and expected answers) against the interview goals and make sure they mesh. Also ask the questions to get the best personal insight from the interviewee.
One sample question, asked two ways, illustrates the management part of the interview. The general question “where do you see yourself in five years” is fairly open-ended (they might have a terminal illness!) and won’t get the best response. Instead “Where does this position fall along your career path” provides the opportunity for a more specific response.
Again, as a job seeker, give real thought to these questions, as you want to make sure this opportunity is a fit for you. You need to give the prospective employer a chance to know you, to avoid the “misfit” thing.
Of course the one event no one can protect against is a major change in leadership, or even in business focus. Therefore the employer should always be looking for people who are flexible and willing to learn who can make the sudden leaps that sometime happen in the current business environment.
As usual, good luck!

Ramifications of Doing More With Less, For Companies and Workforce

Ingrid Baker — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 22:32:27 +0000

As we all have heard, corporate profits dropped significantly (some sources say by 1/3) in the latest economic downturn, and companies were cutting and slashing wherever they could, including eliminating some product or service lines. Because of the belt tightening companies have become very efficient at delivering their product or services with fewer resources. As a result, second-quarter 2010 profits for industrial companies in the S&P 500 stock index were $189 billion, up 38% from a year ago. The outcome in many cases was as much a result of cost savings as revenue growth.
But..how does that affect the staff that got to keep their jobs? And what are the long-term effects of this new way of working?
An article in the Society for Human Resource Management news (1/7/2011) highlights some of the problems in doing more with less. Companies know they cannot continue cost-cutting to success, but for the last two years that was the major tool in the toolbox.
Among the problems mentioned in the article are: Diminished capacity, capability and agility, misaligned organizational structure, broken business processes and declining workforce engagement. These issues can greatly affect future success.
Diminished capacity refers to not having enough staff, which can directly affect the company’s cost structure and ability to deliver the goods. In well-staffed organizations there is the ability to shift people rapidly to respond to shifting business needs. In a reduced-staff organization the employees have to focus on their immediate responsibilities, leaving little time to help in other areas. Obviously the inability to respond will affect the company’s ability to compete.
Misaligned Org Structure can, as a result of rapid reorganization, leave an organizational chart that no longer is aligned to support the business. There are resulting gaps in roles, work process, accountabilities and information flow. Structural gaps also occur when companies eliminate middle management positions without eliminating the work, forcing employees to take on added responsibilities. Employees unprepared for management issues often end up “winging it” to the detriment of the company.
There are also broken business processes, partly as a result of prior reliance on long-term employees for “tribal knowledge” of the operation. By failing to document or address the broken processes the companies can lose core efficiencies – and have to re-invent the wheel.
Eventually the workforce becomes disengaged. In the short term everyone was glad for the job, and willing to pitch in. It has become obvious, however, that this situation is going to continue for quite awhile. Not only that, but these loyal employees aren’t seeing monetary rewards for their efforts. These employees are hunkered down until new opportunities arise, and then some organizations may lose a lot of valuable talent.
Unless companies address the problems created by the downsizing, they will start to lose the advantages gained by the initial cuts. They need to be able to manage the new structure and reevaluate skills needed to stay competitive – and be ready for the next wave of new business!

Keep That Resume Updated

Ingrid Baker — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:52:47 +0000

The hunt continues – for good jobs and for good candidates. The rules for hunting have changed somewhat as companies downsize, but need qualified folks for the jobs they have left. Candidates have a harder time making connections and getting noticed in the crowd of job seekers.
There are all kinds of new social networking venues for both companies and candidates to use, including LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and so many more.
First important thing – don’t get too cute! The resume/Facebook/LinkedIn information should fit the industry you are in and be appropriately professional. Photos should look somewhat businesslike unless you are in the entertainment industry. Likes and hobbies aren’t as relevant as past education and experience so keep that list under control.
Second important thing – if the company with job openings has a well-visited site, they may not post on the job boards, but just sort through the applicants that actually check out their company. I have had some recruiters say that the big boards produce TOO many resumes, and many that aren’t applicable. So – look for sites that are specific to the industry you are interested in.
Third important thing – it is worth keeping a resume active on some of the niche sites (such as our site, www.nmtechjobs.org) as companies sometimes search in advance of a new contract or business expansion to see what types of candidates are available in their field. It can serve as an introduction for you to companies you might not reach otherwise.
Good hunting!

Successful Job Hunts

Ingrid Baker — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:56:53 +0000

The ultimate goal of job hunting – getting hired! There are a lot of people working hard at the hunt, so I thought maybe it was a good time to talk about success stories.
First there is the gentleman who attended the recent Kirtland Air Force/Hispano Chamber of Commerce job fair in Albuquerque. He came prepared and was able to visit with a company representative about his skills and interests. From that meeting he was invited for a formal interview, and was hired for a $50K a year job.
Then there was the person who was laid off from an out-of-state technology company and was networking in New Mexico. He contacted the Technology Ventures Corporation recruiting service and shared his resume both on the free job site, nmtechjobs.org and with me. I noticed that his skills and experience seemed a great fit for a local tech company. They didn’t have any posted openings, but when I forwarded the resume they recognized his talent and added him to their team.
One more example is the woman who was laid off from a local technology business and decided to strike out on her own. Using the contacts and experience she had gained in her former position, she joined local professional organizations and contacted colleagues she knew in her field. The result of her hard work was a successful consulting business.
So – keep looking, and be creative (an overused term but appropriate). First and foremost always be prepared for an opportunity by having business cards and resumes at hand. Dress professionally for any occasion where there might be an opportunity to make a contact to start you on the road to a new career, and keep your schedule flexible so you can take advantage of these opportunities.
Good hunting!

Employers List the 4 C’s

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:18:51 +0000

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. Good luck.

How Do Companies Hire?

Ingrid Baker — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:33:02 +0000

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.

Job Hunting in New Mexico

Ingrid Baker — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:37:48 +0000

Our land of enchantment is ( as most of you know) a great place to work and play, and attracts a lot of attention from folks tired of cold rainy weather or just wanting to have our great views. This attraction can help companies needing to hire, but can complicate matters for local residents trying to find a job.

New Mexico is definitely a networking state. The local communities are small enough that you can make a connection with the people you need to meet if you stay on task. That said, hunting for your perfect job here requires some networking. As opportunities open up, there are liable to be huge numbers of applications for each position. In some cases the application isn’t even appropriate for the job. This makes it harder for the employer to find YOUR great resume among the piles.

Networking requires some courage on your part. It takes energy to reach out to friends and acquaintances asking for their help in your job hunt. Finding the right connection takes time but there is definitely a payoff for the work invested.

Luckily because employers can be overwhelmed by the applications they receive, they are now turning to their networks, especially current employees, to simplify the process. It also can save them money in the recruiting process. Employees also have an interest in adding qualified teammates to their organization, and they get kudos from the employer if they find the right candidate for the job.

Some cautions here:
Make sure your contact really is a fan. People usually won’t tell you to your face that they wouldn’t recommend you for a position, so while you are asking the favor, be sure to observe their reaction to make sure they aren’t uncomfortable with the request.
Make sure your contact is a well regarded employee of the company (no explanation needed).
Make sure that you qualify for the job you are applying for before you put a friend or acquaintance on the spot. It helps no one if you make it to the interview process for an opportunity that isn’t right for you.
Make sure you have the right contact. Sometimes the HR manager is the person you need to reach, but many times it may be the head of the department you want to apply to. Ask your contact who actually will be doing the decision-making for this opportunity. If you are applying for a tech position, having a contact in the billing department may not have the effect you are looking for.

Other points to consider: many positions are not posted, or haven’t been fleshed out yet, but if the right candidate comes along there might be an opportunity. Especially in smaller companies, they may not think they are ready to hire yet, but when the perfect applicant shows up they speed the process along. Also, some companies may work by contract, and hold resumes in file in anticipation of the next job. All are good reasons to develop a good network and keep in touch with your contacts (without making a nuisance of yourself).

Good hunting!