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

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

An article in the Society for Human Resource Management’s staffing publication  (Staffing Management) reviews the results of the Leading Indicators of National Employment Survey released May 7.  According to the article by Theresa Minton-Eversole  the unemployed might have a better chance of finding a job in the next few months . 
Overall the survey shows that the percentage of manufacturing companies that are hiring is the highest since fall of 2007 and in services the highest since summer of 2007.  Also the survey indicates that good workers are getting harder to find.
The LINE Employment Report surveys four key areas:  employer hiring expectation, new-hire compensation, recruiting difficulty for top level talent and job vacancies.  The survey covers HR departments at more than 500 manufacturing and 500 service sector companies, which employ more than 90% of the nation’s private sector workers.
Results include employment expectation increases of 48.7% in manufacturing and 37% in service sector.  This is the seventh straight month of predicted increases.  In recruiting difficulty, manufacturing indicated an 18.9% increase and services a 14.2% increase.  New hire compensation increased in April by 7.2% in manufacturing and 10.9% in services.
LINE survey results for job vacancies cover both exempt and non-exempt positions.  This indicator can be one of the early indicators of a shift in supply and demand in the labor market.  In the manufacturing sector 18.7% of respondents reported an increase in vacancies in April. 
The survey noted that most companies had held their salary levels through the period of high unemployment and are now increasing some compensation for the harder-to-fill positions.  Job seekers are still accepting lower wages and benefits than in the past overall.   Employers may have to change tactics as the pool of candidates for positions of strategic importance gets tighter. 

Tags: applications, candidates, Executive jobs, For Employers, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker