Last year, a study released in June 2016, revealed some trends in human resources, providing an overview of what many companies are experiencing. According to the report, there is an increase of “Human Resource Professionals reporting difficulty recruiting for full-time regular positions in the last 12 months.” With much discussion on skills gap, the Baby Boomer Generation retiring and the improving economy, these recruiting challenges in the marketplace are completely understandable.
The study compared survey results from HR professionals in 2013 versus 2016. The most notable increase from 2013 to 2016, was a 18% increase (from 50% in 2013 to 68% in 2016) of HR professionals stating their having more of a difficulty finding talent. Most of the reasons cited were the following:
– low number of applicants
– lack of the needed work experience among candidates
– competition from other employers
– candidates’ lack of technical skills
– local market not producing enough qualified candidates.
In the past, we’ve discussed some of the key soft skills many candidates are missing, particularly in the Millennial generation but the report also highlights other “skill shortages” such as “writing in English, basic computer skills, spoken English language, reading comprehension and mathematics.” Additionally, “the most commonly reported applied skills shortages are critical thinking/problem-solving, professionalism/ work ethic, leadership, written communications and teamwork/collaboration.”
Since the trend is so vast and growing, many companies are turning to training. But what happens to those companies who can’t afford to train? According to the report, “nearly one-third of the HR professionals surveyed reported that they do not have a training budget.” In addition, of those that have a budget, half of them stated it has remained the same over the twelve-month period, which mean these companies as well aren’t prepared to deal with the skills shortage.
What Top Recruiting Strategies are Organizations Using
Businesses vary in their recruiting strategies according to the report. Many companies are leveraging social media for their recruiting efforts as well as increasing their advertising efforts. One answer to the skills gap that many organizations are turning to are recruiting agencies. In industries like Manufacturing, for example, the report mentioned organizations partnering with firms to help bridge their gap. Below are the top recruiting strategies featured in the report.
70% Leveraging social media
58% Collaborating with educational institutions
49% Expanding advertising efforts
44% Using a recruitment agency
42% Training existing employees to take on hard-to-fill positions
41% Targeting passive job seekers
40% Expanding training programs to help improve skills of new hires
Source: The New Talent Landscape: Recruiting Difficulty and Skills Shortages (SHRM, 2016)
As the recruiting landscape continues to change and grow, it’s important to strengthen partnerships with educational organizations, training experts and more importantly, a recruiting agency. The report reflects a good amount of companies are turning to advertising, training and targeting passive job candidates. A reputable recruiting agency can help maximize those efforts to get better results and more cost-effective spending. If you’re one of the many businesses struggling with the skills gap, and filling full-time positions, contact us for a free consult. We’ll help evaluate your situation and give the best recommendations on how get the right people for your business.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the President and Owner of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency with over 20+years’ experience located in Schaumburg, IL. Ingrid and her team assist employers with finding the right hire for their business. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
