More than a third of all employers globally are facing a shortage of skilled workers, but they are reluctant to hire until the right people come along, according to an annual survey by Milwaukee-based Manpower Group.
The survey showed that 34 percent of employers are having difficulty filling jobs but 56 percent of respondents said they are making due with fewer workers — a bad sign for the hiring market.
“Talent shortages are endemic but employers have gotten used to doing more with less and hesitate to hire until they see demand and can find talent with the specific skills they need,” said Manpower Chairman Jeffrey Joerres. “Surprisingly, employers are now less concerned about the impact of these shortages on customers and investors, a perspective which signals acceptance of the new normal.
Among the most common reasons employers say they can’t fill roles is a lack of applicants, to 33 percent in 2012 from 24 percent last year. An equal percentage complained they are seeing a “lack of technical competencies/hard skills” — especially when it comes to industry-specific qualifications in both professional and skilled trades categories.
Manpower’s survey of more than 40,000 employers across 41 countries found that the hardest jobs to fill globally are skilled trades workers, engineers and sales representatives.
Jobs most in demand in 2012
Skilled Trades Workers
Engineers
Sales Representatives
Technicians
Drivers
Laborers
IT Staff
Accounting & Finance Staff
Chefs/Cooks
Management/Executives
Jobs most in demand in 2011
Technicians
Sales Representatives
Skilled Trades Workers
Engineers
Laborers
Management/ Executives
Accounting & Finance Staff
IT Staff
Production Operators
Secretaries, PAs, Admin Assistants, & Office Support Staff
