Employers' Big Frustration – “We can’t find the right people to fill our openings”
Did you ever hear one of your single friends say something like, “There are no good men/women out there”? You hear that and feel like you need to respond with, “But, there are lots of good men/women out there that would be great for you…you’re just looking in the wrong places”.
That is how more and more employers are beginning to feel.
On the surface, that statement seems ridiculous yet, maybe not so much…Last evening I heard one story on a national news broadcast about there being nearly 14 million Americans still out of work (with video showing thousands of people lined up for a job fair in Atlanta), followed by a story that Siemens, a huge multi-national company with over 400,000 employees in 190 countries (with 62,000 employed in the U.S. throughout all 50 states), has nearly 4,000 open positions and “can’t fill them”. A Siemens’ VP who was interviewed stated, “If we cannot fill these positions, it is going to limit our ability for growth.”
WHAT…?!
Not wishing to be one of those people who believes everything that they see & hear on TV, I did some poking around the Siemens website.
For just their U.S. locations, the Siemens’ Career page showed the following openings:
• Entry Level: 218 openings
• Mid-Level: 1,092 openings
• Senior Level: 590 openings
OK…I guess they could have nearly 4,000 openings world-wide. So, are they “looking in the wrong places” for good candidates?
Not likely.
They are probably experiencing the same issues that I continue to hear about from my large network of hiring managers and recruiters:
• “The vast majority of resumes that we see are mediocre to very poor. We aren’t interested in hiring ‘mediocre or poor’ candidates.”
• “A number of our openings are posted two or three times, because we cannot find the right fit for these opportunities.”
• “My frustration is that there are probably some great candidates in that pile of 400 – 500 resumes, but I cannot tell that from reading them…and, I don’t have the time to interview 400 – 500 people to try and figure out who is really a much better performer in regard to the skill set I am seeking, than what their resume represents them to be.”
I’ve not ever believed the statement, made all too often by folks in transition over the last three years, that “there are no good jobs out there”.
Yes…it is a “buyer’s market" out there in regard to the job market. Same applies to the current housing market…but, houses continue to be put up for sale and sold…just like “good” jobs continue to be posted and candidates hired to fill those open positions.
The other night I spoke to a group of out-of-work alumni from my alma mater. Most of those in attendance were more than a bit surprised to learn that their resumes and job search strategies might put them more in the middle of the “bell curve” of candidates, rather than at the leading edge of that same curve – where hiring managers feel they can find the pool of perceived “ideal” candidates.
My fellow alumni, like many other candidates, need to stop listening to the “talking heads” who preach, “there are no good jobs out there”…and, invest the time, effort and energy to put themselves in that small group of people at the leading edge of the bell curve of talent. Are there 14 million jobs open out there? No. But, there are apparently many thousands of job openings that continue to go unfilled.
Prove the “doomsayers” wrong - maybe start with a visit to the Career page on the Siemens website.
That is how more and more employers are beginning to feel.
On the surface, that statement seems ridiculous yet, maybe not so much…Last evening I heard one story on a national news broadcast about there being nearly 14 million Americans still out of work (with video showing thousands of people lined up for a job fair in Atlanta), followed by a story that Siemens, a huge multi-national company with over 400,000 employees in 190 countries (with 62,000 employed in the U.S. throughout all 50 states), has nearly 4,000 open positions and “can’t fill them”. A Siemens’ VP who was interviewed stated, “If we cannot fill these positions, it is going to limit our ability for growth.”
WHAT…?!
Not wishing to be one of those people who believes everything that they see & hear on TV, I did some poking around the Siemens website.
For just their U.S. locations, the Siemens’ Career page showed the following openings:
• Entry Level: 218 openings
• Mid-Level: 1,092 openings
• Senior Level: 590 openings
OK…I guess they could have nearly 4,000 openings world-wide. So, are they “looking in the wrong places” for good candidates?
Not likely.
They are probably experiencing the same issues that I continue to hear about from my large network of hiring managers and recruiters:
• “The vast majority of resumes that we see are mediocre to very poor. We aren’t interested in hiring ‘mediocre or poor’ candidates.”
• “A number of our openings are posted two or three times, because we cannot find the right fit for these opportunities.”
• “My frustration is that there are probably some great candidates in that pile of 400 – 500 resumes, but I cannot tell that from reading them…and, I don’t have the time to interview 400 – 500 people to try and figure out who is really a much better performer in regard to the skill set I am seeking, than what their resume represents them to be.”
I’ve not ever believed the statement, made all too often by folks in transition over the last three years, that “there are no good jobs out there”.
Yes…it is a “buyer’s market" out there in regard to the job market. Same applies to the current housing market…but, houses continue to be put up for sale and sold…just like “good” jobs continue to be posted and candidates hired to fill those open positions.
The other night I spoke to a group of out-of-work alumni from my alma mater. Most of those in attendance were more than a bit surprised to learn that their resumes and job search strategies might put them more in the middle of the “bell curve” of candidates, rather than at the leading edge of that same curve – where hiring managers feel they can find the pool of perceived “ideal” candidates.
My fellow alumni, like many other candidates, need to stop listening to the “talking heads” who preach, “there are no good jobs out there”…and, invest the time, effort and energy to put themselves in that small group of people at the leading edge of the bell curve of talent. Are there 14 million jobs open out there? No. But, there are apparently many thousands of job openings that continue to go unfilled.
Prove the “doomsayers” wrong - maybe start with a visit to the Career page on the Siemens website.
I'm highly qualified in my field. Also, I'm 63 years old. I get lightning fast responses from employers telling me that "you fail to meet the minimum requirements for the position." It turns out on subtle inquiry that the "minumum requirement" is being under age 40!
ReplyDeleteBig employers like Siemens haven't figured out how to tap the 40 years of experience of the boomers.
So please don't lecture me about the "right" people. We're out here.
Anonymous -
ReplyDeleteI'm 57 years old and also feel that I am highly qualified to do a lot of things, but realize and accept the reality that there are still some employers (large and small) that discriminate on age, ethnicity, physical appearance, religion, political persuasion...etc. A sad fact of life.
Is that fair or legal...of course not. Should candidates focus on those employers who look beyond age, race, religion, appearance...etc, and see the true value workers bring to the table - Absolutely..!
I've assisted over 500 people w/their job searches, in the last three years alone, the vast majority of whom were over 55 years of age. At this point, nearly 85% of those folks have been re-employed...many in their 60's...and a number have been hired by major corporations.
Some of these same folks come to a monthly job seekers networking event that my company sponsors to share their experiences w/those still in transition and to help make valuable connections.
The hiring process should certainly be a two-way street -- Candidates need to focus their resumes and interview discussions on quantifiable achievements and accomplishments and employers need to concentrate on the value of what is being offered by the candidates.
Appreciate the feedback..! Thanks..!
Mike -
ReplyDeleteI agree with the premise and the retort. I teach job seekers how to use LinkedIn and Social Media to increase their job search and to expand their skill sets. This way they can be more attractive to newer thinking business models. I do this pro-bono in the Chicago area.
At a recent library class I talked with a business owner who felt he had jobs suitable for veterans (I also have a class set up in September with a veterans group through the State of Illinois.) He called the Chicago unemployment office several times and no one even bothered calling him back.
Instance number two is my cousin who is a 'mature' yet very caring and capable inside sales/customer service rep. The advice the unemployment department gave her was to circulate resumes door to door in nearby industrial parks. Ugh, and double ugh!!!!!!!!
It is sad that with all the jobs out there-people are claiming they cannot find the right people
ReplyDeleteMike, you're doing god's work in helping the over-55 cohort connect with opportunities. I like your realism. That's an important part of helping people come to terms with the reality of the situation, rather than bitterly obsessing over how things should be. By working with people and situations as they are, you're helping change that reality, one person and situation at a time, in the direction of the ideal. You're truly living out the Jesuit vision of being a man for others, for which I heartily salute you.
ReplyDelete