Filling the talent pool: Industries & places that are hiring

For years, America has been clamoring for ways to grow the nation's job economy — and finally, as US employment figures rise to the highest levels in five years, their prayers are being answered. However, the good news comes with an unfortunate tang of irony: jobs may be on the rise, but employers are finding they're unable to match their openings with the resumes they're receiving.

The challenges in filling job vacancies in specific industries, are threefold:

1. Competing for top talent in places with a high level of local competition in that industry,
2. Meeting the hiring needs for specific industries in sparsely populated areas, and
3. Filling jobs during industry-wide, nationwide talent shortages.

Which places are hiring, and in which industries is demand on the rise? Our infographic below lays it out in detail:

Hiring Talent In Challenging Industries & Locations

Whether you hiring in manufacturing, medical, creative, or a different industry entirely, approaching the hiring process with the right frame of mind can broaden your options tremendously. If your company is located in a place where the competition for a specific industry is tight. approaching hiring with an eye on efficiency and a realistic view of the industry is vital to winning out on the top candidates. As you begin your process, consider these three pieces of advice:

1. TAKE A REALISTIC VIEW ON TALENT REQUIREMENTS

It's said that "Perfect is the enemy of good." However, in business, perfect is also the enemy of "done". More often than not, finding the ideal candidate for a job, who fits every talent requirement, is a matter of luck more than success — and can be tremendously time-consuming.

When deciding what requirements are not negotiable, take a step back and consider your company's philosophy. Do you work in a company that values innovation, taking on new challenges, and thinking outside of the box, and yet you're seeking a hire who's an exact fit for their role? If so, remember that ambitious, hard-working employees want to be somewhere out of their comfort zone, where they can advance their knowledge and skills. Place them in a position where they're perfectly suited to what they're capable of right now, and they'll quickly outgrow it.

The younger generations will associate the opportunity for career advancement and on-the-job learning — not a big paycheck — with their sense of job satisfaction. This is a fact that will become increasingly relevant over the next decade: for the first time in history, the number of younger workers entering the labor market aren't enough to replace those who are leaving. As this happens, competition for talent is going to become increasingly tight, and the need to provide opportunity-based employment will be more relevant.

Ultimately, picking the best and most realistic skill set for a hard-to-fill job involves having a broader understanding of what the job market looks like at that moment, and sculpting your expectations to match — which takes a lot of trial and error if your team is managing it themselves. Recruiters have that perspective, and can make the process a lot easier.

2. WHEN HIRING, ASK YOURSELF: "CAN I AFFORD TO WAIT?"

It's an interesting fact that while companies shy away from the time and money it would take to train a new hire, they often entirely overlook the time and cost that's connected with the hiring and interviewing process.

As you decide what your hiring needs are, take careful consideration of which skills are make-or-break, and which can be taught within a few days. A good question to ask yourself as you consider a resume is "Does the time, effort, and cost of getting this employee up to speed balance against the time, effort, and cost of prolonging the interview process?"

On the other hand, be careful not to make an inexpensive hiring process your primary goal; the quality of the candidate and how quickly you're able to produce results should be your focus. Yes, cost matters, but only when balanced against the other, more significant, priorities.

Recruiters provide a distinct advantage when it comes to the arena of quality and speed. A recruiter's candidate pool consists not only of those seeking jobs online, but also of the professionals who’ve chosen only to work with a recruiter during their job search. This, combined with a recruiter's ability to leverage their understanding of the current jobs industry, allows them to screen out highly qualified options and present them for interviews within a short timeframe.

3. CREATE A PLAN TO RETAIN AND MAXIMIZE YOUR HIRES

Because of the inconvenience of the hiring process and the high cost of turnover, once you find a candidate that fits the position, the ideal (and least expensive) option is to keep that hire on board as long as you can. Here's a few strategies that can help you in this arena:

Think laterally: If you have a talented employee with important skills who fits your company's culture, but that individual is poorly placed, try moving them to a better position, or evolving their current role to one that better fits their abilities.

Be sincere: Employees can sense when a company does not value them, and many will reciprocate that sentiment. The Harvard Business Review best defines the type of company that's great at retaining talent:

“In a nutshell, it’s a company where individual differences are nurtured; information is not suppressed or spun; the company adds value to employees, rather than merely extracting it from them; the organization stands for something meaningful; the work itself is intrinsically rewarding; and there are no stupid rules.”

Invest in key talent: Even your top-tier employees are works in process; never stop training everyone on your team towards their peak potential. And don't limit that training to external sources — if you have someone on your team with a hard-to-find skill, make them a key influencer, and be sure to have them spread the wealth by training their teammates.

Burn no bridges: Be sure to treat the candidates who didn't get the offer with respect and courtesy — particularly the ones who were almost hired. If things go sour with your first choice, those are the people you want back in line for the position. Additionally, good candidates are likely to have a strong professional network, and you'll want them to recommend your company as one of the top places that are hiring to their friends and colleagues.

Wherever You Are, Whatever Your Industry, We're Here For You!

If it stands to reason that a larger pool of candidates increases your chance of quickly finding the perfect fit for your job, then why not work with the world's largest recruiting agency to find the talent your company is looking for?

The recruiters at Adecco USA have the resources, experience, and proven history of success that make them the perfect match for your hiring needs. To connect with our experts to find out how we can create a solution for you, contact us today!