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Sep 2009 E-Brief Article: "Canada's Hiring Challenges in 2009"
Core issues Hiring Managers had to face this year were budget restraints, industry uncertainty, and lack of qualified candidates. Of these three issues, the lack of qualified candidates seems to be inconsistent with the current economic conditions.
Hiring Managers Biggest Recruitment Challenges
Source, Standout Jobs and PBP Media, Recruiting Trends Survey 2009. With over 450 respondents from corporate recruiters and HR professionals in all industries.
High Unemployment Vs Talent Shortage
According to PBP Media Recruiting Trends Survey 2009, over 27% of their respondents agreed that one of the greatest hiring challenges remains to be the lack of qualified candidates.
The Manpower 2009 Talent Shortage Survey specifies that 24% of employers in Canada still report having difficulties finding skilled workers despite the fact that Canada's unemployment rate has hit a record high. Interesting to note, the survey also revealed that 30% of employers worldwide were having difficulties finding candidates in their markets -- a decrease of only 1% from 2008.
At Goldbeck Recruiting Inc, we have also seen this continue to be a challenge regardless of the increased number of job seekers. In our March 2009 Employer Survey, 44% of hiring managers found it challenging to fill positions that require a specialized skills set. Additionally, 24% found it difficult to hire for executive positions.
Top 3 Jobs with Talent Shortages
Manpower's 2009 Talent Shortage Survey indicates the top 3 jobs in Canada with the greatest need for qualified talent:
- Skilled Trades
- Sales Representatives
- Engineers
Various reports from Statistics Canada and the Conference Board of Canada confirm that Canada's aging population is contributing to the lack of skilled trades-people in growing sectors. Furthermore, the majority of young adults entering into new careers still consider university programs over skilled trades training.
In response to the shortages of civil engineers and estimators, Larry Jacobson, executive director of the National Society of Professional Engineers, quoted: "What's missing are enough licensed professionals who have worked at least 5 years under experienced engineers before taking the licensing exam. Not newly graduated civil engineers."
At Goldbeck Recruiting Inc., we can comment on our experience working in sales and marketing fields. General sales skills are not enough; employers are looking for experienced sales professionals with specific knowledge of their industry and products. This is truer now, as sales managers need to drive more business while working with a strained hiring budget.
Considerations for Hiring Managers
If you are a Manager having to deal with particularly tough HR decisions this year, as you can see, you are not alone. You may be faced with balancing cut-backs in human resources and retaining top talent. Think twice in finalizing layoffs specifically in the fields mentioned above where a talent shortage exists. A way to cut costs while keeping salary packages competitive is to offer innovate perks as opposed to purely montery incentives.
Our next e-Brief article touches on this issue: "Increase Savings and Employee Satisfaction by Telecommuting".
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