USA: Most Sought After Workers for 2007

Sales representatives, teachers and mechanics are among America’s most sought-after workers, according to survey findings released by Manpower Inc. The employment services company also found that 41 percent of U.S. employers are having difficulty filling positions because of a lack of available talent.

“With the variety of positions employers are struggling to fill, it seems like job seekers should have little trouble finding work,” said Jonas Prising, President of Manpower North America. “Yet on a daily basis we hear from clients who can’t find the right people for open positions and candidates who are struggling to get hired. The reality is that the talent crunch is more complex than a shortage of people. To bridge the talent gap, we must dig deeper and consider issues such as skill levels, geographic dispersion and demographics.”

The 10 hardest-to-fill jobs, as reported by U.S. employers for 2007, are:

Sales representative
Teacher
Mechanic
Technician
Management/executive
Truck driver
Driver/delivery
Accountant
Labourer
Machine operator

Manpower surveyed more than 2,400 U.S. employers in February as a follow-up to its 2006 survey to determine which positions employers are having difficulty filling this year.

In the 2007 study, 41 percent of U.S. employers cited difficulty in filling jobs. This is a slight dip from the 2006 results, when 44 percent of employers reported challenges filling open positions.

Sales representatives topped the list of hardest-to-fill jobs for the second straight year as companies rely on experienced sales staff to propel future growth. Teachers and mechanics replaced engineers and nurses/healthcare workers in the second- and third-place positions this year.

“Even though some jobs fell off the top 10 list, demand for these positions still exists,” said Prising. “We know that employers are attempting to manage their talent requirements through a variety of strategies, including outsourcing, offshoring and technology, due to the fact that the pressure to meet production and financial goals remains despite talent shortages.”

As employers balance efficiency strategies with the growing difficulty of hiring the right people, many are changing their approach to hiring and retention, according to Melanie Holmes, Manpower Vice President of Corporate Affairs – North America.

“Employers are seeing more and more rejected job offers, creating a healthy competition as companies vie for top talent. As a result of this, employers are revising policies and enhancing benefits in areas as common as flexible scheduling to non-traditional offerings like take-home meals and onsite yoga classes. We anticipate more and increasingly creative cultural changes as companies take the steps necessary to distinguish themselves in the eyes of employees,” said Holmes.