"We can't find qualified employees"

[Brian4Liberty]

As with most complex issues, there are multiple factors involved when companies say that they "can't find qualified employees". This article addresses automated resume screening software.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304821304577436172660988042.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304821304577436172660988042.html

In an essay in this newspaper last fall, Peter Cappelli, a professor of management and human resources at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, challenged the oft-heard complaint from employers that they can't find good workers with the right skills. "The real culprits are the employers themselves," he asserted.
...
A Philadelphia-area human-resources executive told Mr. Cappelli that he applied anonymously for a job in his own company as an experiment. He didn't make it through the screening process.
...
"For every story about an employer who can't find qualified applicants, there's a counterbalancing tale about an employer with ridiculous hiring requirements," he says. In many companies, software has replaced recruiters, he writes, so "applicants rarely talk to anyone, even by email, during the hiring process."
...
But at a time of widespread unemployment, the volume of applications is swamping HR departments, many of which have been downsized to cut costs. That has led employers to further automate hiring—and to become incredibly specific about experience and skills they seek. Screening software weeds out anyone whose application lacks particular key words.

With so much talent looking for work, why not get what you really need? Here's why: Managers pile up so many requirements that they make it nearly impossible to find anyone who fits.

Neal Grunstra, president of Mindbank Consulting Group, a temporary-staffing company, calls this "looking for a unicorn." Mr. Cappelli's favorite email came from a company that drew 25,000 applicants for a standard engineering position only to have the HR department say not one was qualified. One job seeker said "he had been told he was perfect for a given position—except for the fact that his previous job title didn't match that of the vacancy," a title unique to the prospective employer.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

The comments section is very interesting. This one sums up another reason why some companies claim that they can't find employees.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...2.html#articleTabs=comments&commentId=4255562

Top quartile grad from a top-20 school in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science here. Have submitted my resume thousands of times to employers who have claimed the need for more tech workers. I have an excellent track record of developing personal projects, am well-spoken, and my background qualifies me to perform a whole plethora of jobs.

Do the employers care? No. In the past few years, I've received no more than a dozen or so responses to my resume. Yet thousands of guest workers on H-1B visas and green cards have been imported under the 'theory' that people like me don't exist. In fact, despite record graduations of science and technology professionals in the past decade, job growth for domestic workers in the exciting fields of technology has been almost zero.

Not only are the employers not even trying to hire talent, but they're actively trying to pretend we don't exist, so they can hire foreigners. Once employers knock this off (or are forced to), then professionalism and appropriate use of recruiting tools will return. Until then, its hopeless.

 

[specsaregood]

Neal Grunstra, president of Mindbank Consulting Group, a temporary-staffing company, calls this "looking for a unicorn." Mr. Cappelli's favorite email came from a company that drew 25,000 applicants for a standard engineering position only to have the HR department say not one was qualified. One job seeker said "he had been told he was perfect for a given position—except for the fact that his previous job title didn't match that of the vacancy," a title unique to the prospective employer.

I bet they'd be able to work with an H1B-visa contracting company to find somebody with the exact title needed though.

 

[jkr]

they always want the guy they fired/ wouldn't pay competitvly back at a lower rate.


so
is NOW a good time to start our own economy?

 

[tttppp]

What a shock, the HR departments can't find anyone qualified to hire. HR people's job is to find bullshit excuses not to hire people or not to let candidates speak to the real job creators of the companies.

Additionally, they make up bullshit requirements for positions which make it absolutely impossible to hire anyone. I remember coming out of college I was looking for entry level work. Well most of the "entry level" positions wanted 5 years of experience and they didn't want to pay a decent salary. Honestly, what kind of dumb fuck with 5 years of experience would be looking for entry level work with less than entry level pay? Only the most incompetent people on the planet would be interested in that kind of work.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I bet they'd be able to work with an H1B-visa contracting company to find somebody with the exact title needed though.

You know it. It's always amazing how the H1-B body shops can provide candidates that exactly match the Req.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Good advise for job seekers in this comment:

When I was younger and applying for jobs, I always did everything I could to bypass the HR department. I would try to locate the person would actually be my supervisor or boss, and aggressively pitch them directly. I found that very often a phone call from this person to the HR department cut all the red tape and "process". They would tell the HR people, "Hire this guy".

Was my potential boss a bit annoyed at the direct approach? A little, but often told me later that I stood out as someone REALLY interested in the job. Was the HR department annoyed? Always. Did I get jobs quickly? Yup. Worked for me.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304821304577436172660988042.html#articleTabs=comments

 

[tttppp]

Good advise for job seekers in this comment:

I agree with this advise. Its always best to bypass the HR department as much as possible.

 

[Pericles]

Agreed - the HR department is the corporate ghetto of people who can't be fired, but should have been, and make it their job to ensure that competent people don't get hired.

Over time, employers get the employees that they deserve.

 

[freedomordeath]

I often find that the biggest problem esp with employment agencies is they don't have a clue about the industry you work in, so they won't let you through unless you tick all the boxes, often when you cut through all the BS to speak to the dude you will eventially work for, he can very quickly work out weather you are right for the job based on passed experience regardless of what boxes are ticked. I think they should relax employment regulations and simply try you out for a couple of days and see how you go, no harm done, if they don't like you then you move on, so much easier and less pressure on GETTING THE DESCION RIGHT as opposed to simply giving a trial run.

 

[Icymudpuppy]

My experience with MOST employees.

I start them out at starting pay.

They work their butt off for a pay raise.

I give them a raise and they start slacking off.

I fire them.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I often find that the biggest problem esp with employment agencies is they don't have a clue about the industry you work in, so they won't let you through unless you tick all the boxes, often when you cut through all the BS to speak to the dude you will eventially work for, he can very quickly work out weather you are right for the job based on passed experience regardless of what boxes are ticked. I think they should relax employment regulations and simply try you out for a couple of days and see how you go, no harm done, if they don't like you then you move on, so much easier and less pressure on GETTING THE DESCION RIGHT as opposed to simply giving a trial run.

+1 When I (finally) got a job earlier this year, my first 2 weeks were the "trial period". I thought this was standard procedure, but I guess not.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

My experience with MOST employees.

I start them out at starting pay.

They work their butt off for a pay raise.

I give them a raise and they start slacking off.

I fire them.

What's your industry? (if I may ask)

 

[tttppp]

I often find that the biggest problem esp with employment agencies is they don't have a clue about the industry you work in, so they won't let you through unless you tick all the boxes, often when you cut through all the BS to speak to the dude you will eventially work for, he can very quickly work out weather you are right for the job based on passed experience regardless of what boxes are ticked. I think they should relax employment regulations and simply try you out for a couple of days and see how you go, no harm done, if they don't like you then you move on, so much easier and less pressure on GETTING THE DESCION RIGHT as opposed to simply giving a trial run.

This is really the best way to do this. Unfortunately most companies today are afraid of being sued so they won't fire anyone. So regardless of how much screening they do, they will always be left with a bunch of employees who deserve to be fired.

 

[MelissaWV]

My experience with MOST employees.

I start them out at starting pay.

They work their butt off for a pay raise.

I give them a raise and they start slacking off.

I fire them.

With only a tweak or two, this describes my experience.

I cannot find qualified "partners" to share a basic pool of jobs with. I have found people who pass all of the requirements, do very well on skills tests, and are willing to work the relatively short and boring contracts that everyone starts out doing. Then, when they are given the opportunity to do more and earn more, their work suffers and they never fail to disappoint me.

 

[Icymudpuppy]

What's your industry? (if I may ask)

Nuisance wildlife pest control

 

[tttppp]

With only a tweak or two, this describes my experience.

I cannot find qualified "partners" to share a basic pool of jobs with. I have found people who pass all of the requirements, do very well on skills tests, and are willing to work the relatively short and boring contracts that everyone starts out doing. Then, when they are given the opportunity to do more and earn more, their work suffers and they never fail to disappoint me.

I've never had trouble finding employees who are willing to take on more responsibility. A good percentage of the employees I've worked with were thrilled with the opportunity to have more responsibility and move up in the company.

 

[MelissaWV]

I've never had trouble finding employees who are willing to take on more responsibility. A good percentage of the employees I've worked with were thrilled with the opportunity to have more responsibility and move up in the company.

This is not a "company." This is an opportunity to make more money by being involved in longer, more detailed projects. Most people lose interest and move on to other things, or leave projects unfinished, which only really hurts them. This is why I will never officially make it a company and hire people.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I remember coming out of college I was looking for entry level work. Well most of the "entry level" positions wanted 5 years of experience and they didn't want to pay a decent salary. Honestly, what kind of dumb fuck with 5 years of experience would be looking for entry level work with less than entry level pay? Only the most incompetent people on the planet would be interested in that kind of work.

It depends on the job and the industry, but there have been changes in how much employers are willing to invest in employees, which means they don't want to invest anything. There are far fewer entry level or apprentice level jobs. Employers want someone already experienced. Thus, they are in a dilemma of their own making. No one is willing to take on people who need to gain experience, and then they can't find people who have experience. College recruiting used to be a big part of staffing. Not so much anymore.

This also opened the door to less than scrupulous employment agencies who had no problem presenting people with fake resumes, usually people on visas from other countries who had nothing to lose. This was an epidemic in the IT industry.

 

[ryanmkeisling]

My experience with MOST employees.

I start them out at starting pay.

They work their butt off for a pay raise.

I give them a raise and they start slacking off.

I fire them.

This. People are easily complacent and naturally lazy.