Dec 12, 2022
Bonnie Burk, Director of Recruitment at IntegriSource
Have you changed jobs recently? Are you currently seeking employment? Or are you an employer who is finding it difficult to meet your staffing needs? Whether you’re a job seeker or a hiring manager, you’ve undoubtedly seen significant changes in the job market and workforce over the past few years. The pandemic affected not only how we did our jobs, but also where we worked, when working remotely was necessary to avoid Covid exposure. But today, even as more companies are asking their staff to return full-time to the office, many employees continue to work virtually not only out of necessity but out of choice with the justification that working from home provides a greater work/life balance.
Even though employees feel less connected to their co-workers and miss social interaction, the flexibility that remote work offers seems to be worth it. But is the increased demand to work remotely the primary reason why so many positions remain unfilled? Or are there other explanations beyond the current lack of job fulfillment? To help understand both sides of the employment story, today we’re speaking with Bonnie Burk. She is the Director of Recruitment at IntegriSource, a boutique IT and Computer Engineering staffing company. Bonnie is here to discuss the employment market for both the hiring manager and the job seeker.
What You’ll Hear on This Episode:
- How is the job market different today than in the past?
- The reasons behind constant job changes in today’s workplace.
- How can companies afford the high wage demands of today’s job seekers?
- Some of the biggest challenges that hiring managers face in finding qualified candidates.
- What industries offer the greatest hiring opportunities these days?
- Ageism and other discrimination issues in the hiring process.
- Why are so many long-term employees opting for early retirement?
- Two weeks’ notice and other requirements for quitting your job today.
- Helping the people that work for you to avoid getting sick.
- Recommendations for companies facing a personnel search shortage.
Today’s Takeaway:
One of the biggest concerns for employers in 2022 has been the difficulty in hiring and retaining qualified employees. The Department of Labor Statistics indicates there are presently 11.3 million job openings, which equates to 1.7 jobs available for every unemployed person. This suggests that job seekers would have an easy time finding a job and yet, despite aggressive salary offers, companies have been unable to fill open positions. Although the desire to work remotely has definitely impacted the current job market, that's not the only reason why there are so many job openings. The number of highly skilled workers who have voluntarily left the workforce since 2020, seeking early retirement, is significantly higher than in recent years. Replacing these individuals with their unique skill set or finding qualified individuals who meet specific job requirements is proving to be one of the biggest challenges for companies and recruiters.
In addition, as we’ve heard, there are other factors that automatically disqualify candidates from certain jobs, such as people who can’t pass background checks due to their criminal background, educational level, or immigration status. So what’s the answer? Should employers relax their strict employment requirements? Should they offer advanced schooling grants or on-the-job training? Should the government allocate funds for tax credits in exchange for continuing education or advanced degrees in specific fields? Employers may need to rethink their approach to talent acquisition to change how they address employee retention, and staffing in order to keep their workforce competitive. Remember, every day is a gift, and the gift of having an enjoyable, fulfilling job that not only allows us to pay our bills but offers a chance for continuing education and advancement, and feeling good as much as we can every single day is really a gift. Give that gift to yourself. I’m Florine Mark, and that’s Today’s Takeaway.
Quotes:
- “Job seekers today come to the table having several other offers in hand and they use those offers to negotiate the best salary they can.” — Bonnie
- “There’s a huge skills mismatch with the people who are actively looking for a new role and the posted jobs there.” — Bonnie
- “Sometimes ageism comes into play. I see that more than any other diversity issues.” — Bonnie
- “During the pandemic, so many positions couldn’t be done remotely. And so, because of that people just walked away.” — Bonnie
- “I really recommend employers upskill or cross-train and promote their internal employees. Hang onto what you already have.” — Bonnie
- “If you’ve already got somebody that’s employed by you, and you want to keep them and you love their skill set, figure out ways to offer them growth within the company.” — Bonnie
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