How Can Your Company Overcome the Skills Gap?

Skills Gap

Many organizations are concerned about the skills gap. A skills gap occurs when the requirements for a job are beyond the skills of your available pool of candidates. But experts suggest that the skills gap isn’t a matter of unskilled labor but rather a byproduct of the recession that created conditions for employers to change their hiring processes. So how can you overcome the skills gap? Here is a look at some of the things you can do today.

Revaluate your job requirements.

Is it possible that you’re looking for the purple squirrel? This phrase was coined by recruiters years ago to describe impossible job requisitions. There is a possibility that what you’re looking for simply doesn’t exist and that it isn’t a problem with the pool of candidates. Look to see if you’re creating impossible obstacles to employment with your company. Think about the skills that will make job candidates successful in the opening jobs – not in terms of technical skills but the soft skills that are transferrable. You can teach people a lot of skills if they work hard and are detail-oriented.

Rewrite your job descriptions.

Not only do you have to be concerned that your job requirements aren’t impossible, you need to create job descriptions and advertisements that entice qualified candidates to apply. Rather than simply listing the duties, focus on what your company can offer a professional in that market. You already know what benefits they can provide to you as a qualified employee, but what do they get in return? Make passive candidates, who are more qualified, want to leave their current situation and join your company.

Develop your current employees.

Sometimes companies are looking in the wrong place all together. The superstar candidate may already work for your organization. Look at positions that you can develop into the new opportunity with a little additional training and investment. This creates employee loyalty and you are better able to recruit for the lower-level positions. Current employees will have the motivation to really work hard if a possible promotion exists. When the right person gets rewarded, that really helps office culture.

Pay more money.

Finally, hiring professionals have learned that one of the biggest causes of the so-called skills gap is an inconsistent salary with the market. You may not be getting the right candidates because the people with the skills you want can actually earn more money elsewhere. Start with Salary.com to learn what the position typically pays in your area and then adjust the salary and your budget accordingly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is also a great resource for salary averages by location.

finding qualified, experienced personnel can be a challenge. Let CornerStone Staffing take the headaches out of hiring and let you do what you do best – run your business. Contact us today to work with one of the top staffing agencies in Texas!

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