According to research done by Gartner in their study called “The Grid 2022: Recruitment Industry Trends Report”, the top challenge of American recruitment agencies is acquiring talent. But not just any talent; they need skilled talent. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, talent shortages are not going away. With the unemployment rate sitting at 3.6% across the US, companies are constantly looking for a skilled workforce, and paying top dollar for that talent. But what do you do when the exact talent you are looking for isn’t there?
One answer is to reskill the employee. Ever-changing technology requires companies to provide training for employees to keep them up-to-date in the technology needs of the present and future.
Depending on the industry, candidates’ skills can stay relevant from 2.5 – 7.5 years before they must be reskilled. The life span of technology skills is 2.5 years or less; this is considered to be a perishable skill. To optimize efficiency and productivity, companies need to look for employees who possess durable skills that ultimately help them close the skills gap. If a company can find talent that possess skills such as critical thinking, initiative, risk-taking, creativity, adaptability, leadership, cognitive flexibility and problem-solving, then they’ve found the solution to their staffing challenge. Tara Cassady, senior vice president at Cielo, explains, “You want people who are curious, have an aptitude to troubleshoot, and who use technology to solve problems.” Hiring talent with durable skills helps staffing agencies secure a workforce that is adaptable and responsive to its clients’ needs.
Don’t count out the young learner. Top students at high schools and colleges are tech savvy, comfortable with collaboration, adaptable to the ever changing climate of learning (Covid forced this upon them), and love feed-back. These are students who have embraced virtual learning, which helps when a company needs to use online training systems to maximize skills and safety training without losing operating time. Open-mindedness is among millennials’ best skills. They possess a natural knack for solving problems, are resourceful, and understand that there are many different ways to do things. Companies should also keep in mind individuals who may not have followed a traditional educational course but are excellent learners.
Establishing a working relationship with a local college or university can be a great advantage to recruiting talented students. Internships and other work experience programs are valuable to companies facing the current staffing crisis. Staffing agencies should establish working connections with high schools and technical colleges to recruit and train a new generation of employees with the skills they need to grow their businesses. Success stories are popping up across the country that show an increased collaboration between a young generation of learners and the industry leaders who are coming to depend upon them.
Staffing agencies are leaving no stone unturned as they evaluate the current trends. For most agencies, 2021 represented a tremendous rebound, and confidence in talent acquisition drives expectations for 2022. Companies are considering what training they can provide to new and existing talent to close new skill gaps, prepare for the future, and ensure success for each of their clients. The Grid 2022 showed that roughly 70 percent of respondents expect revenue to increase in 2022. Aqore has the tools and systems to allow staffing agencies to serve their clients with ease and confidence in 2022 and beyond.
