Some Jobs are Still Hard to Fill
You’d never believe it in this economy, but employers still have trouble filling some jobs. That’s according to Manpower, the international staffing firm, in their May 2009 survey called “The Ten Hardest Jobs to Fill.” This is the fourth year of the survey, and “the same positions appear on the list again and again,” said Jonas Prising, President of the Americas for Manpower.
The 2009 list includes:
- Engineers
- Nurses
- Skilled/Manual Trades
- Teachers
- Sales Representatives
- Technicians
- Drivers
- IT Staff
- Laborers
- Machinist/Machine Operators
According to Manpower’s website, each of the 10 job categories on the 2009 list has appeared on the “Hardest Jobs to Fill” list in previous years. Technicians, Machinist/Machine Operators and Sales Representatives have been present all four years. Engineers, Drivers and Laborers have appeared three out of four years; and Nurses, Teachers, Skilled/Manual Trades and IT Staff have been present in two of the four years Manpower has performed the survey.
I assume that the problem is not quantity (many of the list professions have been through massive layoffs during this recession) but rather quality. If you are a standout performer in any of these fields, you will have a better than average chance of finding a great job this year.
Your Work, Your Way 
It’s true, many of these jobs do remain unfilled. However, most require advanced degrees or high levels of technical training. Many of the unemployed would love to be nurses but becoming a nurse requires at least 2-3 years of schooling AND most of the nursing programs have 2 year wait lists! I have a college degree, and I have to say that I am still not qualified for any of these jobs.
Sales reps, yes perhaps, but BEWARE. Many of these job postings are simply scams. I know someone who went for one of those jobs and he ended up trying to sell roses on the street corner. Yikes!
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Yikes indeed! Yes, these are all very technical jobs, which is why they sometimes are hard to fill. Our intent is to let people know that they have options for a long term strategy, even though it may be a challenging proposition.
We also hope to speak to young students who haven’t yet decided what they want to pursue. Knowing what will always be in demand may help. Thanks for your feedback.
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