Recession poll 2011 recruiting skillgaps_final

SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Recruiting and Skill Gaps

November 7, 2011

SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Recruiting and Skill Gaps ©SHRM 2011 2

Introduction

This is part one of a series of SHRM poll results about the ongoing impact of the recession. Overall results will be reported separately in three different topic areas: Recruiting and skill gaps. Overall financial health and hiring. Global competition and hiring strategies.

Industry-specific results will be reported separately for each of the eight industries that were included in the sample: Construction, oil, mining and gas. Federal government. Finance. Health. Manufacturing. State and local government. Services—professional. High-tech.


Key Findings

Is recruiting for specific jobs difficult in the current labor market? About one half (52%) of organizations that are currently hiring full-time staff indicated that they are having a difficult time recruiting for specific job openings.

What types of jobs are the most difficult to fill? Although difficulty in filling specific jobs varies by industry, the top five most difficult positions to fill overall are engineers (88%), high-skilled medical (e.g., nurses, doctors, specialists) (86%), high-skilled technical (e.g., technicians and programmers) (85%), scientists (83%), and managers and executives (78%).

What basic knowledge and applied skill gaps do job applicants typically have? For basic knowledge skills, writing in English (48%), mathematics (38%), reading comprehension (30%) and English language (spoken) (30%) are the most common skill gaps. The top four applied skill gaps are critical thinking/problem solving (54%), professionalism/work ethic (44%), written communication (41%) and leadership (39%).


In general, in the current labor market, is your organization having a difficult time recruiting for specific jobs that are open in your organization?

Yes; 52%

No; 48%

Note: n = 1,568. Respondents who answered “Don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Only respondents whose organizations were currently hiring full-time staff were asked this question.


In general, in the current labor market, is your organization having a difficult time recruiting for specific jobs that are open in your organization?

Manufacturing (68%)High-tech (71%)

…are more likely tobe having a difficult time recruiting for

specific jobs that are open in their organization

than...

Construction, mining, oil and gas (51%)Federal government (31%)

Finance (49%)State and local government (33%)

Comparisons by industry

The manufacturing and high-tech industries are more likely to be having a difficult time recruiting for specific job openings compared with the construction, mining, oil and gas; federal government; finance; and state and local government industries.

The construction, mining, oil and gas, and professional services industries are more likely to be having a difficult time recruiting for specific job openings at their organizations compared with the federal, state and local governments.

Construction, mining, oil and gas (51%)Services—professional (59%)

…are more likely tobe having a difficult time recruiting

for specific jobs that are open in their organization

than...

Federal government (31%)State and local government (33%)


In general, what basic knowledge skill gaps do job applicants have in your industry?

Other

History/geography

Humanities/arts

Technical (computer, engineering, mechanical, etc.)

Foreign languages

Government/economics

Science

English language (spoken)

Reading comprehension (in English)

Mathematics (computation)

Writing in English (grammar, spelling, etc.)

9%

1%

2%

7%

8%

11%

18%

30%

30%

38%

48%

Note: n = 597. Percentages do not total 100% because respondents were able to select multiple response options. Only respondents whose organizations were having a difficult time recruiting for certain types of jobs were asked this question.


In general, what applied skill gaps do job applicants have in your industry?

Other

Diversity

Ethics/social responsibility

Lifelong learning/self-direction

Creativity/innovation

Information technology application

Oral communications

Teamwork/collaboration

Leadership

Written communications

Professionalism/work ethic

Critical thinking/problem solving

5%

17%

19%

21%

25%

30%

36%

36%

39%

41%

44%

54%

Note: n = 716. Percentages do not total 100% because respondents were able to select multiple response options. Only respondents whose organizations were having a difficult time recruiting for certain types of jobs were asked this question.

SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession—Recruiting and Skill Gaps ©SHRM 2011

Specific Job Categories Organizations Having Difficulty Recruiting

Administrative support staff (n=610)

Hourly laborers (n=428)

Customer service representatives (n=398)

Drivers (n=157)

HR professionals (n=384)

Production operators (n=256)

Accounting and finance professionals (n=528)

Skilled trades (e.g., electricians, carpenters) (n=337)

Sales representatives (n=326)

Managers and executives (n=601)

Scientists (n=121)

High-skilled technical (e.g., technicians, programmers) (n=557)

High-skilled medical (e.g., nurses, doctors, specialists) (n=104)

Engineers (n=425)

24%

29%

34%

36%

49%

52%

54%

68%

72%

78%

83%

85%

86%

88%

Note: n = 104-610. Chart represents “Somewhat difficult” and “Very difficult” responses. “Not applicable” responses were excluded from this analysis. Only respondents whose organizations were having a difficult time recruiting for certain types of jobs were asked this question.

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Demographics: Organization Industry

Health

Federal government

High-tech

Construction, mining, oil and gas

Services--professional

Finance

Manufacturing

State and local government

4%

8%

10%

14%

14%

15%

16%

20%

Note: n = 2,286. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.


Demographics: Organization Sector

Other

Government sector

Nonprofit organization

Privately owned for-profit organization

Publicly owned for-profit organization

2%

24%

8%

47%

19%

10

Note: n = 2,187.


Demographics: Organization Staff Size

25%

31%

23%

17%

4%

11

Note: n = 2,161.


Demographics: Other

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U.S.-based operations only 74%

Multinational operations 26%

Single-unit company: A company in which the location and the company are one and the same.

38%

Multi-unit company: A company that has more than one location. 62%

Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices 52%

Each work location determines HR policies and practices 3%

A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies and practices

44%

Is your organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company?

Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both?

Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multi-nationally?

n = 2,196. n = 2,226.

n = 1,442.

Corporate (company wide) 69%

Business unit/division 19%

Facility/location 12%

n = 1,444.

What is the HR department/function for which you responded throughout this survey?

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.


SHRM Poll: The Ongoing Impact of the Recession

Response rate = 11%

Sample composed of 2,286 randomly selected HR professionals from eight different industries in SHRM’s membership

Margin of error +/- 2%

Survey fielded August 18-September 2, 2011

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Methodology

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