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Some job seekers lack desired qualifications (a degree, certifications, etc.); however, with "the recession" and mass layoffs companies became arrogant and ridiculous putting candidates through interview he11 and bypassing perfectly qualified candidates who don't meet every single requirement in their job description. As time passed I think that approach has bitten companies in the butt as cubicles and jobs sit empty, work piles on frustrated existing employees yet the same companies whine that they struggle to fill positions. Either they don't really want to, they are incredibly lazy or didn't get the memo that the days of getting 1,000 resumes for 1 position are slowly coming to an end. I remember my department struggled to fill an administrative assistant position. Why I don't know, we interviewed several perfectly good candidates that I liked but still didn't make an offer. One co-worker got so frustrated he walked into the boss's office and yelled to hire somebody. We ended up hiring someone was not my first or second pick. She had typos on her resume and an accent so thick here bosses and clients had trouble understanding her. Go figure.
Obviously something strange was happening. An administrative assistant job should be quite easy to fill.
I think it's a combination of not enough jobs and poor communication in regards to poorly written job ads or HR not understanding what transferable skills are.
I see a lot of jobs ads written describing the skills and experience that the person who may have just left that job would have, not written for the person who would be starting out in the job.
Bad pay would be another problem-up the pay and get a better candidate.
I don't think corporations are looking for primarily transferable skills. They want fit skills, recent, and relevant experience. Transferable skills usually mean unspecific. You can transfer analytical thinking for example. But if your employer wants programming skills, analytical thinking is far from mastering a programming language.
Anyone who honestly thinks this is a "skills gap" is missing the point.
Crooked companies: Finally, plenty of the "job postings" out there are never meant to be filled by Americans. They exist to bring in visa workers by intentionally creating a "skills gap" so they can claim, "oh, poor us - there are no qualified Americans out there... I guess we'll need even more visa workers." It's a scam, but those in charge make big money from the cheap labor, so nothing will be done about it.
No one is saying that there are enough jobs. There aren't. But some jobs have too many applicants, while other jobs face labor shortage.
With regard to your "crooked companies" argument:
Americans continue to support immigration, legal and undocumented. Survey shows that a majority of Americans support Immigration Reform. When President Obama made statements about supporting immigration, he was met by unanimous applause and nodding. Most of his audiences are probably middle-class. Why is it just "those in charge"?
Look around. Ordinary Americans are in support of immigration and they are loud about it. They want more immigrants and more diversity. They say that it's the government that should take care of people more; it's the rich who should pay more tax; it's companies that should bring jobs home. Then, Americans and immigrants will all have jobs and can continue to welcome more immigrants.
They want change. They want demographic shifts. They are getting what they want. Why is it just "those in charge"? These Americans are some of the most critical toward those in charge, some of the most educated, some of the most globally aware and locally active. They are getting what they want. This is what they want. Isn't it?
Bullsh**. There are only a bare handful of faculty jobs across the entire country, and they are not going to Joe the Plumber, even if Joe had the wherewithall to start putting himself through college at the age of 40.
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I am not talking about the widget maker being a college prof. But too many ex widget makers wait for widget manufacturing to return. We make the mistake of letting them via EUC. We need to stop that, and far more will retrain for hundreds of new occupations instead of sitting idle awaiting their ex job to come back.
It is not 1955. Layoffs are firings , 99% of the time, in 2014.
WTF you DO NOT GO TO A COLLEGE JOB FAIR TO HIRE experienced labor
Many students have done several internships. Times add up. Colleges also have graduate students who may have other work experience.
I disagree with the point that employers should be the ones training students. Aren't colleges rewarding degrees in specific majors? Students should get a lot of required skills in college. What working provides is practical experience. Employers now find that students lack not only experience but also subject matter expertise. These skills aren't really done through training. It takes time, sometimes a few years, to study and acquire them. Training comes after you have the skills. Training adapts your skills to the company.
If a company hires a civil engineer, it is not going to train business majors into civil engineers. However, if you are a civil engineering major and possess some skills, have done an internship, your chances are higher.
The problem is that too many students graduate without marketable skills and subject matter expertise. This happens most often to XYZ studies majors who lack technology related skills. They can use basic computer programs, the Internet, and can communicate. Just about anyone today can do that.
I am not talking about the widget maker being a college prof. But too many ex widget makers wait for widget manufacturing to return. We make the mistake of letting them via EUC. We need to stop that, and far more will retrain for hundreds of new occupations instead of sitting idle awaiting their ex job to come back.
It is not 1955. Layoffs are firings , 99% of the time, in 2014.
There are plenty of Americans who think they can vote in politicians who will bring jobs back to America, the same jobs requiring the same skills. This is kool aid.
Bullsh**. There are only a bare handful of faculty jobs across the entire country, and they are not going to Joe the Plumber, even if Joe had the wherewithall to start putting himself through college at the age of 40.
My son got one of them - and there were only 5 or 6 job openings in his field this year. Joe may want retraining - but no matter what he does, he will never land a faculty position. Even assuming Joe manages to get a doctorate (while still having to support a wife and kids who themselves need to get through college or other job training) he'll be pushing 50 by the time he finishes, if he's not over 50 to start with.
No college in the country is going to hire Joe for a tenure track position at his age. They probably won't seriously consider him for a visiting professorship.
Be realistic. Joe sure has to be.
We are talking about industry jobs, which are the majority. Faculty jobs are very unique and complex with their own characteristics.
Your age argument, though, applies in the industry. The thing is employers don't acknowledge that they have an age bias. Once you are 40, even if you are motivated to get ahead, your chances are significantly reduced. This is even more so if you have financial obligations, kids going to college themselves, etc. Then it's basically not possible to advance your career. Joe has missed the boat.
There are some possibilities for Joe, but he must be focused and smart about it. He can get a degree in a highly marketable area, perhaps a professional master's degree. He can also get some certifications, which usually take less time. The Internet provides convenience to research fields. The thing is there are probably fields that Joe is not aware of, that might fit him. There are also books and online training out there to get started.
Plantation owners (corporations) do not want to deal with Americans (who have rights). They much prefer out- and in-sourcing.
Working Americans are second class citizens in their own land.
Then do something about it. So far, it doesn't look like Americans want to do something about it.
The Occupy Movement, which consisted of many unemployed people, was in support of immigration. It took Americans a while before they criticized outsourcing. But the dominant narrative about in-sourcing is that Americans don't want to do those jobs. The majority of Americans are in support of immigration and immigrant families. Many who live in the dust belt disdain the anti-immigrant actions of southern states. These dust belt people aren't all rich, are they? So they are making themselves second class citizens?
Americans also support international students who pay top tuition to run our universities. They want diversity on campus. Many international students are hardworking and graduate with decent job offers. Are Americans making themselves second class citizens?
Much of this is found in typical liberal talk. Most of their supporters are middle class. Are liberals making themselves second class citizens?
Too many tech employers have become addicted to cheap, indentured Green Card labor.
Although they are legally required to put domestic workers at the front of the line many tech companies do the absolute minimum in this regard, ie; advertise their openings domestically in tiny obscure print ads while contracting out to foreign employment agencies.
Of course the other side of the coin is the ballooning American welfare state, which makes employment itself almost an optional choice for lower-end/entry level American workers. There has to be a better solution than simply importing cheaper people from places that have less-cushy welfare states.
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