Engineers Likely To Jump Ship for New Employment Opportunities in 2014, Experis Engineering Survey Reports

It's an Engineer's Market as Hiring Managers Report Ongoing Difficulty Filling Open Positions

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Feb 13, 2014, 09:30 ET

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Experis, the global leader in professional resourcing and part of ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), advises hiring managers to incorporate flexible work models to accommodate for the high demand for engineering talent. Released today ahead of Engineers Week (Feb. 16 - 22), the Experis Engineering Talent Supply and Demand survey of nearly 700 engineers reports 61 percent may look for new engineering jobs in 2014. Of that group, 40 percent are actively seeking new positions.

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At the same time, 95 percent of hiring managers of engineers report difficultly filling open engineering positions. Eighty-eight percent of these plan to hire engineers this year, while 29 percent do not believe they will be able to find the engineering talent they need for their businesses. Electrical/electronics engineers ranked highest on the list of the most in-demand. The full Experis Engineering Talent Supply and Demand survey results can be found here.

"The Experis survey results should signal a wake-up call to employers who want to keep their engineers on staff and engaged in the workplace," said Richard Hutchings, Experis vice president of engineering. "To protect themselves from employment voids, employers must embrace flexible workforce models so they can tap into talent communities of engineers when and where they need them. With so many engineers planning to change jobs this year, employers don't want to be left in the cold when good engineers are hard to find in the first place. It's an engineer's market for employment, and those with up-to-date skills are in the driver's seat when it comes to employment."

According to the ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey, which has been conducted annually since 2006, engineers have placed among the top 10 hardest jobs to fill in the U.S. since 2008.

"By understanding the mindset of the engineer in the workplace, employers can take steps to build engagement among their current engineers on staff, as well as determining the best talent strategy for accessing this important group of professionals through other hiring channels," continued Hutchings.

As part of the Experis survey, engineers responded to workplace topics that provide a glimpse into how they view themselves. The top three responses for how engineers describe themselves are problem solvers (40 percent), detail oriented (15 percent) and analytical (14 percent). One percent of engineers surveyed describe themselves as being social and a presenter.

"These statistics come as no surprise when understanding the personality of a typical engineer. But what does become critical is how those engineers are recruited. An over-zealous salesman is not going to connect with an analytical engineer who enjoys solving problems. Having the right recruiting strategies will make a difference in how connections are made with engineers and how open positions get filled quickly to accelerate business success," added Hutchings.

In addition, the Experis Engineering Talent Supply and Demand survey reports:

92 percent have socialized with their colleagues at work
72 percent work eight to 10 hours a day
58 percent rarely or never have the option to work remotely
55 percent always take a break for lunch

For hiring managers of engineers, the Experis survey reports their hiring challenges for filling open positions stem from lack of applicants (44 percent), lack of hard skills needed for the position (37 percent), lack of experience (33 percent), salary demands are too high (29 percent) and lack of workplace competencies/soft skills (23 percent).

About the Survey

A total of 991 respondents participated in the survey, which represent a combination of engineers and hiring managers. Sixty percent of the engineers that responded to the survey have more than 10 years of experience in the engineering field.

About Experis

Experis™ is the global leader in professional resourcing and project-based solutions. Experis accelerates organizations' growth by intensely attracting, assessing and placing specialized expertise in IT, Finance and Engineering to precisely deliver in-demand talent for mission-critical positions and projects, enhancing the competitiveness of the organizations and people we serve. Experis is part of the ManpowerGroup family of companies, which also includes Manpower, ManpowerGroup Solutions and Right Management. To learn more, visit www.experis.us.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN) is the world leader in innovative workforce solutions that ensure the talent sustainability of the world's workforce for the good of companies, communities, countries, and individuals themselves. Specializing in solutions that help organizations achieve business agility and workforce flexibility, ManpowerGroup leverages its 65 years of world of work expertise to create the work models, design the people practices and access the talent sources its clients need for the future. From staffing, recruitment, workforce consulting, outsourcing and career management to assessment, training and development, ManpowerGroup delivers the talent to drive the innovation and productivity of organizations in a world where talentism is the dominant economic system. Every day, ManpowerGroup connects more than 630,000 people to work and builds their experience and employability through its relationships with 400,000 clients across 80 countries and territories. ManpowerGroup's suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the third consecutive year in 2013, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible at www.manpowergroup.com. Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: Twitter.com/manpowergroupjj

SOURCE ManpowerGroup