Skills Shortage: Perception or Reality

News provided by

Sep 05, 2012, 10:27 ET

New Aerotek Survey Finds that Hiring Managers Remain Optimistic in Finding the Perfect Hire

HANOVER, Md., Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey conducted by Aerotek® Inc., a leading provider of recruiting and staffing services, found that hiring managers remain optimistic with about half (49 percent) saying they still believe the "perfect hire" does exist. Contrary to the belief that the skills crisis has hindered companies' ability to fill positions, Aerotek's Perfect Fit Survey reports that the majority (69 percent) of hiring managers believe finding a candidate that meets the skill level, experience and salary requirements is the same or less difficult than six months ago. Furthermore, more than 90 percent of respondents believe that their last hire fit well with the skill requirements, experience level, company culture and overall position.

"As one of the largest staffing agencies, Aerotek has an influx of marketable and skilled candidates that we are putting to work. We do this by helping companies level set their expectations for the position by establishing the required skills, experience and pay rate that is reflective of the industry's standards," said John Flanigan, senior vice president of Recruiting Operations and Delivery for Aerotek.

With the reality of an 8 percent national unemployment rate and 3 million job openings according to the Department of Labor, companies need to understand how to find the best fit for the open positions. The report surveyed nearly 1,000 hiring managers to uncover hiring trends, insights and tips to overcome current workforce challenges.

According to Aerotek's Perfect Fit Survey, respondents ranked technical skills as the most important attribute in potential candidates over experience, training and education. However, respondents noted a key element in finding the right fit is compromise. Eighty-six percent of hiring managers are willing to compromise certain attributes in order to find the right candidate with more essential job requirements. In fact, years of experience was identified as the attribute hiring managers are most likely to compromise.

"The challenge that companies must undertake is to define the 'critical' attributes for the position that cannot be comprised and realize that 'nice to have' skills should not detract from selecting the candidate," states Flanigan.

To learn more about the survey or to download Aerotek's Five Steps to the Perfect Hire, please visit http://www.aerotek.com/perfect-fit-survey/.

About the Survey
Aerotek's Perfect Fit Survey was designed to learn more about trends and hiring managers' beliefs about candidate fit, screening practices and the impact of culture on hiring. Inavero, a leading satisfaction survey provider, conducted the survey with nearly 1,000 professionals involved in hiring employees. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2% at a 95% confidence level.

About Aerotek
Aerotek, headquartered in Hanover, Md., is a leading provider of technical, professional and industrial staffing services. Established in 1983, Aerotek is an operating company of Allegis Group, the largest provider of staffing services in the U.S. Aerotek operates a network of more than 200 non-franchised offices throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.aerotek.com.

SOURCE Aerotek