People looking for work have difficulty finding jobs because they possess skills that are not needed by companies. In this time of high unemployment, it’s amazing to see many companies/employers taking so much time and effort to look for an applicant who has the required skills and preferred attitude for a particular position.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is trying to address the problem of at least a million “discouraged workers“, or jobless people available for work but are not actively seeking employment, as well as the prevailing skills mismatch among workers.
According to a report, “jobseekers have difficulty finding jobs because they possess skills that are not needed by companies.” It takes “months or almost a year for employers to find the right workers to fill in vacancies in their companies,” the report quotes Criselda Sy, director of DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment.
For some time I have been confronted, both in my company and that of clients, with the mismatch between an employer’s requirements for a particular position and the qualifications of applicants. Here are some of my thoughts:
Get the skills. There is no shortage of applicants, except that only a few have the necessary skills for the position to be filled up. We’ve talked about choosing a good college degree. It’s one thing to be in school for the sake of getting a diploma. Acquiring the skills is an entirely different matter. The qualifications may look impressive on paper and may lead to hiring, but employers usually require a probationary period to observe the actual skills and competence of an employee.
Right attitude and work ethic. Sometimes it’s not about the skills. There may be a good set of candidates for evaluation. Sometimes the problem is the attitude and personality of the applicant. The passion for work or the specific task, among others, is not there.
Continuing education. This could mean acquiring new skills that may be useful later on. “Luck” is the intersection of a great opportunity and the right skills. Continuing education could also mean constantly improving one’s craft through trainings, further studies and even self-education.
It may be true that employers get what they pay for. In this times of financial crunch and extreme competition, companies and other employers may deem it necessary to scrimp on salaries, bonuses and other benefits. On the other hand, I have handled a number of companies who are willing to pay way above the industry standard, if only they could find the person who fits the shoe.
What’s your experience? Suggestions and opinions? Please share through the comment section below.
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July 26th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Why do our employers place an age limit requirement to various position. Compared to other countries, our employers here prefer to get the younger ones to the detriment of the older but more experienced ones.
Is this a case of discrimination?
March 28th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Bka kc kpg mtnda n employee the employer may be afraid na baka in the middle of the work, atakehin ng rayuma o sakit ang matanda,,,,, heheheheheh joke only but true tsuppppp
January 29th, 2012 at 4:16 am
You might have observed extremely intriguing points ! ps nice site .