Despite lingering high unemployment rates, 52 percent of U.S. employers say they are having trouble filling critical positions within their companies, according to the Manpower Group's Talent Shortage Survey.
The figure is a record high, up from 14 percent in 2010. The main reasons employers give for the shortages are the discrepancy in desired pay and offered pay, a lack of technical skills and a lack of experience.
"There may be an increasing imbalance between employers willingness to pay higher salaries in what is still a soft general labor market compared to the salary expectations of prospective employees, especially those with skills that are in high demand," said Jonas Prising, Manpower Group president of the Americas.
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Prising also said that citing a lack of skills or experience as a reason for talent shortages should be a "wake-up call" for employers, academia, the government and individuals to work together "to address the supply-and-demand imbalance in the labor market in a systematic, agile and sustainable way."
Skilled trades, sales reps, engineers and drivers were consistent from 2010 and this year as the hardest jobs to fill. Other shortages for this year are in the accounting and finances industries, IT, management and executive staff, teaching, secretarial and administrative staff and machinists and machine operators.
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