Newsletter Archive - HR / Personnel
Why are we still having trouble filling open positions??
06/29/2010 - One would think that with this less than fun global economic downturn we are all going through, where the ranks of the unemployed continue to grow, that recruiters/employers are having an easier time getting the talent they want/need. In some work categories, that’s true. But my observation using my own recent experience and from talking to other recruiters, is that in many ways it’s even harder now.
An international survey from Alpha Trade Finance/Manpower Inc. Global Survey indicates that persistent talent shortages continue worldwide and are slowing/hampering employers' growth plans. Maybe it’s a surprise to you but the study found that:
- 31% of employers worldwide are having difficulty filling key positions in their organization
- 14% of employers in the U.S. are having difficulties
- 21% of employers in Canada are having difficulties
- at 76% Japan's employers are having the most difficulty, together with Brazil at 64%
- Ireland at 4% and Britain at 9% are having the least difficulty.
The Top 10 Toughest Jobs to fill in the 36 countries surveyed are:
- Skilled trades
- Sales reps
- Technicians
- Engineers
- Accounting and finance staff
- Production operators
- Secretaries and office support staff
- Management/executives
- Drivers
- Laborers
Note that I highlighted #2 - sales reps. Why is it so tough to find and hire “good” sales reps?
Sales is not easy. You have to be upbeat and ready to go into battle each day, to deal with a constant barge of objections, to be persistent, to accept that for every 10 doors you open you may make only one sale. But the flip side is - SALES PEOPLE MAKE MORE THAN THE AVERAGE JOE.
Reluctance to move to where the work is. Probably the biggest issue I face. I have Account Executive positions open in Bentonville, AR; Midland, TX; and College Station, TX. Yet people are reluctant to move to try something new for fear that if it doesn’t work, they have nothing to go back to. The burst housing bubble has also blocked many people from considering a move.
99 weeks of unemployment. As one candidate just told me - he was “going to take the summer off, stay home with the kids, and collect some more Obama dollars”. That’s nice but when he is ready to go back to work, will there be any openings for him and what will that say to any future employer about his work ethic?
Everyone wants to be the manager, not the worker bee. And yet, in many cases, the Account Executives actually make more than the manager…
Commission only positions - no way. I’ve blogged on this before (link here). If you are concerned that a position is commission only, do the math: job vs. no job, which works best? Also consider that if an employer such as Names & Numbers is going to put you through two weeks worth of PAID training, cover you travel costs, pay for a top notch trainer to prepare you, are we really going to just push you into the market to sink or swim??? That’s business suicide. We want our people to succeed.
At Names & Numbers we are looking for experienced B2B sales professionals who want a stable company (36th year in business) which sells products that truly help our customers grow their businesses (over $50 million in revenue), provides you with an unlimited earning potential (first year is $70k+, many reps are into 6-figures), and advancement opportunities (Lubbock and Midland managers recently promoted from rep level), then we want to talk with you.
We are also looking for a District Sales Manager, someone who can take an underperforming market with huge potential to the next level. Yes, your core job requirements include recruiting, hiring, training, and develop quality sales professionals while establishing and maintaining a high quality, fair and professional work environment. We expect you will establish and maintain outstanding business relationships in the communities we serve. But most importantly we need someone who can develop and implement effective sales campaign strategies in conjunction with the Regional Sales Director/Vice President of Sales to achieve the sales target.
If interested, send me a resume at kclark@namesandnumbers.com, and let’s schedule some time to talk.