You may have read articles or seen lists regarding jobs that employers have difficulty filling. These lists are misleading for a number of reasons. First, simply being trained or experienced in one of these fields does not mean you will have an easy time finding work. The long-term unemployed and students may think these lists hold the key to job security. However, there are a number of reasons why it’s best to think twice before pursuing a career based off of these “hard to fill jobs” lists.
Great Expectations
Employers have very specific demands that few individuals can meet. When you read that employers are having trouble finding nurses, the truth is that they want nurses with at least ten years of experience in a very specific area. The same is true in every industry-employers have very specific requirements and aren’t willing to train. Even with entry-level jobs, they expect new employees to have enough experience to hit the ground running.
Low Pay
Employers are always trying to save money in order to remain competitive and increase profits. One obvious way to minimize expenses is to pay employees as little as possible. Employers aren’t willing to pay for the level of skill and experience they demand from potential employees. Although the unemployed may be vilified for not taking a job that’s beneath their pay level, the more job-seekers that take low-paying jobs out of desperation, the worse things will become for all workers.
Little or No Benefits
In addition to offering low wages, employers often provide little or no benefits to potential job-seekers. One major factor job-seekers consider is benefits, particularly health insurance. If an organization won’t offer benefits, skilled workers will look elsewhere or choose to work for themselves.
Lack of Job Security
Instead of hiring employees to fill empty spots, employers would rather hand over the duties to a current employee (without increasing his or her pay), or fill the job via outsourcing. Employers claim to have trouble finding employees, but they are usually creating the trouble for themselves, often on purpose.
Don’t be deceived by “hard to find” workers lists. The truth is much more complex than these lists and related news articles would suggest. Making career decisions based solely on these lists isn’t a wise plan. Just because you have training or a degree in one of these fields doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a job. In fact, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to your career.