So many job openings, but so hard to get hired

CBS News ^ | 08/15/2014 | BySUZANNE LUCAS

[SeekAndFind]

The Labor Department just released statistics that show that job openings in June are at a 13-year high. But while hiring is also up, it's not nearly at the levels that the job openings are. For job-hunters, the disconnect can be frustrating and painful.

What's going on, and how can you get around this?

* Not all jobs posted will be filled.

Sometimes businesses post jobs with no intention of actually filling them. They're looking for applicants to put in their files so that they have a supply of candidates when a job does open up. Sometimes, positions are posted, but then internal changes remove the need to fill them. Sometimes, job openings are real, but a company promotes someone internally, and then post that vacancy. That can make it look like two jobs are open, but the company is really hiring only one person.

* Companies often look for a "perfect fit" that doesn't exist.

With unemployment being high, many employers expect that the perfect candidate will just show up at their door. The problem is, it's rare to find a person who's exactly right, with all the relevant skills. People who can do everything an employer is looking for want to move to a higher job to further expand their skills. Therefore, there's a lack of fit.

[punknpuss]

Also, nowadays, companies of a certain size (50 or more fulltime employees?) have to meet certain EEO requirements where they have to do outreach such as job fairs 2-4 times over 2 years (if I remember correctly). There are no job openings per se, but the companies have to keep files on this stuff in case they are audited. Government busy work and control.

[cloudmountain]

Yep, it's who you know.
There are ALWAYS other jobs too. Always.

If one has the right skills, there is always work overseas too. ENGINEERING: petroleum, mechanical.

Engineering is still a predominantly male occupation, although now there are "urban engineers," women, who create city parks. Lol.

*There MUST be just tons of female mechanics who work on cars, motorcycles and trucks. They obviously don't give a rat's about their hands.

**There MUST be just tons of female merchant marines.

***There MUST be just tons of female miners working in the bowels of the earth as miners.

****There MUST be just tons of female gardeners who do the heavy, dirty city gardening jobs.

*****There MUST be tons of females who top trees.

Women have become doctors, lawyers, accountants...nice $afe, well paying, clean jobs, close to home.

Women STILL don't want to do DIRTY, dangerous jobs away from home. They DON'T want to mess up their hands. I don't blame them. I get my nails done every two weeks...I like nice nails.
Businessmen ALSO need well-kept hands.

[CorporateStepsister]

You’re right to be honest.

[Maceman]

GREAT JOBS: It's not what you know but WHOM you know.

It doesn't matter WHOM you know if you don't have WHAT to show them. (Well, maybe in politics that's not true, but in the real world where people have to deliver actual value in exchange for money, you'd better have WHAT to show them if you want the job.)

[sr4402]

So, all Mostof these jobs posting are really not because of new businesses or expansions

That's right. Most postings are when businesses wants to phase out one group of jobs and move the people they want (internally) into the new positions. The people they don't want don't make it through the interviews rather than just fire them.

Sometimes postings are from business expansions, but as anyone can tell you, the managers are asking the first hired to bring in their talented friends. Thus most postings are still taken up 'internally' even then.

[cloudmountain]

It doesn't matter WHOM you know if you don't have WHAT to show them. (Well, maybe in politics that's not true, but in the real world where people have to deliver actual value in exchange for money, you'd better have WHAT to show them if you want the job.)

WHY on earth would one apply for a job without having those skills required?

It would be STUPID for a person to apply for a teaching job at a college without having a master's degree.

It would be stupid for a person to apply to a law firm without having a license to practice law.

It would be stupid for a person to apply to a hospital as a doctor without having a license to practice medicine.

You KNOW what I meant. After having those REQUIRED degrees, it's whom you know that counts.

[cloudmountain]

Thanks.

[BikerJoe]

FIFTEEN MONTHS WOULD HAVE ALREADY TRAINED YOU WHILE YOU WORK THERE...

'xctly. HOW BADLY do they really need the job done if they can wait 15 months or even the two or three years I've seen some jobs be posted. Back to business school 101...what's the opportunity cost of waiting so long?

I don't consider places like that to have a SERIOUS need, and they d*mn well better not be showing up in any "labor statistics" (but I'm sure they are).

[CorporateStepsister]

Thing is, that these days you don’t have to go to an Ivy League to be connected to the right people, you can just go online and join associations and networking is so much more easy.

I do think a huge problem is how so many young people look down on trade. Trade is something that made people wealthier than most aristocrats and even royals.

[Fear The People]

OBAMA HAS PRODUCED A NET LOSS OF OVER 4 MILLION JOBS!
PROOF BELOW:

The simple arithmetic without the lies. All data is from the goverment's own pages at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Obama won the election in October 2008:
The LFPR (Labor Force Participation Rate) was: 66%
Labor force size was: 154,876million people
Total Jobs: 102,218million

TODAY:
The LFPR is: 62.9%
Labor force size is: 156,023million people
Total Jobs in America: 98,138 million

The really hard arithmetic:
102,218 million
-98,138 million
= 4,079 million
We are down over 4 million jobs since Obama.

This is not even algebra, but simple arithmetic. All figures are from the government's own webpages.

The Obama worshippers are trying to claim that he somehow created 9 million jobs since winning the 2008 election. This lie is demonstrably false.

Liberals cannot do math, we know that, but it appears that even simple arithmetic is beyond them.

Sources:
- Bureau Of Labor Statistics : Labor Force Participation Rate
- Civilian Labor Force

[OldArmy52]

Company rules require posting all jobs on job site(s).
But many are internal promotions i.e. “hard-wired” with the person already chosen.
One can tell as the job listing will be listed per Company rules but when you see the applications-being-accepted period being only about 1 week, you know you would be wasting your time applying. The person has already been chosen.

However, to the naive, it looks like real job openings.

There are not.

[OldArmy52]

Why would I want a FaceBook account?
Like I have time to waste posting personal stuff for people I don’t care about so the NSA and employers can data mine it for derogatories?

FB maybe ok as cheap advertising site for a small business.

Otherwise, is idiot fodder.

[chrisser]

I know of two jobs by a large firm in an area I’d like to move to. Both been open since 11/13. I’m definitely qualified for both (probably overqualified - hard to tell since they’re a little short on specifics) and made it clear that I’m willing to move to the area at my expense (already own property there).

I’ve applied at least a dozen times, tweaking and resubmitting my application like clockwork via their online portal. Not a single response from them in almost a year.

Both jobs are still open today.

[OrangeHoof]

Didn’t read the article but I have seen situations where a company interviews for openings only to have the funding cut or a hiring freeze put in or the opening gets re-labelled after they decided they wanted someone else than the pool of applicants they got.

Spent a year unemployed and it was so frustrating you can’t imagine. Thank the Lord I found something with adequate pay and solid benefits.

[glorgau]

> Mostly, HR looking busy.

They’re trying to justify their jobs.

[Thunder90]

HR guys trying to justify their existence and employment...

[D Rider]

Companies often look for a "perfect fit" that doesn't exist.

This is a problem with HR screening vs. manager interview and screening. Welcome to the modern online application world.

[minnesota_bound]

At my company I saw a posting for a job in Datacom that as described I suspect not even those already working there could get if they applied for....

Most jobs need warm body. Got a question? Ask the old guy who has been working there for a few more months then you.

[trebb]

Business: "You seem to be qualified, let's move to the next stage; do you have any up-front questions?"

Applicant: "How much does it pay?"

Business: We'll pay you what you're worth."

Applicant: "I can't live on that."

Business: "Next."

[khelus]

Ta Dah

There’s nothing like CHEAP labor, no matter what the quality.