Employers Pickier About Job Applicants' Skills
How can that be with 15 million Americans out of work and looking for jobs?
Part of the answer lies in the mismatch between the needs of the employers and the skills job seekers have to offer.
Few professions have been hit harder in this economy than architects. In Seattle alone, thousands of them are out of work. "I know everything there is to know about building a building from a garage in your backyard to a high-rise in downtown Seattle," says Gary Barber, a practicing architect for 30 years. "I have that experience and skill set."
Skill And Passion Aren't Enough
Barber exudes passion for his work. But as an architect, skill and passion are no longer enough. There's not much demand for new houses or commercial buildings, and that means not much demand for architects, crane operators or escrow officers.
There are fewer jobs in other parts of the economy too — consider the plight of travel agents, newspaper reporters and midlevel managers.
The skills job applicants have often don't match what employers are looking for, says Ed Beaulieu, president of West Coast Careers, a recruiting and staffing company. "Now you've got a segment of the population that doesn't have a chair to sit in," he says.
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