No need to be in a job search slump this summer because employers are hiring!
If you happen to specialize in the trades or are seeking an administrative or customer service role, you will find that more opportunities are presenting themselves. The healthcare sector is calling for highly motivated, qualified candidates for personal support worker and nurse roles. The college/university education sector is also hiring professors.
I've been hearing from numerous clients wanting to apply for project management or account management roles. Now is the time to tackle your career move because the construction industry is in full swing with innovative projects. Digital marketing and account management is another popular sector so branding, innovation, and revenue growth will be important keywords and skills to note.
The Workforce Planning Hamilton’s Annual Survey was completed by 326 businesses. The statistics in the April issue of View indicate the most hired occupations, hard-to-fill occupations, and employment agency increases.
Tracking Labour Market Trends for Career Planning & Success
Understanding and forecasting labour market trends can be the key to planning out your career and developing the necessary marketable skills for success. You will be able to pinpoint what skills employers are seeking, what roles and industries are in demand, what companies to target, and how you can position yourself for your next career milestone.
The question in the survey posed was: did your organization hire any employees in the last 12 months? Eighty-seven per cent said YES.
Most Hired Occupations (orange colour indicates entry-level jobs)
Security Guard (631)
Labourer (609)
Welder/Welder Trainee (600)
Professors (332)
Support and Administration (201)
Spray Painter (200)
Registered Nurse (171)
Personal Support Worker (PSW) (150)
Banquet Servers (121)
Machine Operator (100)
Skilled Trade & Project Managing (100)
Customer Service (77)
Hard to Fill Roles
On the other side of the spectrum, more employers are finding it difficult to source competent workers – actually 66% of employers had a position that was hard to fill. This increased from 54% last year to 65%.
What does this indicate? We have a growing economy and a low unemployment rate. Yet, employers are encountering recruitment challenges, which means they will need a robust recruitment / selection strategy in retaining the most qualified candidates.
The top five reasons why roles were hard to fill include:
43% – not enough applicants
40% – lack of qualifications (education level/credentials)
38% – lack of technical skills
37% – lack of work experience
36% – lack of motivation, attitude, or interpersonal abilities
The most difficult to fill roles include mainly the trades and health care: welder, general labourer, machine or sewing operator, millwrights, cooks, carpenters, electricians, personal support worker, construction project manager, and truck driver. Therefore, having great work experience along with solid interpersonal and technical skills, as well as qualifications matters. Presenting your value thoughtfully while keeping up with professional development is essential to staying ahead in a competitive labour market.
Employers are using employment agencies to fill jobs
Thirty-eight per cent of employers used a free employment service agency – this reflected an increase from 30% last year.
Twenty-five per cent used a paid recruitment agency – an increase from 15%.
Check out the full report on workforceplanninghamilton.ca.
Planning your next career move this summer? Need a career change? Seek professional support by a trusted Master Resume Writer/Career Consultant.
Creative Horizons Communications is a one-stop Halton-based firm for all your holistic career service needs, serving jobseekers of all fields and levels locally and across the globe, and specializing in career transitions.