Cracking the Code on Difficult Positions

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With the first month of the new year behind us, we are faced with tackling the tasks we may have put off from the previous year. Recruiting at the end of the year presents a number of challenges, mainly finding the time to coordinate with all those involved in the decision making process in the midst of holiday scheduling. Now that much of the frantic year end wrap up is done, many organizations begin to settle back in to their normal routine and look forward to resolving any gaps in staffing that may have been looming from the previous year.

According to a recent SHRM article, HR professionals will face many of the same staffing challenges in 2016 as they did 2015, with some roles being even harder to fill than the year before. While some jobs are easier to fill than others, the time it takes to complete the recruiting cycle is taxing on many HR departments. The lack of resources and available time can make the ability to fill even the most competitive position a difficult feat. Now if you are try to secure talent for a job that is challenging to fill, the task can be an even more draining experience.

SHRM predicts that the following ten jobs will be the toughest to fill this year:

1. Data Scientist
2. Electrical Engineer
3. General and Operations Manager
4. Home Health Aide
5. Information Security Analyst
6. Marketing Manager
7. Medical Services Manager
8. Physical Therapist
9. Registered Nurse
10. Software Engineer

These positions are predicted to be a challenge regardless of organizational size or location. So what are your options if you are faced with the difficult task of finding top talent in one of these fields for your organization? HR leaders recommend flexibility in job requirements, training, and resource planning.

By broadening a search to consider transferable skills and investing in training new employees with career potential, organizations will be better prepared to fulfill their current staffing needs as well as their needs in the future. At HSG, we assist organizations in developing staffing plans that identify long term talent solutions and take the pain out of challenging requisitions. If you have questions about how to fill a difficult job or your organization could use some additional support in developing a talent strategy for 2016, our team can help make this year’s talent search pain free and positive.