Employment Spot

Global Most Wanted: Top 10 Most Desired Employees

BusinessWeek recently reported on the world’s top 10 open jobs. Employers around the world reported that the following positions could not be filled with enough talented employees. It’s not just a lack of educated engineers and finance professionals - the following jobs include white and blue collar positions. The staffing company Manpower recently released this list after consulting with companies around the world. Unfortunately, shortages of workers were reported even in areas with impoverished and unemployed people. This indicates a missing connection between employers and their potential workforce. Read on for this list of the “most wanted.”

· Sales Representatives – Throughout the world, especially in Japan and the United States, talented and knowledgeable salespeople are in high demand. Employers want and need sales reps who know their products inside and out and are able to successfully communicate that information to the consumer. Manpower’s Jeff Joerres says that companies want sales representatives who understand the global picture, including innovations and logistics.

· Plumbers, Electricians and other Manual Trades – Skilled blue-collar professionals are in high demand everywhere. Plumbers, carpenters, welders and electricians are being trained by staffing companies such as the Swiss Adecco, which teaches Polish construction workers Norwegian and then finds them jobs in Norway’s struggling construction industry.

· Lab Workers and Other Technicians – China is one place where skilled laboratory technicians are in demand. This nation has a large supply of raw labor yet employers struggle to find enough educated technicians. Many of those currently employed in this industry are moving from job to job as salaries rise.

· Engineers – These skilled employees are needed everywhere, but countries such as Germany, which has always been an engineering powerhouse courtesy of companies like BMW and Siemens, are trying to recruit more engineers. The lack of competent engineers is beginning to hurt auto parts suppliers and may lead to a loss of competitiveness in countries like Germany.

· Accountants and Finance Experts – Companies have continued to use technology to advance their accounting and finance systems. With this advancement, new people have been hired with the required skills to balance the books. More accountants are needed to help businesses measure and record their numbers.

· Laborers and Factory Hands – Although millions of people in countries in Eastern Europe, China and India lack good jobs, employers in these areas often cannot find enough help in manufacturing centers. This problem often results from the labor supply being too far from these centers; lack of transportation is a major issue. Another issue is that often laborers also lack the basic skills required to work in a manufacturing center. Companies everywhere have laborer positions to be filled.

· Skilled Manufacturing Workers – Along the same lines as laborers and factory hands, there are not enough skilled manufacturing workers to go around. As the working age population decreases in many nations around the globe additional training and incentives are necessary to keep these essential jobs filled. Productivity of workers is just as, if not more, important than the number of workers employed by a company. Companies everywhere are investing time and money to train laborers and boost their skills.

· Bus, Truck and Taxi Drivers – Large cities such as New York, Paris and Barcelona have been experiencing a driver shortage for quite some time.

· Senior Managers – These positions are empty in formerly Communist countries around the world. Technical schools abound in these nations, but few MBA programs exist. Recruiters have begun to step it up in countries such as Hungary to fill these open jobs.

· Machinists and Equipment Operators – Many manufacturers build heavy machines and equipment but cannot find qualified, skilled employees to maintain their products. This problem will only get worse around the world.

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