The so-called “skills gap” is well-known. Companies are looking for employees who, like Liam Neeson in Taken, possess “a very particular set of skills.” On the other hand, unemployed people would love to land a job, but don’t have the required background that those companies are seeking.
It’s a gap that could leave millions of people jobless.
The Problem
The employment outlook in the United States is already bleak thanks to a lackluster economy. Add to that the fact that recent university graduates are having trouble finding jobs because they lack the appropriate skills and it’s a recipe for further economic stagnation.
There are currently about 11 million workers who are unemployed in the United States. That’s in spite of the fact that there are 4 million jobs that are still open. However, most of those 11 million unemployed people are probably unqualified for the 4 million open jobs. That’s why a closure of the skills gap is so important: it would put a noticeable dent in the unemployment rate.
Over the next five years, employment in the “hard” sciences is expected to grow by almost 30%. That’s going to add 2 million jobs to the U.S. economy. It’s also going to widen the skills gap. By 2020, it’s predicted that there will be as many as 23 million people who lack the skills that employers will need. Add to that the fact that college alone isn’t enough to prepare people for a professional environment, and the outlook is even worse.
So What Can Be Done?
How can the skills gap be closed? There are a few ways.
Choose Your Niche
First, if you find yourself on the wrong end of the skills gap (i.e., the unemployed side of it), you can take some initiative to improve your position. You can do this by first picking a suitable niche and striving to excel in that area. The important thing to remember is that you concentrate on one skill set as opposed to making an attempt at being all things to all people. It’s easier, and generally more effective, to appeal to a highly targeted group of employers looking for a specific skill than attempt to market yourself as a jack-of-all-trades.
Develop Your Skills
Thanks to the multitude of online resources that exist, it’s relatively easy for you to go from being unskilled and unemployed to a skilled worker. There are plenty of websites offering free education in soft skills (such as communication, teamwork, and time management). There are also websites that offer education in core competencies that employers are seeking. Of course, there are always online learning courses that you can take that require minimal travel.
Build Your Personal Brand
The next step is to build your personal brand. This should be fairly easy because you’ve already selected a niche. Here is the key: You build your brand around your niche. Essentially, you “advertise” the fact that you’re skilled in your niche. You make sure that both your cover letter and your resume emphasize your brand. Your online presence on social media should also promote your brand.
Network
Networking is always a great way to boost one’s chances for employment. Thanks to sites like LinkedIn, you can form business relationships while developing your skill. Then, when you’ve “arrived,” you can reach out to your contacts.
Be Patient
Finally, if you wish to become part of the workforce, you’ll need to be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. That means that you’ll likely have to accept low-paying jobs before you start reaping the benefits of a high-profile career. It may seem like a significant sacrifice, but low paying work is still a resume builder.
The skills gap is a problem that should not be ignored. Fortunately, it’s not a problem that can’t be solved, either.
Passionate about career development, Sarah Landrum started Punched Clocks to share her advice on navigating the work world and achieving happiness and success in life and at work.
