As The Job Market Evolves, So Do Careers in Human Resources Management

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

The employment market has been changing significantly in recent years. Gone are the days of low-skilled factory jobs. Today, employers are looking for highly-skilled workers with college degrees, or at least smart people with relevant experience and demonstrable skills. Such workers are increasingly hard to find, which presents a challenge for those in human resources management.

Finding talent and keeping it is a key issue in human resources management today. A recent issue of the Economist discussed this very issue, featuring articles titled “Everybody’s doing it: companies of all stripes have become aware of the need to gather talent” and “Masters of the universe: the war for talent is shifting the balance of power from companies to workers”.

The Shift for Human Resources Management

Of course this shift in power has very real implications for human resources management professionals. First, how does one keep up with all the jargon used to describe people with highly specialized skills? If you are recruiting technical staff, do you understand computer and programming jargon? Do you understand the difference between a server and a firewall, and the difference between Python and C++? Do you know what degrees and certificates matter and those that do not?

These developments also make it more important for those in human resources management to have a very keen sense of the wages professionals are fetching. If you want to get good people, you’ll have to pay them a competitive wage. The Baltimore Sun recently featured a study that found the majority of job seekers still consider wages and benefits the most important factor when accepting a job.

The Latest in Human Resources

You can maintain your edge as a human resources professional by taking courses that can help you stay abreast of the latest recruiting techniques and strategies. It’s also a smart idea to become knowledgeable of the jobs you are recruiting for. Hold interviews with current employees to learn more about what they do. That will help you better understand what skills and buzz words to look for on a resume.

Also, read a variety of business journals and newspapers. There you’ll learn a lot about many different fields as well as trends in recruiting practices. Finally, get set to dazzle hot candidates with your generous charm, and of course, with the best compensation packages your company can offer.

Sources

The Economist,”The Search for Talent: Why it’s Getting Harder to Find,” October 7th, 2006.
The Baltimore Sun

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in postsecondary education and career development.