Dec 15, 2023 By Michele Gillis 8 min read

Employers are eager to fill positions with qualified candidates but are finding it challenging to do so. As a result, they are getting creative with how they interview, hire and even place new staff.

Dr. Stephanie Adam, associate professor of human resource management at Penn West University, sheds light on why that is.

“From my perspective, employers are eager to fill positions with qualified candidates; however, due to a variety of factors, finding those candidates is proving challenging,” said Adams. “Employee expectations have changed since COVID-19, and not all employers can operate in a flexible manner. Additionally, due to the loss of previous employees, there’s a serious skills gap that employers are facing.”

Kris Piscatelli, co-owner of Personnel Staffers, said she sees that even though there are a lot of opportunities for candidates, employers are taking more time to interview and make hiring decisions.

“Some employers are changing their mind on hiring right now because they are not getting the applicants they need to fill certain roles,” said Piscatelli. “So, right now, it is a slow process, but it is well worth the effort because, for the applicant, there are long-term positions available.”

Dr. Jennifer Roy, assistant professor of business administration at Waynesburg University, said the labor market remains tight overall.

“That forces employers to re-think their strategy to hire talent,” said Roy. “Organizations may raise starting wages, which is costly and contributes to inflation. Employers are also offering unique benefit packages to maintain a competitive advantage. These benefits may include tuition reimbursement, student loan forgiveness, flexible schedules and even pet insurance.”

Roy said companies are attempting to upskill or re-skill their incumbent workforce by creating more learning opportunities.

“That can be accomplished through training and development, professional development programs, or offering internships, apprenticeships or tuition benefits,” said Roy.

All sources say that they are seeing tremendous growth in the services sector.

“Specific industries that are hiring include healthcare, information technology, personal services (beauty, fitness and counseling), travel and hospitality (restaurants), and financial services,” said Roy. “While layoffs may be company-specific and location-specific, some industries overall are seeing a contraction in their workforce. These industries include transportation, construction and professional services.”

With the holidays approaching, service industries seem to be the most in need of help at this time.

“I see openings in all industries we work with, but the service industry is recruiting the most, and with the holiday season coming up, the employers have a great need right now to add staff to their already shorthanded situations,” said Piscatelli.

Adam said she sees engineering, skilled trades and the service sector are always hiring, but not as much in the information technology or the technology sector currently.

During and after COVID-19, many people transitioned to working from home, and many companies continued with that because it was economical as long as the work was getting done.

Piscatelli said that remote work has been around for years, and there are situations that it works well in, but some cases need employees to be in an office setting.

“It is very dependent on the industry and the resources that are available to the company,” she said. “The work-from-home trend has definitely brought this into the conversation for employers who need employees to use as an added benefit. I do also see that it is not for everyone, and those candidates are asking for in-person work for the support and social aspects that it brings to their work life.”

Employees and job candidates want flexible schedules and hybrid work options.

Roy said that as more employers are trying to bring their workforce back to in-person arrangements, they recognize the cost-savings in offering hybrid options as well as the benefit of higher job satisfaction among employees.

“Job candidates, including college students about to enter the workforce, are looking for remote and hybrid options,” said Roy.

Since working from home has become a norm in some fields, it makes sense that the hiring process would also have to evolve as well.

“It has changed the expectations of employers,” said Adam. “It also has made certain aspects of life more flexible for employees. Therefore, if you can now, say, get your kid on and off the bus and get your work done, that’s not something you want to give up. It has also changed the way we interview. More artificial intelligence and technology are used in initial screenings than ever before.”

Roy also sees AI as a trend in hiring applicants.

“One of the biggest hiring trends we are seeing is the use of AI,” said Roy. “AI is being used to write job descriptions, assess job applicants and evaluate employees.

Additionally, hybrid work arrangements are in demand and something that more organizations are offering to attract talent.”

Adam agreed that employers want a more blended approach instead of fully remote.

“By this, I mean, employers are trending toward wanting workers to either come into the office full weeks or partial weeks at home, partial weeks in the office,” said Adam. “If an employee wants to continue in full remote agreements, that trend is shifting.”

Another trend seen in the employment industry is quiet quitting, when employees come to work and do the bare minimum to keep their jobs without going above and beyond or putting in extra effort.

“I cannot overstate how costly this is to employers,” said Adams. “There are many reasons to do it, including burnout, being overwhelmed with work/home responsibilities, no longer liking the position or feeling fulfilled but not finding a new opportunity.”

According to Piscatelli, quiet quitting has been happening for years.

“These employees decide they will do the minimum at work because they do not think doing more will get them ahead,” said Piscatelli. “Employees that have communicated issues to their employers and have not seen any change may feel this is their only option.”

Piscatelli said it is always best to communicate with your employer about issues to find a solution.

“One thing these people aren’t getting is the sense of accomplishment, which generates energy and the desire to return the next day to do it all again,” said Piscatelli. “I am not sure how long someone can ‘phone it in’ at work before they bring themselves down with it.”

Searching online at Indeed or LinkedIn for a new job and applying for numerous jobs with no response can be draining.

Roy said there is a difference between where people are looking for jobs and the best place to find a job.

“Your personal network remains a great source to find a job,” said Roy. “Organizations rely on referrals as much as possible. LinkedIn is a professional website that can improve your networking access. In-person networking is important as well. I always encourage my students to use the holidays as an opportunity to talk to family and friends about their jobs to get information about open positions.”

Roy said that websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor are popular for reviewing job postings.

“Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X are also good places to find jobs,” Roy added.

But, locally, staffing agencies, such as Southwest Training Services or Personnel Staffers, offer a personal touch to help walk you through the job application process and give you the skills needed to land a permanent long-term placement.

“We support our candidates through their job search, from helping with their resume to communicating to potential employers why they would be good potential employees,” said Piscatelli. “Looking at job boards is frustrating and can return no results or can generate lots of calls about jobs that do not interest the candidates. We get to know our applicants and our employers and ask questions that lead to permanent placements.”

The good news is that according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was unchanged over the month, remaining at the record low of 3.4 percent in October.

“Pennsylvania is experiencing a historically low unemployment rate and a competitive market for skilled workers,” said Trevor Monk of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. “The Shapiro Administration is actively navigating this dynamic job market by making investments in workforce training and vo-tech programs, apprenticeships and the Schools-to-Work program through the bipartisan 2023-24 budget, which Governor Josh Shapiro signed in August 2023.”

Additionally, Monk said that Governor Shapiro recently signed an executive order launching the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program, a groundbreaking job training initiative.

“This program, funded by federal legislation, is a $400 million investment in workforce development, creating 10,000 new jobs over five years in Pennsylvania,” said Monk.

Monk said the PA CareerLink is also uniquely positioned to help job seekers upskill into careers and to help employers connect with talented individuals. PA CareerLink and its community partners connect employers with untapped pools of talent that are critically needed in industries where job openings outnumber available workers.