Harder to find talent

In only two years, there will be 10 million more jobs in the United States than skilled people to fill them, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. Are you ready for that day? You probably aren't. And if you're an IT executive at any kind of company, you probably already are feeling the squeeze.

So, is it hard to find qualified people to fill your openings? A survey by The McKinsey Quarterly said that almost half of all respondents expect intensifying competition for talent. Recently, Forrester Research of Cambridge, MA encouraged businesses to adopt a multi-pronged strategy that includes: 

• assessing current skill levels and demand;
• identifying gaps through the development of a forecast of demand based on current and planned project portfolios;
• developing a resource plan to close the gaps using a combination of internal development, newly hired employees and outside contractors. 

One way to prolong the inevitable? Delay the retirements of essential personnel and make sure you have a good succession plan in place.

For more on this critical problem:
- see this Government Technology article