What the hardest jobs to fill in America? What are you telling your students?

The Hardest Jobs to Fill in America

In today's economic climate, it's hard to believe there are jobs that employers are having a hard time filling. But they do exist, according to the staffing firm Manpower's annual talent shortage survey. From the 2,019 employers who responded to the survey in January, Manpower created this list of the 10 hardest jobs to fill in the U.S.

1. Engineer

There are several reasons it's hard for employers to find qualified engineers, says Jonas Prising, Manpower's president for the Americas. First, employers don't want to hire two or three engineers with a variety of specialties, they want one engineer who is trained in several areas. Another reason is that there are far too few new college graduates in engineering to replace retiring engineers. Also, the Obama administration's pledge to rebuild America's infrastructure is increasing the need for talented engineers.

2. Nurse

There are several causes of this shortage. First, America's aging population requires more caregivers for chronic illnesses affecting older people. Also, advances in medical care require more nurses to assist in treatment. However, there's a shortage of nurse educators, so while demand for professionals is great, there aren't enough teachers to train the next generation fast enough.

3. Technician

These are workers in engineering, technical, operations or maintenance roles who may be classified as either skilled or semi-skilled workers. They often support professionals who have deeper skill bases. Like workers in skilled trades, technicians are trained at vocational schools, and they're in short supply because so many high school students are encouraged to go to four-year colleges instead.

4. Teacher

Many schools find it hard to hire qualified teachers, because becoming a teacher often requires a graduate degree, but salaries remain relatively low. Meanwhile, they need more teachers, with many baby boomers retiring.

5. Sales Representative

Salespeople are in demand during tough economies because they're instrumental in companies' growth. But it takes a long time to become a skilled sales representative, since it involves serious training and becoming an expert in your product and its market. Also, you need a mix of soft skills and technical skills, a tough combination to find.

via finance.yahoo.com

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