Many local employers are experiencing some of the same issues they faced prior to the pandemic.
Last year, we were in the tightest labor market of the last 50 years. Unemployment was at record lows and employers were having great difficulty finding employees in virtually all business sectors. Fast forward to today and while we are not seeing the low unemployment numbers like before, we are seeing an increase in hiring attempts by local businesses.
A quick glance at local job postings shows many employers are, once again, trying to hire needed workers. These positions range from entry level, to semi-skilled, to professional. And more and more employers are expressing frustration in trying to find these needed employees.
Are you surprised? In the immediate area, there are postings for police officers, accountants, bilingual reservation agents, nurses, plumbers, customer service representatives, manufacturing production workers, drivers of all kinds, and the list goes on.
Recently, a national retailer hosted a day long open job application and interview session to attract workers to a newly opening facility. They are trying to hire 20 individuals. Six people came to apply.
There are many opinions as to why unemployment is up but people are still struggling to find workers. Some say fear of the virus, some say large unemployment benefits helped people for longer time than expected. Regardless, in this area, there are job openings once again.
