Tiffany Collins was one of the lucky ones; she saw the writing on the wall in time to make a new professional plan.
When her 12-year career as a facilities technician for DSL and landline repair at AT&T was being phased out do to the emergence of fiber optics, she wasn’t blindsided by a layoff.
“I could see my workload steadily decreasing because there weren’t very many new orders or repairs,” she said. “I saw [the end] coming for sure, and knew I had to do something.”
Unlike so many others in similar situations, she was able to take some crucial steps to avoid the pitfalls typically associated with what a recent Goldman Sachs report coined as the “jobs gap.”
Collins’ is ultimately a success story, but she did wrestle with many of the problems associated with this chasm that exists between the types of positions that jobseekers want and the types of jobs that are actually available.
While much has been written about the skills gap – a term used to describe the disconnect between the skills employers desire in candidates and the skills candidates actually possess – the problem has less often been considered from the jobseeker’s perspective.
“This is something that has been going on for a long time, but we know more about the employer’s side of the story,” said Howard Adamsky, senior research analyst for Aberdeen’s Human Capital Management practice.
So, what can you do if you are keen on finding a new position but are being told again and again that you don’t meet employers’ criteria? Or that your salary expectations are too high? Or that you lack the elusive soft skills that companies consider more important than ever? And how do you protect yourself from becoming obsolete thanks to changes in your industry or automation?
Collins’ experience and the advice experts offer can help other jobseekers avoid some of the landmines associated with this jobs gap.
Choose an adaptive occupation.
Adaptive occupation is a phrase that is being thrown around quite a bit in the recruiting world, and it is one that might serve you well to understand, especially if you are new to the job search or are looking to change careers.
The simple definition of an “adaptive occupation,” according to the Goldman Sachs study, is a job that cannot be done by a machine. Adaptive occupations frequently involve personal interactions that would be impossible to accomplish with technology. In fields like nursing and web development, where judgement and creativity are often required to solve problems, automation would be nearly impossible. This means that these fields have more protection from becoming defunct thanks to technological advances, which build in job security for workers who choose these occupations, according to the study.
Trades, such as masons, plumbers, and electricians, also enjoy this kind of protection since those involve a combination of both hard skills and soft skills, making it difficult for these roles to be absorbed by automation.
Be proactive, not passive, about professional training.
Have you hit a plateau at work? Do you need additional skills to advance in your field or to break into a new one? Do you currently have a job that could be easily automated? These are common problems among skilled workers, but they can be remedied.
In Collins’ case, AT&T offered her free training in fiber optics repair, which she took advantage of, but in the end, the job she was offered wasn’t what she was looking for. While she wasn’t interested, she did appreciate that AT&T gave her the opportunity to continue with the company through training.
“I think AT&T handled the situation really well,” she said. “But in the end, I moved on.”
Adamsky agrees. “The best companies are the best companies because they are doing the right things. They are investing in their workforce. All you have at the end of the day is your people.”
According to Adamsky, this isn’t always the case. Many employers insist that jobseekers arrive with a specific skill set in place, and many are hesitant to provide existing employees with professional enrichment that would allow them to grown within the organization.
Adamsky believes that this is an increasingly unrealistic expectation. Companies should worry less about what will happen to the bottom line if they train employees who then leave to work for competitors. He argues that executives at these companies should be asking themselves what will happen if they don’t train their employees and they stay.
The best companies are the best companies because they are doing the right things. They are investing in their workforce. All you have at the end of the day is your people.
– Howard Adamsky, senior research analyst for Aberdeen’s Human Capital Management practice
One incredibly large worker group in the labor force is changing the expectations in this area fast and furiously.
“Millennials have really taken organizations to task and said, ‘Hey, if you don’t provide the things that we want [including training], …we’ll leave’, which is catastrophic for organizations,” Adamsky said. “And if a company doesn’t measure up, [millennials] are going to go build their careers with the competition.”
The lesson for companies is simple, he continued: “It’s far better to have someone trained and ready to step into a job that never materializes than it is to have a job open up and have no one in the organization who is capable of doing it.”
However, Mollie Lombardi, cofounder and CEO of Aptitude Research Partners, an independent research-based analyst and advisory firm, believes that the onus isn’t just on the employer. “While it’s the humane thing for companies to do to give employees a heads-up if changes are coming [that may require an updated skill set], it’s also the employee’s responsibility to pay attention to their industry, to stay abreast of changes, and to be thinking about what their transferable skills might be and which jobs they might be able to apply them to.”
Upskill yourself with the soft skills that aren’t taught in school
According to an analysis of 2.3 million LinkedIn profiles for The Wall Street Journal, nearly 58% of employees who touted stellar communication skills were hired over the course of a year, which makes it clear that “soft skills” is more than just a buzzword in the job market these days.
Employers complain that there is a dearth of applicants who possess soft skills, such as clear written and verbal communication, problem-solving and leadership abilities, and a flair for collaboration and conflict resolution. These traits, employers insist, can make or break professional success.
According to LinkedIn, 58% of employees who touted stellar communication skills were hired over the course of a year.
With all of that evidence, how can jobseekers develop soft skills in a way that is pleasing to an employer? According to Executive Coach Joshua Miller, there are steps employees and jobseekers can take to improve these skills.
“Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed if you are lacking in soft skills,” he said. “Most people are. This is, unfortunately, not an area commonly developed within the structure of schooling, but most companies nowadays offer both internal opportunities as well as outside resources to further develop [these skills].”
For those who’d like to brush up on soft skills on their own time, Miller suggests using online courses like Udemy and Coursera, both of which offer free or inexpensive guidance in these areas. The classes, he said, are self-driven and can be incredibly impactful.
As an alternative to online learning, Lombardi suggests volunteer work as a way to build skills.
“Leading a project at your kid’s school or through a volunteer organization can be a great way to gain experience [using soft skills],” Lombardi said. “Also, try seeking out mentors, specifically people whose leadership style you admire.” Observing these people can be a free education.
Get the ‘desirable’ education employers want.
Employers have identified a lack of candidates who come with training or degrees in high-demand fields, such as healthcare, engineering, and computer science, as one reason hiring has stalled. But in-demand categories haven’t translated into in-demand degree programs at colleges and universities.
Lombardi agrees that this indeed is a phenomenon – vocational training and degree programs in a variety of fields are not matching the demands of the job market – but she finds it difficult to explain this educational gap.
“I’m not sure why there isn’t more corporate/university partnership. We’ve been calling for this for a long time,” she said.
If you are currently a student, Lombardi recommends working closely with a school counselor to identify your goals and the existing professional opportunities that could help you land on a course of study that will be more lucrative after graduation.
“Always be looking for a new job,
even if you don’t think you need a new job.”-Mollie Lombardi, cofounder and CEO of Aptitude Research Partners
For Collins, once she decided to leave AT&T, she decided that getting an undergraduate degree was her best bet. When the company offered her a corporate buyout, she used the time and money it afforded her to go back to school and get a degree in business administration. Now she’s an executive assistant at a property management company. She is earning more than she could have by going to work for one of AT&T’s competitors, has gained an education, and is happy in her new role.
Collins’ experience aligns with Lombardi’s most pressing bit of advice, which is that jobseekers have a responsibility to look out for their own best interests.
“Always be looking for a new job,” Lombardi said, “even if you don’t think you need a new job.” Continue interviewing, even if it’s a job that you don’t necessarily want because doing so keeps you practiced in an interview setting. Always keep your resume current and stay connected on networking sites like LinkedIn, she said.
“It can feel like a job in itself sometimes but understanding your skill set and knowing how it might be improved upon or transferable to another career is the best way to protect yourself against being in this situation,” she said.