Last year’s employment market was defined by a surge in new jobs and increased hiring. 2019 is shaping up to be no different. According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 40 percent of employers plan to hire full-time employees in 2019, and 47 percent say they will hire part-time workers.

Even though almost half of U.S. employers plan to hire this year, 50 percent said they have open positions they cannot fill because of a lack of qualified candidates.

“The employment outlook is positive with 40 percent of employers looking to hire full-time, permanent employees,” CEO of CareerBuilder Irina Novoselsky said in a press release. “While a skills gap has created an environment where employers are having trouble finding qualified talent, employees’ and companies’ mutual dedication towards competency-based training indicates we have made leaps and bounds toward eliminating these obstacles; we’ve found that 59 percent of employers plan to train and hire workers who may not be 100 percent qualified but have potential.”

Look for increased hiring and training under-skilled workers to define the employment market in 2019.

What other trends can you expect this year?

Employers placing importance on soft skills

Hard skills are still important, but in 2019, employers will be putting more emphasis on soft skills as they look to recruit and hire talent. In fact, 80 percent said soft skills are equally or more important than hard skills. So, what soft skills are they looking for? Ninety-two percent of employers said they want to hire candidates with strong communication and critical thinking skills; 51 percent what someone who is team oriented; 49 percent need people with attention to detail; 46 percent want to hire those with strong customer service skills.

Investment in tech training

Considering that half of the employers surveyed said they can’t find skilled workers to fill open positions, 56 percent said they pay for third-party employee training so employees can move to a higher-skilled job in the company.

Money isn’t everything

As employers seek to attract talent in 2019, they should give thought to more than just compensation. Employees surveyed cited a number of factors as more important than compensation when considering a position. More than half (56 percent) want an affordable benefits plan, 55 percent are looking for job stability, 48 percent want a good boss, and 44 percent are seeking a good company culture.

It’s clear that hiring won’t get any easier in 2019. Employers plan to hire, but many have a hard time finding candidates with all the skill they need. If this sounds familiar, contact Burchard & Associates to learn how we can help you hire the best people possible. Contact us today.