A new report from the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) states that there is a clear mismatch between employers’ expectations of young people and young jobseekers’ understanding of what is expected from them. This hinders young people’s access to the job market and contributes to the high rate of their unemployment.
The study entitled ‘Employers are from Mars, young people are from Venus: Addressing the young people/jobs mismatch’ reveals a number of issues that are limiting young jobseekers from finding work.
These include employers’ requirements for experience, even for junior roles, which creates a vicious circle for young people with no access to work opportunities. It is also stated that a lack of feedback after applying for a job crushes the motivation of many young candidates. On the other hand, recruiters are often overwhelmed by large volumes of applications from young jobseekers who haven’t carried out the appropriate research to tailor their applications to the specific role.
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Furthermore, a lengthy and non-transparent recruitment process leaves young people without a clear understanding where they are in the recruitment process, or indeed what they should do to prepare. Also identified as a problem was the failure to tailor interviews to people who have no prior experience of work, often meaning that employers are left disappointed by a process that does not get the most out of the candidates.
“When it comes to recruitment, it can feel as though young people and employers are on completely different planets,” says CIPD Chief Executive Peter Cheese. “Too many young people are struggling to find their first job, whereas many employers are finding it difficult to get the skills they need. This mismatch needs to be addressed, not only to reduce youth unemployment and the long-term impact it can have on young people, but also to ensure UK businesses are equipped with the right talent for the future.”
In addition to hindering young people’s access to the job market, this mismatch is also helping to fuel a ‘ticking time-bomb’ of skill shortages for companies, as it may be limiting employers’ access to an important and diverse pool of talent. There is a wealth of vacancies across the UK’s IT recruitment companies at the moment; both for the supply of the growing tech industry, and also for more traditional sectors such as mining, energy and engineering, which could hamper the growth of the UK economy. However, more in-house training and apprenticeships can provide a solution to help build a sustainable workforce or to up-skill those who already have experience in other areas.
Paul Gray is an entrepreneur and digital publisher who creates online publications focused on solving problems, delivering news, and providing platforms for informed comment and debate. He is associated with HRZone and has built businesses in the HR and professional publishing sector. His work emphasizes creating industry-specific content platforms.
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