No One Is Coming to Save You from the Skills Gap

Your company is going to have to take the initiative. Trefoil Group’s principal, Mary Scheibel, reflected on this reality and how companies can win the talent game at the recent Society of the Plastics Industry conference in Miami. 

Open almost any major manufacturing publication and you’ll see a common thread: the ever dooming skills gap. Despite the worrying, however, many mid-market manufacturers are not doing all that they can do to make themselves attractive to skilled recruits.

So how can you do a better job? Let’s break it down into three focus areas.

• Differentiate your company. Why should people want to do business or work for your company? Don’t blend in with all the competitors. Tell a compelling story. Be the bold, colorful competitor that sticks out. Keep in mind that a strong brand that appeals to customers often appeals to recruits as well.

• Define and drive your culture. Culture is more than a competitive advantage; it’s the number one attribute recruits value most. If you don’t have a culture that’s driven to succeed, start to build one right now.  If your employees are inspired, they’ll help you win against the toughest competition. 

• Build a strong online presence. A recent study done by Cisco demonstrated “that 1 in 3 college students and young professionals consider the Internet to be as important as other fundamental resources like air, water, food and shelter.” Thus, the web offers one of your strongest opportunities to showcase your brand personality and engage talent. 

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to tackle this tough issue today. For further insights on recruiting, retaining and aligning a great workforce, you can review Mary’s presentation below.

Winning the Talent Game in an Increasingly Competitive Marketplace from Trefoil Group