Competition for jobs hits record high
July 28, 2009 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Attracting talent, In This Week's E-Newsletter, Latest News & Views
Here’s some bad news for the economy, but it could be good for any company that’s hiring:
Employers have more applicants to choose from than ever before.
On average, companies are evaluating 5.4 candidates for every open job, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a record number, and pretty big jump from the previous month’s figure of 4.8.
It’s miles away from December 2007, when companies were averaging just 1.7 applicants per open job.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:45 am
While have a larger selection may be seen as being a benefit, that is not always the case. When a recruiter has to look through 300-500 resumes for one position, this is extremely time consuming. It’s also harder to find the decent candidates due to the enormous response.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:28 am
I agree. In addition, probably 60% or more are not qualified for the position you are recruiting for with several being overqualified. Some folks are so desperate they will apply to anything and everything.