More than half of Americans (54%) agree that employable adults aren’t working today because they don’t possess the skills they need for the jobs they want, according to the results of a new American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor® survey conducted online by The Harris Poll.
The other top reasons Americans believe job seekers can’t find employment—or have even entirely stopped looking for work—are:
- Few jobs are available in their specific field, trade, or skill set (45%)
- Limited job opportunities exist where they live (33%)
- They require a job with flexible working hours (26%)
- They are too discouraged to keep looking (24%)
Americans are divided when asked if they think the U.S. is currently a job seekers’ market or an employers’ market. After being offered definitions, four in 10 (44%) say it is a job seekers’ market—where there are many opportunities available—while a similar proportion (38%) say it is an employers’ market—where opportunities for jobs seekers are limited.
“The ASA Workforce Monitor found that despite the tightest job market in history, the public perceives that many people can’t find work due to a skills gap,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “This gap is real, but with close to seven million job openings in America, it’s clearly a job seeker’s market with an abundance of opportunity.”
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