It’s getting harder and harder to find good help these days. And there are many factors contributing to the problem that you, as a business owner, need to be aware of.

First of all, there is an increased number of young people seeking jobs that require more brain skill than brawn skill, which is making an increased shortage of employees for the manufacturing industry. Mechanics, engineers, freight and delivery truck drivers, machine operators and construction workers are some of the hardest positions to fill.

Another issue is a lack of adequate compensation for the demanding job. Teachers, for example, on a national average really get gypped when it comes to their annual salary and benefits. Though many seek a teaching career for the joy of the work, rather than the pay, there is also a lack of valuable, qualified teachers all over the nation because many just can’t afford such limited pay to support their own families, no matter how much they love to teach.

What continues to make the hiring process more difficult, however, is a lack of qualified applicants. So many young professionals are seeking jobs in the technical world, with incredible pay, the candidates left behind to choose from aren’t always the best available. It sounds terrible, but it’s the unfortunate truth.

In order to up the anti a bit, and hopefully bring in more qualified individuals to fill the gaps, many employers are offering better pay and incentives (hiring bonuses, better benefits) than the national market average for that position. Additionally, these better incentives are being offered to the already working older generation as a motivation to delay their retirement a bit longer.

Another remedy is that employers are working with universities and schools to provide more courses in the areas of need to raise up more qualified workers. And, many, such as General Electric, are offering scholarships, research grants and internships to pay for students’ education as an additional incentive and means of getting more options. The National Association of Manufacturers has recently established the “Dream It. Do It.” program to help motivate interest in the manufacturing industry.

CareerBuilder.com’s list of America’s 10 Most-Wanted Workers, includes those jobs listed above, as well as sales representatives, management/executives, and accountants. If you’re looking to hire someone for such a position now or in the future, it would be in the best interest of your company to jump on the motivation band wagon and get involved in the education base for these careers now. Don’t put it off, or you may find yourself lacking the best person for the job.

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