One in four Americans feel “underqualified” for jobs today, according to a new survey.
A new poll of 2,000 Americans actively job seeking found 39% fear potential employers would also deem them underqualified for roles they’re applying for. Eighteen percent fear the opposite — that they’ll be seen as too overqualified.
Yet 39% still feel optimistic about their job prospects in the next year and 56% believe prioritizing employee education might be the answer to their troubles.
Commissioned by Adecco Group and conducted by OnePoll, the study found three-quarters of respondents currently employed would feel more satisfied with their current jobs if they had the opportunity to learn new skills applicable to their jobs while continuing to work.
Similarly, 77% overall said they would feel better-qualified for specific jobs if they learned new skills for that job. Sixty-seven percent said potential employers would be more appealing to them if they offered strong job-related education options as part of their employment.
Two-thirds (67%) also stated they would feel more job satisfaction if they were able to simply learn more about the company beyond the basic requirements of their role.
Sixty-nine percent feel confident their current job skill set can be used in any future jobs. To add to it, 58% also feel confident they could apply their skill set in a different career path than what they’re accustomed to.
“While job seekers may feel confident in their skill sets, the U.S. continues to deal with a skills shortage resulting from a clear mismatch between the skills job seekers have and what employers are looking for,” said Molly Conway, Head of Public Affairs at Adecco Group, North America. “Together, employers and talent must prioritize skilling in order to build a sustainable workforce.”
But for 47%, having the right job skills in the first place is challenging. They admitted they aren’t working to expand their skills via additional education or training, whether they want to or not.
Over half of those surveyed (52%) said they’ve been turned down for a job because they didn’t meet the skill requirements. Even more (59%) were discouraged from applying to jobs in the first place due to feeling inadequate or underqualified for the job based on its description.
There are also a number of barriers people face when trying to continue their job-related education: financial strain (45%), time constraints (31%), transportation (31%) and a lack of equipment (23%).
Nearly two-thirds (63%) felt like their employers were the most responsible for providing proper job training for them. However, many also said proper job training is the responsibility of themselves as job seekers (46%), educational institutions (26%) and the federal government (15%).
A majority of respondents (68%) said they’d be more willing to work for companies that offer dedicated time for job-related education while on the clock as a job perk.
Other enticing perks should include skills development (63%), professional certification (43%) and education credit (34%).
“Job seekers who adapt a mindset of lifelong learning set themselves up better for jobs of the future,” continued Conway. “At the same time, employers play a crucial part in ensuring workers’ long-term employability. By creating pathways for learning to happen on-the-job, such as through apprenticeship programs, organizations can help fill the gap, while also future-proofing their workforce.”
4 appealing traits to see from employers
Dedicated time for learning new skills – 56%
Education related to your specific role – 50%
National certification in your field – 33%
Mentorship – 32%