ASA Skills Gap Index: Top Hard-to-Fill Jobs by Sector

Most Difficult-to-Fill Occupations in Each Sector

The American Staffing Association Skills Gap Index has identified the hardest-to-fill occupations in the U.S. for the second quarter of 2017. The two hardest-to-fill jobs in each staffing industry sector are

Engineering, information technology, and scientific

• Computer and information research scientists
• Computer systems engineers/architects

Health care

• Audiologists
• Podiatrists

Industrial

• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
• Electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers

Office–clerical and administrative

• Repair shop or parts store salespeople
• First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

Professional–managerial

• Sales engineers
• Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

As in the fourth quarter of 2016, computer and information research scientists, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, and sales engineers remain among the top two hardest-to-fill jobs by sector. New to the list of 170 hardest-to-fill jobs since the last report are audiologists, podiatrists, and electronic home entertainment equipment installers and repairers.

“With the number of job openings in the U.S. reaching record highs, the skills gap continues to be a challenge affecting all sectors of the economy,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “For staffing companies, the ASA Skills Gap Index can play an important role in the development of strategies needed to help clients succeed despite growing talent shortages in the workforce.”

The ASA Skills Gap Index was established by the American Staffing Association, using a hiring indicator developed by ASA corporate partner CareerBuilder. The hiring indicator measures the level of difficulty (on a scale of one to 100, with lower scores indicating harder to fill) to fill a specific occupation based on demand, supply of active candidates, and all individuals working in that occupation. The ASA Skills Gap Index concentrates on hiring indicator scores of 50 or less with a demand of more than 2,000 jobs to determine the top hard-to-fill occupations, now based on a one-month snapshot of data. The ASA Skills Gap Index is updated twice a year, after the second and fourth quarters.

For more information about the American Staffing Association Skills Gap Index, visit americanstaffing.net/asa-skills-gap-index. You can also follow ASA on Twitter.

# # #

About the American Staffing Association

The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.