Hiring Paradox

Here’s an interesting paradox: unemployment rates in Washington State are high, but many Washington employers can’t find the employees they need to hire.

That’s according to the recent xxx report, which says that of employers in Washington who hired in the last year, many had difficulty finding applicants with the skills they need. Some even left positions unfilled. That’s bad news across the board, especially with unemployment rates as high as they are.

Hard skills like math, reading, and writing came up somewhat surprisingly low on the list, compared with soft skills like work habits, problem solving, and communication. Occupation-specific skills topped the list, with 85% of employers reporting a challenge finding hires with necessary skills.

On the one hand, these

percentage of employers, not of jobs