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"Employers must upgrade one-dimensional job descriptions and supplement them with detailed competency requirements and a framework for how to succeed in a designated role and function," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO. "It's the responsibility of both employers and candidates to collaboratively refine the most critical skills and mindsets needed in today's fast-changing workplace. Individuals are exercising an increasingly powerful voice in today's Human Age and so they are expected to take charge of developing the skills needed to bolster an employer's marketplace competitiveness."
To guide this effort ManpowerGroup advocates using "Job Success Profiles," a template for mapping essential hard skills and workplace competencies, traditionally known as "soft" skills, against expected outputs and outcomes.
"In the Human Age, the fast pace of workplace change implies that employees will need to unexpectedly transfer their skills to a new role, function or organization in a new industry," Joerres added. "Fungible talent – individuals with flexible mindsets and agile skills and competencies – are essential for leading and operating a business that must adapt to new market conditions daily. Clearly defining roles, expectations and outcomes and mapping them to the required skills and competencies for success is the key to unlocking human potential today."
A 2011 ManpowerGroup survey on Workplace Skills and Competencies details how working collaboratively is the No. 1 competency or soft skill missing in today's employees. Separately, the 2011 ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey reports that approximately three-quarters of employers worldwide cited a lack of experience, skills or knowledge as the primary reasons why they can't fill certain positions. In a do-more-with-less mentality, employers can afford to hold out for the right candidate; meanwhile, available candidates simply lack the right qualifications.
To guide individuals in the process of hunting for a job and planning a career, ManpowerGroup recommends they develop an "Employability Profile" to supplement their traditional resumes or CVs. It is critical for individuals to clearly communicate the value that they bring to an employer. This employability profile serves as a sort of sales tool, enhancing individuals' saleability by featuring the critical skills and competencies that employers are seeking and demonstrating success by linking them to the value they bring to business. Individuals have a prime opportunity and in today's age, a responsibility to continuously enhance and build needed skills by proactively pursuing extracurricular iterative training and development to bolster their employability.
Likewise, employers are responsible for ensuring that a candidate is compatible with an organization by delving into what makes them tick, including their values and their potential for leading and executing a range of responsibilities. By doing so, employers can build the capabilities of their workforce, and with a robust workforce strategy, they can develop and stretch their people to achieve their full potential in a way that aligns and supports their ability to execute and achieve their business strategy.
About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $22 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. By connecting our deep understanding of human potential to the ambitions of clients, ManpowerGroup helps the organizations and individuals we serve achieve more than they imagined – because their success leads to our success. And by creating these powerful connections, we create power that drives organizations forward, accelerates personal success and builds more sustainable communities. We help power the world of work. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. Learn more about how the ManpowerGroup can help you win in the Human Age at www.manpowergroup.com.
ManpowerGroup is the most trusted brand in the industry, being the only company in our industry to be named to the Ethisphere Institute's 2011 World's Most Ethical Companies list for our proven commitment to ethical business practices, including an outstanding commitment to ethical leadership, compliance practices and corporate social responsibility. In addition, ManpowerGroup has also been recognized as the industry leader by Fortune magazine, who named the company in first place on its 2011 list of the Most Admired Companies in the temporary help sector.
In January 2011, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup announced the world has entered the Human Age, where talent has replaced capital as the key competitive differentiator. Learn more about this new age at www.manpowergroup.com/humanage
Gain access to ManpowerGroup's extensive thought leadership papers, annual Talent Shortage surveys and the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, one of the most trusted indices of employment activity in the world, via the ManpowerGroup World of Work Insight iPad application. This thought leadership app explores the challenges faced by employers navigating the changing world of work and provides in-depth commentary, analysis, insight and advice on strategies for success.
Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: twitter.com/manpowergroupjj. Joerres is one of only six Fortune 500 CEOs who leverages a Twitter account to get his message out.
SOURCE ManpowerGroup
CONTACT: Britt Zarling, +1-414-526-3107, Britt.zarling@manpowergroup.com, or Marsha Barancik, +1-414-688-5241, Marsha.barancik@manpowergroup.com
