My Recruiting Blog

If there is one city that embodies the new American economy, it is Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been the fastest growing US city for 30 years: the population doubles about every decade. Like most successful parts of the country, its growth has depended on a very successful service-based industry, and many new arrivals. It is one of the few places in the US that has carried on creating jobs online and off since 2001.

As housing starts decline, not only do construction workers lose their on-site jobs, but many factories building appliances and carpets cut workers, too. Employees have no shortage of opportunities, and there is a lot of competition for workers. There are always Las Vegas jobs available. You have to work hard to attract talent to yourself. It's a very tight marketplace with a very short supply of viable talent, and it is expected that this trend to continue for the next 12 to 18 months.

In the manager, senior manager and executive levels, we are seeing even more urgency among employers looking for good candidates both locally and from outside Las Vegas. Analysts say it is hard to find workers partly because the local economy is growing so quickly. As employment rates go up around the rest of the country, we expect economic migration numbers might fall off a bit as people have opportunities elsewhere.

Improved prospects in other markets could also magnify Las Vegas' rising cost of living as an issue for companies looking to recruit for jobs in Las Vegas. In gaming and tourism, 53 percent of companies said higher home prices are hurting hiring, while 50 percent of employers in the retail and service sectors reported trouble recruiting. Nearly half of restaurant companies 46 percent said housing prices were creating recruiting issues, while just 35 percent of respondents in the finance sector cited real estate values as a hiring hurdle.

Economic pressures are not the only factors hurting recruitment strategies for local companies. Local schools and colleges are not properly preparing students for today's work force. In addition, many high-school students are missing technical training that would enable them to practice a specific trade. Among the Las Vegas employers, one of the main things they talk about is the employability skills of the available work force.

They are seeing individuals who lack language skills and a basic work ethic. It is not that the schools are not trying. It is that they are not specialized enough in the areas employers are demanding such as Information technology and other highly skilled areas. "We need to look at more creative ways to educate young people and get them better prepared for the work force and life in general” comments one Las Vegas business owner.

College should be an option for every student, but schools should also be training students to enter apprenticeships and other postsecondary options. Many agree Las Vegas area guidance counselors of local high schools need to expand perspectives about career opportunities and vocational training for those not planning to attend college.

There are jobs that offer $20, $30 and $40 an hour that do not require four-year degrees -- plumbers, carpenters and certain health care specialties, for example. The schools need to focus on giving kids better hands-on experience, but employers also need to reach out to the community, build better relationships with schools, and make internships more available to students. Still the local job market and employment prospects are bright in the Las Vegas, Nevada area.

Labels: Las Vegas Jobs