Employers, job seekers express frustration

BALTIMORE – Jody Johnson spent much of Monday at a job fair looking to fill several positions at Green Gourmet Foods. But her work was not easy.

"We're having some difficulties," Johnson said. "The skill set, the mindset and individuals that want to work. So it's difficult."

The company will expand to a second shift, so she was looking for a variety of workers, including welders, certified electricians and laborers, among others. Johnson said she has advertised on several job sites, attended other job fairs and used word-of-mouth advertising in search of new employees.

She is the company's controller and said it is frustrating looking for qualified workers.

"Very," Johnson said. "Especially when we need the people and our guys have to work overtime and stay late hours. We really need to get a good team together to make the place go."

Why are Johnson and other businesses having such trouble finding qualified workers?

"They're just not out there," she said. "If they are, they want to go to Columbus. We're having trouble in the small town finding qualified individuals."

Johnson also said some potential employees don't want to work long hours or work for a couple days and need a day off.

"With our business if we have you on the schedule you need to be there," she said. "Because if not, then someone else has to pick you up, and it's kind of difficult to try to do two positions at once. So we have a lot of issues with that."

Estate Golf Club co-owner Samantha McCreery said she needs workers who are flexible. She is looking for seasonal clubhouse and pro shop staff and kitchen help in the newly-opened pub on the grounds.

"It's very important to have the flexibility and be versatile in your skill set," McCreery said. "But also to be able to be very dedicated. That's where sometimes I think we struggle as an employer and as a business owner, is to find people who are as dedicated as we are to our business that can give us 110 percent of themselves."

She said she doesn't want someone who is on the job physically but somewhere else mentally.

"To be able to find that person who is all in, for us, is very, very important," McCreery said. "And that's where we struggle, I think. Everybody wants to just come and mow. You know, 'I'm retired, I like to mow my yard.' Mowing at a golf course is totally different than mowing your yard. That's not to say you're not a great mower, but we're looking for someone who wants to come work and not just a hobby."

Acloche is a staffing company on Memorial Drive in Lancaster. Marketing manager Delicia Eldridge it's not difficult finding the right employees with enough hard work.

"When I'm looking for one position, this person I'm calling may not be looking for a job, but they probably know someone in their field around the corner, down the street," she said. "I don't think it's difficult to fill positions. People are there, we just have to let them know we're looking."

Eldridge said the best thing those looking for a job can do is to stay sharp and minimize the gap between jobs. If the gap is too long, she said employers think someone is losing their skill set.

"So you want to stay sharp," she said. "You want to get online, read up about changes in your industry. Know the stats of the company you're talking to. Get on their web page and understand what they do, what their business is. And when you walk into an interview have the knowledge to be able to talk about what they're doing. That will help you. If you have done the research to know a business and actually have an idea of how they can be a better business and things like that, it will help you get in the door."

Christine Gustafson has been looking for a full-time position for about two years. She said the experience has been rough because she is looking for benefits. Gustafson is working part-time at a boarding home now.

"I've been through a lot of rough times the last couple of years with my mom passing and everything," Gustafson said. "I'm just now getting back in the workforce. Lot of people don't want to hire you full-time, it's part-time. And when you live by yourself you can't afford to work part-time. You need something full-time."

She said the her job search has been frustrating.

"Very frustrating, very frustrating" Gustafson said. "And a lot of people don't offer you benefits and that's a priority these days. You've got to have benefits. For me, I do."

Chuck Keesee was also looking for work and was interested in working on the grounds at Estate Golf Club. He said he has been self-employed recently and is looking for something steadier. Keesee said he's been looking for a few months and also called the experience frustrating. He said sometimes the unemployed must use a temporary service or go to job fairs to seek employment.

"You've just got be out there and keep plugging away," Keesee said.

jbarron@lancastereaglegazette.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron