8 High Demand Jobs that are Tough to Fill

Posted by Variety Staffing

The economy is growing, but there are some job positions that are becoming more difficult to fill. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, here are eight of the most in-demand jobs to fill in 2017 and why.

1. Data Scientist

Data scientists were once highly specialized, but the title is much more common these days. Data scientists are needed in a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, government and finance. The pay is good, workers are satisfied and there are a number of openings. However, as a new career field, there is a lack of trained workers, and many higher institutions have yet to offer degree programs.

2. Financial Advisor

Financial advisors will have no shortage of opportunities in the coming years. The average salary for a financial advisor is decent, with growth estimated at 30% by 2024. That said, this job field is in desperate need of young talent, as the average financial advisor of today is 50-something-years-old and looking to retire. Less than 5% are under the age of 30.

3. General and Operations Manager

Though the average median salary can be upwards of 100K, there is high turnover in managerial positions. Managerial jobs, while rewarding, come with long hours and travel. This leads to high turnover rates, which are expected to drive the need for more General and Operations Managers in the coming years, particularly in the food industry.

4. Home Health Aide

As the Baby Boomers grow older, the need for home health aides will increase. In fact, home healthcare services is the fast growing of all industries, with over 760,000 new jobs expected by 2024. Filling these positions will prove difficult with the number of people in need and the specialized care that workers may not be trained in.

5. Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts move hard-copy data to digital platforms, something that is needed across all industries. As with data scientists, this career field is lacking in qualified workers. Until more trained workers become available, and colleges offer degree programs in this sector, these jobs will be hard to fill.

6. Medical Services Manager

The need for medical services managers is on the rise because of our aging population. There is a high demand and a shortage of qualified workers, making staffing difficult. Not to mention, health care administrators work in stressful and hands-on environments, contributing to high turnover rates.

7. Truck Drivers

Within the next 7 years, the trucking industry will need about 100,000 more qualified drivers. The earning potential for truck drivers is above the national average and routes can be adjusted for better work life balance. There has been a shortage of drivers due to the aging workers currently in the industry and lack of consideration among millennials.

8. Registered Nurse

Another job in the healthcare industry that will be hard to fill is that of a registered nurse. The stressful and sometimes physically demanding nature of this job leads to high turnover rates. With more of our population needing care from RNs, we can’t afford to lose qualified nurses.

It’s apparent that the hardest-to-fill positions will be in the healthcare or technology fields. In the meantime, more organizations will have to look to staffing firms to help fill the gaps in employment with the most qualified candidates available.