Employers miss out on skills due to lack of vision

The belief
that employers overlook people’s talents when they change careers is preventing
most professionals from switching to sectors facing skills shortages, research
has revealed.

A
survey by totaljobs.com shows that more than 80 per cent of UK professionals
would consider changing careers within the next five years. But 74 per cent
confess they are unlikely to do so because it would require starting again at
the bottom of the ladder.

Over
90 per cent of respondents say employers overlook skills developed in other
careers.

Paul
Ivory, executive producer at totaljobs.com, said, "The results are hardly
surprising when most employers continue to use tools like basic wordsearching
to shrink their CV piles. Only if a job-seeker has an almost identical position
in a similar working environment do they stand a chance."

The
research, supported by chartered occupational psychologist Selby Millsmith,
also identifies the careers people would 
pursue if they changed direction.

Of
the 250 respondents from 30 different careers, 7 per cent would consider
nursing, 10 per teaching and 24 per cent IT. Only 3 per cent would consider the
police force.

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All
but 7 per cent say skills developed in their current roles are transferable to
their next career of choice.

www.totaljobs.com