Almost Half of Oregon's Job Vacancies are "Difficult to Fill"

Businesses reported that almost half (48%) of Oregon’s job vacancies in 2013 were “difficult to fill,” according to a new report we released this week. 

The most common reasons employers cited for difficulty filling positions were:

• Lack of qualified candidates (24%)
• Lack of applicants (23%)
• Unfavorable working conditions (17%)
• Low wages (11%)
• Lack of work experience (9%)

In general, employers have trouble filling positions requiring previous work experience, and it is harder to fill mid- and high-wage jobs than low-wage jobs. For small businesses (2-19 employees), it is even harder to fill jobs.

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers had the highest number of difficult-to-fill positions, according to employers. There were 1,163 vacancies for this position in 2013, and 968 (83%) were difficult to fill. Here is the rest of the top 10 list.

For an in-depth report on difficult-to-fill jobs in Oregon, read here: Almost Half of Oregon’s Job Vacancies Are Difficult to Fill