Although the unemployment rate is currently at a historic low of 4%, economists are still struggling to understand why it remained so painfully high after the Great Recession—and why it took five years to return to its pre-recession level. Our research points to one possible reason: employers increased skill requirements during the recession, when high-skill workers were more plentiful, making it more difficult to fill those positions as the job market began to recover. However, since then, some employers have been lowering education and experience requirements in an effort to clear the backlog of open vacancies.
Research: When the Economy Is Good, Employers Demand Fewer Credentials
In tough times, employers can afford to be picky.
August 21, 2018
Summary.
Although the unemployment rate is currently at a historic low of 4.0 percent, economists are still struggling to understand why it remained so painfully high after the Great Recession – and why it took five years to return to its pre-recession level. New research points to one possible reason: employers increased skill requirements during the recession, when high-skill workers were more plentiful, making it more difficult to fill those positions as the job market began to recover. However, since then, some employers have been lowering education and experience requirements in an effort to clear the backlog of open vacancies.