Area Development
A new survey conducted by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., reveals that companies are increasingly turning to a largely untapped resource in their search for skilled labor: women and men who left the work force for a few years to raise families. "Entry-level job seekers often lack the combination of soft and technical skills needed in today's fast-paced global economy. As a result, more companies are looking for experienced, easily trainable workers, which include former employees who took time away from their careers to raise their children," says John A. Challenger, the consultancy's CEO. Nearly a quarter of the 100 human resource executives surveyed said they consider stay-at-home parents valuable recruiting targets.