I’d like to talk about something that is a struggle right now, something I’m hearing from associates, candidates, recruiters, and even hiring managers. Why is it so hard to find a job today?

I had to pause for a second when this was brought up to me, that question doesn’t always make sense. We drive down the road and see now hiring signs everywhere. We hear companies are short-staffed. Warehouses are expanding, it seems like there’s new commercial complexes going up constantly, and we’re hearing how production lines are growing, and distribution centers are moving more freight than ever. So, what is or where is the disconnect? Why does it feel like opportunities are everywhere, yet landing one is harder than ever?

So, I wanted to look at it and break it down. And more importantly, I wanted to understand what’s really happening so we can figure this out and make it work for us.

I think first, we have to think about technology. Applicant Tracking Systems are being used, and they are much more detailed and programmable than ever before.

Years ago, getting a job was a much more personal process. You walked in, shook a hand, filled out an application, maybe had a quick conversation with a supervisor or hiring manager. Today? Most of that first step happens through a computer system. Applicant Tracking Systems, or the ATS, are now the front door to us. You don’t meet a person first. You meet a computer system first. And here’s the challenge. These systems are scanning resumes for keywords, job titles, specific skills, and experience that matches exactly what was posted. If your resume doesn’t match what the system is looking for, you may never get a call or be seen. And not because you’re not qualified or because you couldn’t do the job. But because your resume didn’t speak the system’s language.

Now let’s layer in something newer, AI. Artificial Intelligence is being used more and more in hiring. It helps companies sort through hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applicants. But here’s the reality, or my opinion at least. AI doesn’t understand potential and doesn’t see attitude or personality or our confidence and it can’t recognize work ethic. It looks for patterns or what it’s been prompted to find. So, if your experience doesn’t line up with the request and our job titles don’t match exactly or even If your resume isn’t structured correctly, oh, and, maybe the recruiter didn’t write the prompt correctly or specific enough, you can get filtered out before a human ever lays eyes on your name. To me that’s frustrating, but it’s also something we need to understand and adapt to.

Just being honest for a minute, we don’t know what to put on our resume. This is one of the biggest struggles I see in light industrial recruiting, or for me anyway. A lot of great workers, solid, dependable, experienced associates, don’t know how to present what they’ve done. We may say things like I worked in a warehouse, I loaded trucks, I picked orders. And while that’s true, it’s not enough in today’s environment. Because the system and the employer want more detail. They want to know things like what type of equipment did you use, what were your productivity numbers, did you use RF scanners, and if so what kind? Did you work in a fast-paced environment? Were you meeting or exceeding goals? You may have years of experience, but if it’s not clearly explained, It can look like you have very little.

Now let’s talk about something that doesn’t always get said out loud and another thing that I land on the wrong side of, where you live matters. Employers today are looking closely at commute distance, reliability, and transportation challenges Why you may ask? Because attendance is critical. In warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing, if someone doesn’t show up the line slows down, orders don’t get out, and those trucks don’t get unloaded or loaded. So companies often lean toward candidates who live closer. It’s not always about fairness, it’s about risk management. If two candidates have similar experience, the one with the shorter commute often gets the call. Another quick opinion, I tell people not to list their exact address, just the city. Of course, I guess that could hurt us also if the employer or hiring agent has a hundred others that listed theirs and they live withing 30 minutes of the facility!

Next up, background checks, a real barrier sometimes. Backgrounds matter. And in today’s world, they matter more than ever. Many companies have strict background requirements. And while there are still second chance employers out there, and I fully support them, the reality is, options can be more limited depending on the situation. This creates frustration for candidates who are ready to work and trying to move forward, and just looking for an opportunity, but keep hitting roadblocks. And that’s something we, as an industry, continue to work through. And some states have their own ideas and laws concerning our backgrounds and employment.

Now let’s talk about another sensitive, but very real, topic. Workplace expectations around our appearance. We’re seeing more face and neck tattoos, nose rings, ear spacers, and personal expression through style, and there’s nothing wrong with individuality. But here’s the challenge, not all workplaces have evolved at the same pace. Some environments, especially in food-grade facilities, manufacturing, and office or customer facing operations, still have policies around visible tattoos, jewelry and safety related appearance standards, and sometimes, those expectations can impact hiring decisions. It may not feel fair, but it is part of the current reality in many operations.

Another factor? The competition has changed. You’re no longer just competing with people in your neighborhood, or people who walk into the same office. You’re competing with online applicants, candidates from across the city, sometimes even across regions that may be willing to move closer. And with easy apply buttons, hundreds of people can apply for the same role in minutes. That increases competition and makes standing out even more important.

I think in many cases, it’s not a skills gap. It’s a communication gap. We have strong workers experienced on equipment that are comfortable in fast-paced environments, their reliable and capable. But they struggle to explain their experience or translate their skills onto paper and struggle to present themselves during the process, either on paper, on the phone or in the interview, and that gap can cost us opportunities.

So What Can We Do About It? Now I don’t want this to sound negative. Because while things have changed, they are not impossible. Far from it actually. We just have to adjust.

I do think we have to learn to Speak Resume though. We have to break down our experience, list the equipment we’ve used, the tasks performed, what our productivity expectations were and any Systems (RF, WMS, etc.) we’ve used.

And of course, we need to be honest and prepared. If you have challenges like transportation concerns, background, scheduling problems. Be upfront and look for employers who can align or work with them. We aren’t going to change anybody’s mind or their work shift.

And we should remember, Sometimes the door in isn’t necessarily your ideal job. But once you’re in, Opportunities can open up for us.

I want to say again that you’re not just applying to a person anymore. You’re applying to a process. And learning and accepting that process gives you an advantage.

So yes, finding a job today can feel harder. Not because there aren’t opportunities, but because the process has changed. Technology, employer expectations, the competition, and so many new policies, they’ve all evolved. And as workers, as leaders, as an industry, we have to evolve with it.

And with all that being said, I’m going to get back to work myself. I’m Marty T Hawkins and I  appreciate your time and I hope you take another listen Warehouse and Operations as a Career next week. Until then work safe and live safe in everything you do.