MSNBC (01/13/12) Linn, Allison

Despite the high number of unemployed people seeking work, more than half of U.S. employers surveyed by the staffing firm ManpowerGroup say are having trouble filling job openings because they can’t find qualified workers. That represents a 38 percentage point increase from 2010, when only 14% said they were having trouble filling positions.

Melanie Holmes, a vice president with ManpowerGroup, says “employers have been spoiled by the recession.” She notes the high unemployment rate left many recruiters feeling they did not have to look very hard to find a great candidate. Also, with potential employees less willing to move because of the housing bust, many employers have not had the luxury of looking very far afield. Employers also may not be willing to spend the time or money training someone for a highly specialized job, or one that requires very unique skills. “Employers are getting pickier and pickier,” Holmes says. “We want the perfect person to walk through the door.”