Results from a talent shortage survey recently found that 49 percent of employers in various job sectors are having a hard time finding qualified individuals to fill positions.

ManpowerGroup, a staffing firm, conducts the survey annually. Despite its findings, it may be difficult to understand how there is such a large shortage of talent with such a significant number of unemployed Americans today.

Amongst the areas that are having the hardest of time finding skilled people are three particular jobs ranked the hardest positions to fill.

The first of these jobs is that of skilled trade. Being that positions in this field require a level of prior experience or hands on training, not everyone can adequately do these jobs. Engineering jobs are the second hardest to fill. Employers have developed new standards in challenging fields like Engineering and are having a hard time finding people who meet these rigorous standards. The third is positions in the Information Technology field.

All three of these jobs continue to remain on the list of most difficult jobs to fill annually.

In addition to highlighting these jobs, the talent shortage survey also notes the explanations employers give for why these jobs tend to be so difficult to fill. Some employers are having trouble with a lack of people applying, and those who are qualified and looking for positions tend to want a higher salary. One of the biggest reasons is that people who are applying and are satisfied with the salary tend to lack the experience to do the job.

In response to its findings, ManpowerGroup released "Break the Crisis and Complacency Cycle: Get Ahead of the Global Talent Shortage." It is a document providing advice on how to combat the talent shortage and develop strategies to successfully enter the workforce.