Even with High Unemployment, Good Help Can Be Hard to Find

Despite a national unemployment rate of 9.2 percent, good help is apparently still hard to find. At least that's the case for one Paoli small business owner.

The "help wanted' sign hung on the door for months before the store owner, who asked not to be identified by name for this story, took it down in frustration.

On the surface, it doesn't seem to make sense. A small business owner in search of a a restaurant manager and a grill cook tried in earnest for months to find qualified local candidates. Even with chronic high unemployment, none came through the doors.

"Several people came from Philadelphia," the shop owner explained, "but none with the necessary basic restaurant management experience...I can't hire someone who doesn't have the basic management skills or experience to do the job."

The shop owner, who talked to Patch in the few spare moments between customers on Friday afternoon, said the quality of candidates who applied for both positions was "disappointing".  The shop owner said one candidate had quit her old job when her hours were cut from 40 to 30, "figuring that she could always find another job and if she didn't she could make more on (government assistance programs)."

That attitude, combined with a daily commute from Philadelphia to Paoli, cost that candidate the chance at the manager's job.

According to the shop owner, one potential grill cook looked promising on paper but couldn't handle the basics of the job when things got busy.

After looking for a manager since January the shop owner has now given up. "I don't have time to spend reviewing and interviewing candidates who aren't qualified. I have a business to run."

Asked if government policy and uncertainty about regulations was a factor in the decision not to hire anyone for now the answer was a quick and sure "no".

What do you think? Are you a small business owner frustrated by the pool of talent available or are you a frustrated job seeker? Tell us in the comments.