Things every hiring company in additive manufacturing should know

Candidate per job ratio, selective talent, skills that make a top AM professional, most in-demand roles, and what to put in a job offer. These are all things every hiring manager in additive manufacturing should know, if they want to strategically hire and retain top talent.

Drawing on extensive research and five years of experience recruiting for the 3D printing industry, Alexander Daniels Global has taken the pulse of the 3D printing talent market in their newly released Additive Manufacturing Talent Market Whitepaper. The report was created to help hiring AM companies get a grip on the talent market and understand the trends that drive the hiring landscape.

Here are some of the key things, that every hiring company should know, according to Alexander Daniels Global.

The candidate per job ratio is lower than ever

Across the European AM hubs and the AM market in North America, there is currently a significant talent shortage, signified by a professional-per-job ratio of 4.5:1. This means that for every 1 advertised job on LinkedIn, there are just 4-5 AM professionals available to fill that job – globally. This ratio is likely to be much lower, considering that the candidate must have specific experience in a field related to the job and has to be either in the same location as the job or be willing to relocate.

The talent shortage and the war for talent within the additive manufacturing industry is a widely discussed topic and a pronounced problem amongst expanding AM organisations, who see their growth limited by the shortage of qualified professionals. The whitepaper highlights three key reasons for the talent shortage and continues to discuss the consequences thereof. The “Hiring Toolbox” section of the whitepaper suggests initiatives to overcome those barriers to hiring.

Talent is getting increasingly selective

One consequence of the talent scarcity is the emergence of a selective talent pool. As the talent pool is limited, the in-demand professionals have become more selective with which job opportunities and companies they are willing to consider, as they are likely to have multiple offers at hand. Specifically, job location, technology, culture and leadership style are areas where talent is becoming more selective and deal breakers are becoming more specific.

Skills to look out for

Besides quantitative analysis of the talent market, the whitepaper provides qualitative analysis of the key skills AM companies should be looking for in a professional. Some noticeable soft skills include autonomy, creativity, and complex problem solving. Moreover, companies increasingly need professionals with deep knowledge of and experience in additive manufacturing verticals such as medical, aerospace and automotive. The Additive Manufacturing Talent Market Whitepaper states, “Having a deep knowledge about specific regulations, material applications, supply chain, and industry trends in a certain vertical will allow a professional to understand how to take advantage of additive manufacturing in the manufacturing processes, which is a highly sought-after capability for AM employers.”

The most in-demand role by employers is R&D incl. Design

The whitepaper splits its in-depth talent and job market analysis in six key additive manufacturing hubs. Adding the numbers together reveals that R&D including Design is the most demanded position by AM employers right now.

A good job offer is not just about overbidding on salary

As talent becomes increasingly selective, overbidding your competition on salary is no longer enough to attract and retain talent. AM professionals are ambitious, and they are looking for career progression and new challenges in their work. One of the tips provided to AM employers in the whitepaper is to present a clear career path of the position. Employers need to understand the ambition and motivation of their potential employees and consider this when writing the job offer.

Understanding the hiring landscape and the talent market is crucial for organisations to make fundamental decisions, that affect how they hire talent.

Users can choose to download one free regional talent market report from one of the six AM hubs, or purchase the full report which includes all regional analyses, a section on global hiring trends, and a hiring toolbox. Obtain your copy here.