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R.
Leslie Sarson
Remedy Intelligent Staffing
Internet
traffic is doubling every 100 days and e-commerce will likely
surpass $300 billion by the year 2002. As clients adopt
web based strategies, they are experiencing dramatic sales
growth. This drives the demand for intelligent workers.
High profile e-commerce pioneers like e-Toys, e-Bay, and
Amazon.com turned to a staffing service for support as their
business expanded.
With
low unemployment rates causing tight labor markets across
the country, the emerging demand for advanced e-commerce
skill sets add further to the pressures e-commerce companies
face with rapid growth. However, low unemployment and strong
demand for advanced skills have not significantly slowed
e-commerce expansion. E-commerce businesses have proved
to be so popular with job seekers that hiring continues
in spite of tight labor markets.
The
e-commerce employee requires advanced skills unique to the
e-commerce environment such as e-mail response, Internet
customer service and superior writing skills. Fortunately,
the intense demand appears to be offset by the high visibility
and popularity of e-commerce jobs. According to Remedy,
a staffing firm specializing in
the e-commerce arena, "Applicants are looking for that
'.com' Internet experience. Teachers, copy writers, webmasters,
and IT specialists appear to be willing to leave other positions
or work two jobs for experience with top e-commerce companies
as a potential entry into the .com's or at least a valuable
portfolio builder."
The
biggest obstacle for e-commerce companies to overcome appears
to be finding employees with the unique set of advanced
skills necessary to be successful. Many associates have
the necessary customer service skills, but lack the writing
skills necessary to compose a concise, understandable written
answer to an e-mail request. Companies are looking for tests
that will identify an associate's writing ability.
The
need for additional testing, such as writing skills, has
opened up the market to staffing firms. They have traditionally
tested potential employees in many of the hard skills and
are able to identify those associates that have the requisite
skills saving e-commerce companies the time and effort of
doing it themselves.
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