Several weeks ago we held a Managed Services Town Hall meeting in Cincinnati, OH and addressed many typical themes we see from other events we hold around the world. From sales, marketing, and technical, MSPs continue to have many similar questions and topics they like to discuss about this profession. None, however, may be as important as the issue of staffing.
I believe it is safe to say that we are in the midst of a global staffing crisis within the managed services profession and we need to do something about it soon. And, if we are not in the middle of a crisis, we are certainly at a point where we must develop a strategy for creating new sources of human talent for our profession. My question is, from where will those people come?
Schools
I've heard a lot of theories about where MSPs get their talent. High school, college, and vocational schools are some of the more common sources. The MSPs still complain that the types of technical talent they're getting is not good enough. MSPs claim they need to do significant training for new hires, even with IS or IT degreed individuals. What this tells me is the schools are not producing graduates who have a good understanding of the skills necessary to work in the managed services and cloud computing profession.
Military
Perhaps more relevant in the United States, some MSPs have said that they get good results from hiring employees with military backgrounds. I know the veterans do have needs for post military employment and finding a job where they can have a structured work environment can be an ideal outcome for them.
Customer Service
I've heard some MSPs say that they don't care how much technical talent a person has, what matters most is their customer service skill. People with customer service capabilities can be taught technical knowledge. Being able to relate to people, especially when they are angry is a skill difficult to teach. After all, we are in the managed "services" profession.
Whatever the source, as MSPs, we need to identify a reliable source of new employees for the years to come. Whether the sources are military, educational, or elsewhere, knowing that there will be enough managed services talent to meet tomorrow's demand is a crucial issue we must address today.
