A new survey from employment consultancy Manpower shows more than one-third of global employers are finding it difficult to fill open positions. Data shows 38% of worldwide managers and 22% of U.S. managers are struggling to find good talent to hire. “Talent shortages are a real problem hurting organizations’ competitiveness,” said Manpower CEO Jonas Prising. “From the data we’ve gathered and the structural changes we can see coming in the labor markets, we know the problem is only going to get worse.”

Manpower found that sales representatives and skilled trade workers like chefs, engineers, mechanics and electricians are the most challenging jobs to fill. Among the top reasons global respondents cited for their hiring woes are: lack of applicants (named by 35%), lack of technical competence (34%) and lack of experience (22%).

Employers in Japan struggle the most to fill vacancies, with 83% expressing hiring problems. Firms in Peru, Hong Kong and Brazil also reported dealing with significant talent shortages.   Employers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, conversely, are having relatively little trouble finding good employees.

“Talent shortages are real and are not going away,” said Kip Wright, senior vice president of Manpower North America. “Despite impacts to competitiveness and productivity, our research shows fewer employers are trying to solve the problem through better talent strategies. Employers will be under pressure to position themselves as 'talent destinations' to attract the best workers that will drive their business forward.”

Manpower surveyed nearly 42,000 employers in 42 countries and territories during the first quarter of 2015 to compile its data.