The economy may still be lousy and unemployment is high, but our 57th Annual Survey of Distributor Operations shows that distributors are still having trouble finding qualified, technical outside salespeople, a problem that could become even more acute as the economy eventually expands.

More than half of the 800 respondents to our survey said there are not enough qualified salespeople who have an appropriate technical background. One distributor told us that he had tried for months to find an outside salesperson with the right technical skills. He finally filled the position last month.

And there are—and will be—opportunities for salespeople. Forty-four percent of the distributors said they expect to hire more salespeople within the next year. Even more significantly, 63 percent of the largest distributors (those with $20 million or more in sales) will add salespeople.

What this means is that there could be increased competition for the best employees. We've already heard from some distributors who tell us that their competitors have raided their staffs. This should also be a warning sign to distribution managers that they may have to take steps to ensure that their employees are well treated today, so they don't leave for greener pastures tomorrow.

We've said before that there are still opportunities for those young people who want to enter the distribution business. Those students who have received degrees in industrial distribution usually have jobs upon graduation, although not the multiple job offers they have had in the past says, says Brian Reynolds, associate director of the Read Center at Texas A&M University.

The problem is that distribution still is not promoted enough in the job marketplace. It may be the nation's best-kept secret. It's not just a problem for distributors, but manufacturers as well. In fact, The National Assn. of Manufacturers says the U.S. will be facing a severe shortage of skilled workers in the years ahead.

Phyllis Eisen, who heads NAM's Center for Workforce Success, said in a press release that "there just aren't enough young people in the pipeline who have the interest or the abilities in math and science to fill the void that will be left when the bulk of the baby boomers start retiring."

Manufacturing—and distribution—may be down because of the economic downturn. But manufacturing isn't going away, and still comprises a large amount of our gross domestic product. Finding the best and most talented people will always be a challenge, and it's not going to be any easier in the future.