The disconnect between vacancies and hiring is an “enigma” and probably a product of the severity of the recession, said Guy Berger, U.S. economist at RBS Securities Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut. “We’re recovering, but there’s still strange things going on,” he said. “Companies are picky.”

The discrepancy has also perplexed U.S. central bankers as they try to guide the economy to full recovery. With more job openings, “hiring may be poised to pick up, but the failure of hiring to rise with vacancies could also indicate that firms perceive the prospects for economic growth as still insufficient to justify adding to payrolls,” Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Aug. 22 in a speech at the Kansas City Fed’s annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Branding Transition

As part of a branding transition that started globally about three years ago, J&J introduced a revised career website in June that provides more details about its workplace. Prospects can filter for opportunities and watch current employees talk about the company’s mission and career growth. J&J stresses workers should be flexible and willing to move between business groups and various roles.

The format allows candidates to better understand the company’s culture, and that “if people are looking for very clear career ladders and specific career paths, it’s probably not the best fit,” Fedoryk said.

The website’s audience rose 30 percent from June 23 to July 31 compared with the same period last year and stayed 32 percent longer, while pages viewed have risen 92 percent, according to J&J’s data.