Forty-seven percent of employers reported that they usually or always hire candidates who have held the same job title as the position they’re hiring for, but a new study from CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists found that pursuing alternative talent pools may be the answer to filling in-demand positions.

“Nearly three-in-10 employers currently have open positions for which they can't find qualified candidates,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “Instead of waiting for the perfect hire, we see more companies hiring workers from closely-related occupations who won't require a great deal of training and can get up to speed quickly.”

The following are examples of hard-to-fill jobs and occupations with compatible skills sets, according to the EMSI compatibility index:

Electrical engineering technician related occupations:

• Audio and video equipment technician
• Camera and photographic equipment repairers
• Computer user support specialists

Machinist related occupations:

• Computer-controlled machine tool operators
• Automotive body and related repairers
• Heat treating equipment setter

 Medical assistant related occupations:

• Pharmacy technician
• Phlebotomist
• Occupational therapy aide

Web developer related occupations:

• Database Administrator
• Computer systems analyst
• Video game designer

Business intelligence analyst related occupations:

• Market research analyst and marketing specialist
• Clinical data manager
• Risk management specialist 

Technical writer related occupations:

• Reporters and correspondents
• Paralegals and legal assistants
• Production, planning and expediting clerks

Accountant related occupations:

• Budget analyst
• Tax examiner and collectors, and revenue agents
• Credit analyst