In case you missed it: July 27

Every four years I become completely enthralled with incredible photos of triumphant athletes, their inspiring stories of challenges overcome, and the idea of hundreds of different cultures converging in one city, one stadium, one Olympic-sized pool. In other words: Olympic Games fever.

If you’re like me, the pre-Olympic hubbub of the past week might have had you distracted. Here’s a quick recap of the workforce news you might have missed.

TLNT: Olympic Security Shortfall: Lessons From a Workforce Planning Nightmare

Contributor Patti Johnson reflects on a recent announcement by the British government that the company providing security for the Olympics, G4S, is short the number of required guards by approximately 30 percent. Patti offers advice regarding outsourcing high-priority projects and best practices for selecting the right external partners, such as having a contingency plan at the ready and not relying on cost as the sole determining factor.

WSJ: Longer Hours Hint at Talent Shortages for Some Jobs

Economists at The Conference Board report that certain STEM-related positions (jobs in science, technology, engineering, or math) have experienced a significant increase in the number of hours worked. The length of the average work week for all occupations dropped 1.4 percent between that recorded from 2005-2007 and the year ended April 2012. In contrast, communications equipment operators, oil extraction and gas extraction workers, and science- and math-related occupations weighed in above average when it came to hours worked. Analysts note that this corresponds with other surveys that show businesses’ increased demand for experienced workers in the STEM areas.

The Hiring Site: “Creating Effective Job Postings that Attract the Best Talent”: A Recap

CareerBuilder recently hosted a webinar for hiring managers looking to enhance their job postings. This article recaps some of the hosts’ best recommendations. Equipped with insights into SEO and job seekers’ behavior (for example, the average job seeker spends less than 30 seconds looking at a job posting), David Clark and Victor Gipson of CareerBuilder suggest ways to make postings more search-friendly and grab readers’ attention at first glance.

And finally, this week we released our newest podcast, featuring Cindy Lombardo, Manager of Candidate Marketing at Yoh. If you missed it, click back to hear a slew of valuable recruiting tips applicable to both candidates and companies.