4 ms·

Is getting a job so competitive? Last I heard there was a labor shortage

by imranq 4y ago

ChuckNorris89 4y ago
If there really was a shortage, employers would offer concessions, better working conditions, WFH, more vacation days, etc. Just look at truck drivers or hospitality for example. Just because employers say it's a shortage doesn't always make it true or it doesn't mean it's not their fault for the shortage for refusing to offer better conditions. Depends on the field of course, but from my experience interviewing in tech, the market is very competitive now in my area in Europe for those without a lot of experience, and employers are not willing to offer any concessions besides the minimums mandated by law. Asking for full WFH is also out of the questions most of the time. This signals to me that there is no shortage, otherwise employers would be more accommodating for this. In my country there is also a perpetual shortage of doctors and nursing staff in the public sector despite an abundance of them in the private sector. So the shortage is purely because the government is not offering the right financial incentives and working conditions for them to stay in the public sector. My point is that "shortage" is always relative and we should look at the full story and the complete context to understand where it comes from and why it's happening, because without context I'm also having a perpetual shortage of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, though the full story is that my budget is $5000 and not a cent more, yet that information kind of changes and explains everything. So, in conclusion, most of the times, "shortage of workers" just means people unwilling to work for the poor conditions and compensation being offered by employers, not that there's a shortage of people capable of doing said work or capable of learning to do it if offered the chance/training.
- A4ET8a8uTh0 4y ago
  I think there are several factors that play into this and beyond the points you mentioned, I wanted to introduce one more. Size of the companies appears to matter when it comes to accommodations. In my industry, companies are effectively offering the same WFH policy across the board making people like me suspicious that CEOs banded together to discuss 'best practices', but anecdata from social circle suggests that smaller companies do work to accommodate people they want to keep.
ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
There's a shortage of people willing to work in terrible conditions. I'd usually add "for a pittance," but I see FAANG (is it now "MAANG"?) companies offering pretty insane salaries, but they are notorious for difficult working conditions.
- maxfurman 4y ago
  I've seen "MANGA" lately, but everyone still knows what you mean by FAANG
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- pmoriarty 4y ago
  Finance is another industry notorious for working their employees like slaves. Which I never understood, as these are some of the richest companies in the world, which could easily afford to hire more people instead of overworking the ones they had. Doctors and nurses are also infamously overworked, with crazy shifts and lack of sleep being the norm. This is even more unconscionable as lack of sleep can lead to mistakes where patients die.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
    Here in NY, many of my friends were once traders or brokers, in Finance. They passed their Series 7 (or whatever), and worked a few years in brokerages or banks. Pretty much universally, they report the experience was a tornado, and they could only manage it for a few years. But they made a lot of money. The smart ones, lived humbly, and saved up, using their earnings to do things like start small businesses. It’s kind of surprising, to talk to a painter, or shopkeeper, and have them tell you about their “days on The Floor.”
pmoriarty 4y ago
"Last I heard there was a labor shortage" For a counter, see the following article on demand outstripping supply of remote jobs: [1] In some fields, like tech, there's a strong demand, but not so in plenty of others -- especially if you as a worker make the unreasonable demand to be paid a living wage or not be worked to the point of burnout. [1] - https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220421-are-there-enough-remote-jobs-for-everyone-who-wants-one https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220421-are-there-enou...
api 4y ago
There is a shortage of people willing to work shitty jobs for shitty pay. Employers could fix this by either making the job less shitty or raising the pay. The inflation complaint is similar. We've had ludicrous inflation in housing, college tuition, health care, and many other things for over a decade. Inflation is not a problem until it starts to hit wages and supply chains.

Is getting a job so competitive? Last I heard there was a labor shortage

by imranq 4y ago

Is getting a job so competitive? Last I heard there was a labor shortage

If there really was a shortage, employers would offer concessions, better working conditions, WFH, more vacation days, etc. Just look at truck drivers or hospitality for example. Just because employers say it's a shortage doesn't always make it true or it doesn't mean it's not their fault for the shortage for refusing to offer better conditions. Depends on the field of course, but from my experience interviewing in tech, the market is very competitive now in my area in Europe for those without a lot of experience, and employers are not willing to offer any concessions besides the minimums mandated by law. Asking for full WFH is also out of the questions most of the time. This signals to me that there is no shortage, otherwise employers would be more accommodating for this. In my country there is also a perpetual shortage of doctors and nursing staff in the public sector despite an abundance of them in the private sector. So the shortage is purely because the government is not offering the right financial incentives and working conditions for them to stay in the public sector. My point is that "shortage" is always relative and we should look at the full story and the complete context to understand where it comes from and why it's happening, because without context I'm also having a perpetual shortage of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, though the full story is that my budget is $5000 and not a cent more, yet that information kind of changes and explains everything. So, in conclusion, most of the times, "shortage of workers" just means people unwilling to work for the poor conditions and compensation being offered by employers, not that there's a shortage of people capable of doing said work or capable of learning to do it if offered the chance/training.

A4ET8a8uTh0 4y ago
I think there are several factors that play into this and beyond the points you mentioned, I wanted to introduce one more. Size of the companies appears to matter when it comes to accommodations. In my industry, companies are effectively offering the same WFH policy across the board making people like me suspicious that CEOs banded together to discuss 'best practices', but anecdata from social circle suggests that smaller companies do work to accommodate people they want to keep.

ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago

There's a shortage of people willing to work in terrible conditions. I'd usually add "for a pittance," but I see FAANG (is it now "MAANG"?) companies offering pretty insane salaries, but they are notorious for difficult working conditions.

maxfurman 4y ago
I've seen "MANGA" lately, but everyone still knows what you mean by FAANG
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
pmoriarty 4y ago
Finance is another industry notorious for working their employees like slaves. Which I never understood, as these are some of the richest companies in the world, which could easily afford to hire more people instead of overworking the ones they had. Doctors and nurses are also infamously overworked, with crazy shifts and lack of sleep being the norm. This is even more unconscionable as lack of sleep can lead to mistakes where patients die.
- ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
  Here in NY, many of my friends were once traders or brokers, in Finance. They passed their Series 7 (or whatever), and worked a few years in brokerages or banks. Pretty much universally, they report the experience was a tornado, and they could only manage it for a few years. But they made a lot of money. The smart ones, lived humbly, and saved up, using their earnings to do things like start small businesses. It’s kind of surprising, to talk to a painter, or shopkeeper, and have them tell you about their “days on The Floor.”

pmoriarty 4y ago

"Last I heard there was a labor shortage" For a counter, see the following article on demand outstripping supply of remote jobs: [1] In some fields, like tech, there's a strong demand, but not so in plenty of others -- especially if you as a worker make the unreasonable demand to be paid a living wage or not be worked to the point of burnout. [1] - https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220421-are-there-enough-remote-jobs-for-everyone-who-wants-one https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220421-are-there-enou...

api 4y ago

There is a shortage of people willing to work shitty jobs for shitty pay. Employers could fix this by either making the job less shitty or raising the pay. The inflation complaint is similar. We've had ludicrous inflation in housing, college tuition, health care, and many other things for over a decade. Inflation is not a problem until it starts to hit wages and supply chains.