3 ms·

I think hot labor market is outside of white collar jobs. Thats why i am seeing with my family members who dont' work white collar jobs, demand is unlimited.

coldtea 3y ago
Find it hard to believe this (except some regional or personal exceptions), since a lot of the demand for non-white-collar services comes from white collar employees who aren't exactly thriving and spending atm... Except if there's some thriving export industry with domestic factories on the rise!
- havblue 3y ago
  Some have said there's an undocumented labor shortage after the pandemic. This is, well, undocumented, so it's hard to determine actual numbers for it. Unfilled jobs aside, housing maintenance has become far more expensive.
- dangwhy 3y ago
  > since a lot of the demand for non-white-collar-jobs comes from white collar employees... who are spending money at unprecedented rates.
  - coldtea 3y ago
    Many don't have money to spend at any great rate, and inflation doesn't magically make them produce it out of thin air to spend it...
    - dangwhy 3y ago
      Thats the data though. Consumer spending is at all time high.I don't know where they are getting the money.
      - coldtea 3y ago
        Is it inflation adjusted? And even more, purchasing power across a wide range not included in inflation calculations adjusted? Because consumer spending can be at an "all time high" for things that could have been bought much cheaper 5 and 10 years ago, including basics.
        signatoremo 3y ago
        Of course it’s inflation adjusted. The term is “real consumer spending”. The data reported is not to make the public feel good, but to inform the policies. Politicians can always find a way to spin any number in their favor for sure. The spending has consistently remained high throughout the elevated inflation period, but is projected to go down a little bit. https://www.bankofthewest.com/Wealth-Management/insights/articles/economic-report/a-strong-start-to-consumer-spending-in-2023 https://www.bankofthewest.com/Wealth-Management/insights/art...
      - joshspankit 3y ago
        My uneducated guess is that they are using credit and “now that the pandemic is over we finally feel like we can live again!”
      - pcthrowaway 3y ago
        Groceries have increased in price by 50% in the last year. That "extra spending" is coming from money that might go to savings otherwise
- catchnear4321 3y ago
  things can break regardless of employment status. blue collar workers fix many of those things that can’t stay broken. appliances, utilities, transportation, etc. white collar usually also means enough of a credit limit. “necessary” is relative.
  - coldtea 3y ago
    >things can break regardless of employment status. Yes, and broken things can delay being replaced because of caution with spending
- hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
  There are giant shortages in a number of job categories that can't be done remotely. Things like nursing, restaurant jobs, the trades (electrician, plumber, etc.)
- testrun 3y ago
  One factor is that a lot of boomers are retiring, and those people need to be replaced, especially if they are blue collar workers.
- aeternum 3y ago
  My theory is that a lot of people who had service jobs pre-pandemic switched to white collar jobs during the pandemic (since they were let go from the hourly service jobs). Many realized how shitty the service jobs are in comparison so now employers have to pay them a lot more or hope they get fired from the white collar job to fill the service positions.

coldtea 3y ago

Find it hard to believe this (except some regional or personal exceptions), since a lot of the demand for non-white-collar services comes from white collar employees who aren't exactly thriving and spending atm... Except if there's some thriving export industry with domestic factories on the rise!

havblue 3y ago
Some have said there's an undocumented labor shortage after the pandemic. This is, well, undocumented, so it's hard to determine actual numbers for it. Unfilled jobs aside, housing maintenance has become far more expensive.
dangwhy 3y ago
> since a lot of the demand for non-white-collar-jobs comes from white collar employees... who are spending money at unprecedented rates.
- coldtea 3y ago
  Many don't have money to spend at any great rate, and inflation doesn't magically make them produce it out of thin air to spend it...
  - dangwhy 3y ago
    Thats the data though. Consumer spending is at all time high.I don't know where they are getting the money.
    - coldtea 3y ago
      Is it inflation adjusted? And even more, purchasing power across a wide range not included in inflation calculations adjusted? Because consumer spending can be at an "all time high" for things that could have been bought much cheaper 5 and 10 years ago, including basics.
      - signatoremo 3y ago
        Of course it’s inflation adjusted. The term is “real consumer spending”. The data reported is not to make the public feel good, but to inform the policies. Politicians can always find a way to spin any number in their favor for sure. The spending has consistently remained high throughout the elevated inflation period, but is projected to go down a little bit. https://www.bankofthewest.com/Wealth-Management/insights/articles/economic-report/a-strong-start-to-consumer-spending-in-2023 https://www.bankofthewest.com/Wealth-Management/insights/art...
    - joshspankit 3y ago
      My uneducated guess is that they are using credit and “now that the pandemic is over we finally feel like we can live again!”
    - pcthrowaway 3y ago
      Groceries have increased in price by 50% in the last year. That "extra spending" is coming from money that might go to savings otherwise
catchnear4321 3y ago
things can break regardless of employment status. blue collar workers fix many of those things that can’t stay broken. appliances, utilities, transportation, etc. white collar usually also means enough of a credit limit. “necessary” is relative.
- coldtea 3y ago
  >things can break regardless of employment status. Yes, and broken things can delay being replaced because of caution with spending
hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
There are giant shortages in a number of job categories that can't be done remotely. Things like nursing, restaurant jobs, the trades (electrician, plumber, etc.)
testrun 3y ago
One factor is that a lot of boomers are retiring, and those people need to be replaced, especially if they are blue collar workers.
aeternum 3y ago
My theory is that a lot of people who had service jobs pre-pandemic switched to white collar jobs during the pandemic (since they were let go from the hourly service jobs). Many realized how shitty the service jobs are in comparison so now employers have to pay them a lot more or hope they get fired from the white collar job to fill the service positions.