A recruitment war is coming

Fox News ^ | 05/20/2017 | Bob Funk

[ForYourChildren]

As Washington debates what actions to take to rev up economic growth, the free-market private sector, which waits for no one, is witnessing the beginning of a new trend.

For a decade, America has been a tale of two economies: a strong one for skilled workers and a worrisome, poor one for workers without skills. The gap, however, is now diminishing, as low unemployment, rising expectations and economic reality are causing a recruitment war to begin, a war that’s good for workers, including those with no skills.

I hear it from employers across the country – if they don’t raise wages, offer more opportunities for training and career advancement or improve their work environments, they can’t keep their workforce.

At long last, the marketplace is shifting from an employers’ market to a workers’ market. The implications run deep.

{..snip..}

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I agree with you. You have to go back to Jefferson’s embargoes against France and England to find a comparably bad economy.

[Huskrrrr]

I’m an Adjunct Chemistry Professor at two small colleges, located in the bay area. Previously I worked as a staff scientist, with a proven track record and a dozen patents to my credit. After several years at the same company, the doors were closed and all employees were let go. I was in my mid-fifties at that point and in middle management. I applied for many jobs and was given several interviews and then watched as fresh Ph.D. candidates were hired. I moved into teaching, part-time and suddenly I was in demand again. The full-time faculty spots went to the young pups, but I now have seniority as an adjunct and my classes are the first to be filled, students choosing me over most of the established full-timers. I’ve found a niche and am grateful for the work. Now in my sixties, I look forward to working two days a week and still making good money, after several raises.

[Huskrrrr]

I’m an Adjunct Chemistry Professor at two small colleges, located in the bay area. Previously I worked as a staff scientist, with a proven track record and a dozen patents to my credit. After several years at the same company, the doors were closed and all employees were let go. I was in my mid-fifties at that point and in middle management. I applied for many jobs and was given several interviews and then watched as fresh Ph.D. candidates were hired. I moved into teaching, part-time and suddenly I was in demand again. The full-time faculty spots went to the young pups, but I now have seniority as an adjunct and my classes are the first to be filled, students choosing me over most of the established full-timers. I’ve found a niche and am grateful for the work. Now in my sixties, I look forward to working two days a week and still making good money, after several raises.

[Huskrrrr]

Please excuse the multiple posts.

[EVO X]

What a joke! A PhD making 45 k. I make more then that working construction

Until recently many post docs at the the local university were making less than that. The univerisity upped their pay recently to ~$50K to comply with Obama administration FLSA changes.

[foreverfree]

bump

[Lazamataz]

You touch on an important point. While age discrimination is against the law, it does occur. Companies would rather hire someone who is 35, as opposed to someone better qualified who is pushing 55 or 60. Part of this is because of health insurance. The company health insurance premiums for older workers are higher than for younger. That fact, plus the fact that older more experienced workers would tend to expect higher salaries, combine to cause employers to indirectly prefer younger workers. And part of it is based on experience. Someone 55 can claim 30 years of experience in some job. Someone 35 can claim 7 to 10 years of experience. To the employer, the 35 year old knows the job too, even though on paper, they have less experience.

I can do 5 times the work of a newbie 30-something.

[Will88]

Well, as this trend becomes more evident throughout the economy, many employers will come screaming to Congress for significant increases in all the various work visa schemes. We have a large pool of unemployed and those who’ve given up looking recruiters need to draw from. And maybe for many of the jobs requiring less formal education, companies should return to the old OJT model that worked well for decades.

We’ll never have a balanced budget and a truly strong nation fiscally until we start reducing that $1 trillion plus now spent annually on means tested poverty programs. We can’t keep piling more onto the national debt forever.

[numberonepal]

Be fit and if you have hair, color it. Ageism is real. And thank goodness I went the Internet route in the mid 90’s rather than the rocket scientist route.

[Moorings]

Ageism is real.

Very true! If they are unsure of your age, they will ask you roundabout questions to get an idea of how old you are. It is politically correct to discriminate against workers who are over 40.

[virgil]

Money is not the only thing people look for in a job. Some people just want benefits, like PTO or they just want to be busy. Some people want to forgo the hour commute to work, and just want a job closer to home. Older workers may not need as much money because the kids are leaving the nest, and they’re getting close to paying off those big debts, like mortgages. They are willing to accept the trade offs of lower pay.

[Organic Panic]

Hyperbole seems to be lost today. And I can’t blame anyone. With the nonsense going on in the world everyone is on edge.

I have read offers like that from recruiters. It is unbelievable how poorly HR departments think of skilled and trained people. I literally have that experience and the recruiters BRAGGED that those skills will bring in $65k per year. Pathetic pay. Every other job is contract short term. No one has a stable job in higher educated in demand jobs. Boeing, Lockheed, Ratheon. They fire every one each two years. The hobby companies like Virgin Galactic and Firefly manage to find talent with the “romance” of a startup but don’t pay much and demand 90 hour weeks.

But in reality I have seen ads as stupid as this. Decades of experience required with PhD level education offer less than a skilled plumber and electrician.

[superfries]

not for THAT job they don’t. No one who works launch vehicles or air vehicles with those skills or the sw side of launch/air vehicles in defense can be on a visa. They need at least a TS clearance or SAR AND program access. Not sure what SpaceX requires but the Boeing / Lockheed ULA tribe work cannot be done by a foreign national.....period.

[DuncanWaring]

There’s nothing to say the guy they intend to get the H1b for will actually do of the things listed in the ad.

[DoughtyOne]

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[SaveFerris]

yep

[SaveFerris]

There has been a very serious and very real Depression II going on since 2008. The happy-go-lucky the past few years are in for a rude awakening. Most of them won’t get any sympathy from me. I know first-hand how bad it is.

I also know how people never respond to resumes. Often, if they do, it’s a trick. With no treat.

[SaveFerris]

[It is unbelievable how poorly HR departments think of skilled and trained people.]

It has reduced the workforce skill level measurably. How companies could turn over their workforce to some of these people boggles the mind. I’d say 95%+ don’t understand my resume. I’ve tried dumbing-it-down for today’s world. Sigh