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Topic: Not enough workers
soufiehere's photo
Sun 08/15/21 11:10 AM


Even teenagers won't do yard work for $20 an hour anymore, and if they do I think you would be pretty disappointed in what they actually do, and how long it takes. People don't have Pride in their work, they are not willing to start at the bottom and work their way up. Everyone thinks they should get top pay even on days they don't show up, or even if they can not even complete simple tasks. It's like the Millennial population has spread to all generations. Shouldn't you get a participation award just for showing up? Or not even showing up, but just for being? It's been this way for a long time, but it's getting much worse. I've been saying for a long time you can fire half the people and double your production. If somebody F's up more than they accomplish it takes a lot of time to fix things, if somebody wants to sit and BS all day then not only do they not get anything done, but they also keep others from getting anything done. How am I supposed to get anything done if I have to hold somebody's hand all day? Most work is service based now, people feel obligated to tip waitresses because it's considered part of their wage, well I know some pretty poor excuses of waitresses that make $80k a year while the people who actually cook your food and are far more responsible for your experience most likely only make $25k to $30k a year and it's more demanding work. Government hand outs are definitely having an effect on work habit's, but it's societies attitude that has the biggest affect. People think they need the big house and nice car, that the should be able to go out to eat or get coffee whenever they want. They are not willing to work for anything anymore, while some people coming from other countries either legally or illegally are willing to work for low wages, or put it all on the line and start their own businesses because it's still better than where they came from.
Do you think low immigration rates play a part, negatively,
on the work force?

Richard 's photo
Sun 08/15/21 11:37 AM
Edited by Richard on Sun 08/15/21 11:40 AM



Even teenagers won't do yard work for $20 an hour anymore, and if they do I think you would be pretty disappointed in what they actually do, and how long it takes. People don't have Pride in their work, they are not willing to start at the bottom and work their way up. Everyone thinks they should get top pay even on days they don't show up, or even if they can not even complete simple tasks. It's like the Millennial population has spread to all generations. Shouldn't you get a participation award just for showing up? Or not even showing up, but just for being? It's been this way for a long time, but it's getting much worse. I've been saying for a long time you can fire half the people and double your production. If somebody F's up more than they accomplish it takes a lot of time to fix things, if somebody wants to sit and BS all day then not only do they not get anything done, but they also keep others from getting anything done. How am I supposed to get anything done if I have to hold somebody's hand all day? Most work is service based now, people feel obligated to tip waitresses because it's considered part of their wage, well I know some pretty poor excuses of waitresses that make $80k a year while the people who actually cook your food and are far more responsible for your experience most likely only make $25k to $30k a year and it's more demanding work. Government hand outs are definitely having an effect on work habit's, but it's societies attitude that has the biggest affect. People think they need the big house and nice car, that the should be able to go out to eat or get coffee whenever they want. They are not willing to work for anything anymore, while some people coming from other countries either legally or illegally are willing to work for low wages, or put it all on the line and start their own businesses because it's still better than where they came from.
Do you think low immigration rates play a part, negatively,
on the work force?

low imagration is not the problem, right now the states has an open door pollcey, people are flooding in, in caravans.
it is so bad the southern states cant handle the tide.

the problem is our kids, today, have everything handed to them, and they are not being taught a positive work ethic.
If I wanted something, I had to do odd jobs and earn the money to buy it. I was tought that hard work, earned you money, and money let you buy items you wanted.
this instills value and reward, for doing a days work.

this was the same for most of my generation. either through allowances, or doing chores for the nieghbors.
that is getting taught less and less to todays youth.
today parents just buy the kids what ever they want.

no photo
Sun 08/15/21 12:24 PM
Edited by Unknow on Sun 08/15/21 12:32 PM

I just had a guy of approx. 28 here who did my entire garden -which is a lot and was an incredibly mess- for E80.
Teenagers work for minimum wage for their age and usually hard work too. Filling shelves in supermarkets, things in restaurants (like washing dishes) etc.
If it wasn't for them willing to do work for that low price an hour life would get much more expensis for $20 - $25 an hour, which is steep but it is hard physical work too. ve for us as they'd then have to get adults in that get more pay.
Even adults do yard
Teenagers often get offered like $8, depending on their age of course. And they do take that work.

But that's over here. I wonder if the situation over there that is told is true or more people's own projections. Of late I notice a lot of antipathy concerning teenagers and youngster from people (not here per say) that often is totally out of line and very unfair.
I think that's a shame. We all have been teenagers and youngsters and many of us weren't lovely, willing etc. themselves. Teenage years is meant to rebel, find out how it works, how you like things, and how not. It's not about being on a leash and obeying everything they're told.


That's exactly how it is in the US. The real problem is that there are too many young people in the market and not enough advanced employment opportunities. Kids are very often starting work when they're 14 or more likely 16, but the experience they gain in these jobs will practically earn them nothing. What the younger generation is looking for is an actual promise they'll get something for their work rather than a belief they're entitled to free rewards. I've known people who have worked the same basic non-skilled job upwards of five [sometimes even ten] years never getting a promotion or raise with no opportunity to advance or even learn something new until a manager steps down. Once you move into a manager position, that's likely your permanent position until you get a college degree.

There's too much bureaucracy in jobs now. It's all a bunch of licenses, labels, perfect resumes, and college degrees. You can't pick a job and expect to be able to find a better one using that experience ten years down the line. Businesses simply do not trust the average person enough to be able to learn or achieve the knowledge required for a job while being on the job. In other words, the prerequisites for jobs that aren't basic high-school level jobs are too high in their standards for the basic low-wage jobs to matter, especially when most people have worked those jobs at least once.

What's causing all this? I personally blame the education system and the patent system both. Patents have allowed businesses to keep ideas and knowledge ten-thirty years ahead of colleges, and many analytical jobs that use to allow High-School students now require an associate's minimum. The education system has also made it so easy to graduate High-School compared to what it use to be in the US that nearly everyone is going to college or at least has a high school degree, raising the bar for competition even higher.


On top of this, there's also the issue that no one really wants to start their own business from what I see. Most people just want a comfortable job. We're extremely reliant on corporations to provide these jobs that could be satisfied with more local business and competition.

SparklingCrystal πŸ’–πŸ’Ž's photo
Sun 08/15/21 12:42 PM


I just had a guy of approx. 28 here who did my entire garden -which is a lot and was an incredibly mess- for E80.
Teenagers work for minimum wage for their age and usually hard work too. Filling shelves in supermarkets, things in restaurants (like washing dishes) etc.
If it wasn't for them willing to do work for that low price an hour life would get much more expensis for $20 - $25 an hour, which is steep but it is hard physical work too. ve for us as they'd then have to get adults in that get more pay.
Even adults do yard
Teenagers often get offered like $8, depending on their age of course. And they do take that work.

But that's over here. I wonder if the situation over there that is told is true or more people's own projections. Of late I notice a lot of antipathy concerning teenagers and youngster from people (not here per say) that often is totally out of line and very unfair.
I think that's a shame. We all have been teenagers and youngsters and many of us weren't lovely, willing etc. themselves. Teenage years is meant to rebel, find out how it works, how you like things, and how not. It's not about being on a leash and obeying everything they're told.


That's exactly how it is in the US. The real problem is that there are too many young people in the market and not enough advanced employment opportunities. Kids are very often starting work when they're 14 or more likely 16, but the experience they gain in these jobs will practically earn them nothing. What the younger generation is looking for is an actual promise they'll get something for their work rather than a belief they're entitled to free rewards. I've known people who have worked the same basic non-skilled job upwards of five [sometimes even ten] years never getting a promotion or raise with no opportunity to advance or even learn something new until a manager steps down. Once you move into a manager position, that's likely your permanent position until you get a college degree.

There's too much bureaucracy in jobs now. It's all a bunch of licenses, labels, perfect resumes, and college degrees. You can't pick a job and expect to be able to find a better one using that experience ten years down the line. Businesses simply do not trust the average person enough to be able to learn or achieve the knowledge required for a job while being on the job. In other words, the prerequisites for jobs that aren't basic high-school level jobs are too high in their standards for the basic low-wage jobs to matter, especially when most people have worked those jobs at least once.

What's causing all this? I personally blame the education system and the patent system both. Patents have allowed businesses to keep ideas and knowledge ten-thirty years ahead of colleges, and many analytical jobs that use to allow High-School students now require an associate's minimum. The education system has also made it so easy to graduate High-School compared to what it use to be in the US that nearly everyone is going to college or at least has a high school degree, raising the bar for competition even higher.

Not entirely sure how it started. I think (over here at least) it has much to do with a surplus of available youngster and not enough jobs in the 80s.
I remember they demanded young people with HAVO diploma, which is basically higher level, for working the cash register in the supermarket. These jobs used to be for medium and possibly even lower diplomas.
So standards went up as there were plenty to choose from: employers market.

As it is there seems to be a bit of a turn around in the demand for diplomas and not looking at a person's skills and experience. A far cry from ideal still, but my daughter got out of the restaurant business into a well paid office job with relative ease. That's because in the restaurant business she was also higher up as she's a natural in that sense. She just presented herself that way, emphasizing her skills & experience at manager level.
She changed office jobs 3x and now is happy where she is. She now works less hours for the same or a little more pay than she had before for fulltime.
She did NOT have the diplomas for that position. All the others did, she was the only one who didn't. And at all 3 places they quickly recognised her skills and moved her to a higher position/better work.
So much is also in how you present yourself, including your experience even when in another line of business. And a little help from mom in having really powerful letters of application and resume. Creative writing is my fortΓ©, not hers. It got her in jobs at the speed of light!
And the last one because her level of English (she lived in the US for 5 yrs and lived with me & British ex). This is unusual here as all on this island is German based.
She's barely worked there half a year now and is running a few things and present in hiring a new employee :) Without diplomas in the field!

Age is a tough one though. I don't think that has changed. Once you're 38 and looking for a job you're too old. They assume you're slow, can't work with a PC etc. etc. So basically once you're 38+ society declares you redundant. And then you get chit for not having or getting a job...

no photo
Sun 08/15/21 03:22 PM



I just had a guy of approx. 28 here who did my entire garden -which is a lot and was an incredibly mess- for E80.
Teenagers work for minimum wage for their age and usually hard work too. Filling shelves in supermarkets, things in restaurants (like washing dishes) etc.
If it wasn't for them willing to do work for that low price an hour life would get much more expensis for $20 - $25 an hour, which is steep but it is hard physical work too. ve for us as they'd then have to get adults in that get more pay.
Even adults do yard
Teenagers often get offered like $8, depending on their age of course. And they do take that work.

But that's over here. I wonder if the situation over there that is told is true or more people's own projections. Of late I notice a lot of antipathy concerning teenagers and youngster from people (not here per say) that often is totally out of line and very unfair.
I think that's a shame. We all have been teenagers and youngsters and many of us weren't lovely, willing etc. themselves. Teenage years is meant to rebel, find out how it works, how you like things, and how not. It's not about being on a leash and obeying everything they're told.


That's exactly how it is in the US. The real problem is that there are too many young people in the market and not enough advanced employment opportunities. Kids are very often starting work when they're 14 or more likely 16, but the experience they gain in these jobs will practically earn them nothing. What the younger generation is looking for is an actual promise they'll get something for their work rather than a belief they're entitled to free rewards. I've known people who have worked the same basic non-skilled job upwards of five [sometimes even ten] years never getting a promotion or raise with no opportunity to advance or even learn something new until a manager steps down. Once you move into a manager position, that's likely your permanent position until you get a college degree.

There's too much bureaucracy in jobs now. It's all a bunch of licenses, labels, perfect resumes, and college degrees. You can't pick a job and expect to be able to find a better one using that experience ten years down the line. Businesses simply do not trust the average person enough to be able to learn or achieve the knowledge required for a job while being on the job. In other words, the prerequisites for jobs that aren't basic high-school level jobs are too high in their standards for the basic low-wage jobs to matter, especially when most people have worked those jobs at least once.

What's causing all this? I personally blame the education system and the patent system both. Patents have allowed businesses to keep ideas and knowledge ten-thirty years ahead of colleges, and many analytical jobs that use to allow High-School students now require an associate's minimum. The education system has also made it so easy to graduate High-School compared to what it use to be in the US that nearly everyone is going to college or at least has a high school degree, raising the bar for competition even higher.

Not entirely sure how it started. I think (over here at least) it has much to do with a surplus of available youngster and not enough jobs in the 80s.
I remember they demanded young people with HAVO diploma, which is basically higher level, for working the cash register in the supermarket. These jobs used to be for medium and possibly even lower diplomas.
So standards went up as there were plenty to choose from: employers market.

As it is there seems to be a bit of a turn around in the demand for diplomas and not looking at a person's skills and experience. A far cry from ideal still, but my daughter got out of the restaurant business into a well paid office job with relative ease. That's because in the restaurant business she was also higher up as she's a natural in that sense. She just presented herself that way, emphasizing her skills & experience at manager level.
She changed office jobs 3x and now is happy where she is. She now works less hours for the same or a little more pay than she had before for fulltime.
She did NOT have the diplomas for that position. All the others did, she was the only one who didn't. And at all 3 places they quickly recognised her skills and moved her to a higher position/better work.
So much is also in how you present yourself, including your experience even when in another line of business. And a little help from mom in having really powerful letters of application and resume. Creative writing is my fortΓ©, not hers. It got her in jobs at the speed of light!
And the last one because her level of English (she lived in the US for 5 yrs and lived with me & British ex). This is unusual here as all on this island is German based.
She's barely worked there half a year now and is running a few things and present in hiring a new employee :) Without diplomas in the field!

Age is a tough one though. I don't think that has changed. Once you're 38 and looking for a job you're too old. They assume you're slow, can't work with a PC etc. etc. So basically once you're 38+ society declares you redundant. And then you get chit for not having or getting a job...


I'd love to say this is greatly accurate. Your daughter seems like a great person. However, with the rise of job sites like indeed, very often the cover letter is never even read. The resume is almost always the only thing they care about, at least in the US. Most businesses now don't even accept walk-ins or email. In many cases, especially when you have to apply through their own site, you don't even have a chance to send a cover letter let alone write one. That's on top of the fact you're often applying along with 50+ people.

Even worse so, these jobs are more often than not not desperate. Businesses will often times deny you and leave the job window open for another six months just to find someone a hint more qualified.

SparklingCrystal πŸ’–πŸ’Ž's photo
Sun 08/15/21 04:40 PM

I'd love to say this is greatly accurate. Your daughter seems like a great person. However, with the rise of job sites like indeed, very often the cover letter is never even read. The resume is almost always the only thing they care about, at least in the US. Most businesses now don't even accept walk-ins or email. In many cases, especially when you have to apply through their own site, you don't even have a chance to send a cover letter let alone write one. That's on top of the fact you're often applying along with 50+ people.

Even worse so, these jobs are more often than not not desperate. Businesses will often times deny you and leave the job window open for another six months just to find someone a hint more qualified.

Yes, but I do think maybe it's changing to more of an employees market? Like Soufie said, they're looking for staff everywhere.
And that's good. At least you can then demand a decent pay etc.

I remember applying for jobs that I qualified for or over-qualified even. Didn't get it. I asked a few times what the reason was so I could maybe fine-tune.
No reason other than 44 applicants and a few times 100+.
No competing with that. They can then choose whomever they like, top diplomas, certain age, or just randomly draw someone from a pot.

Oh well, glad both my kids have good jobs. My son's a cook. No diplomas or study in that field. He learnt in the kitchen of a posh beach club and turned out he was real good at being more of a manager and a cook. So he too did it himself. And they always need cooks, meaning you're never out of work really. Except for when a pandemic hits, haha.

Richard 's photo
Sun 08/15/21 05:17 PM
Edited by Richard on Sun 08/15/21 05:19 PM
I kinda disagree. I started life cutting the neighbors yards for 10 bucks( not an hour but for the whole job.), and picking bearies in feilds, as I grew I was taught how to prune vines.
my point being. the skills they learn starting out, is not the skills they are limited to. it is how they choose to apply those skills, that opens the door to learning more things, which allows for advancement. a kid flipping burgers, can become a franchise owner. if they apply them selves.
or thy might learn their clerking skills and become a bank manager, or a a stalk person, could become ware house manager. those early skills. with a positive work ethic. can take them any place they want to go.

dust4fun's photo
Sat 08/21/21 05:15 PM
If you consider being on their phones and smoking weed as a work ethic many are succeeding. If you mean showing up on time, doing a good job and trying to make things better while taking pride in what they are doing without a concern for a need to make an unrealistic amount of money for completing simple tasks then I find most people have have failed at the work ethic portion. People are very selfish and they would rather freeload then to contribute. Just because they go to college doesn't mean they are not going to live in their parents basement til they are 40. Just because somebody learns a skill does not mean they are good at it. The union has become very weak, and for the most part is just used to over pay lazy and stupid people, it is not there to reward and promote hard workers. The government runs in a very similar way. Some kids now don't even want to get a driver's license because they have become so reliable on others. They have never been allowed to go out side and run free or create their own entertainment, so unless we can come up with jobs where all they have to do is play on their phones all day we are heading in a very bad direction. You know employment is a form of slavery, and everyone has some kind of disability that keeps them from working.

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