If only I could find some American workers applications amongst all these h1b visas!
First place has been looking for people for the better part of three years. They did a knee-jerk layoff at the beginning of the plandemic and of course those people moved on. Pay has been steadily rising and is now in the "acceptable" category, but they're so ingrained in the overtime method that the broadsheets for the job proudly state you're going to be working overtime every day (mandatory) and on Saturday (mandatory per needs of the business.) Position isn't even direct hire, you have an undetermined contract time which changes with each recruiter that calls. Former contact there told me they worked pretty much every Saturday, that's why they left. Of course, getting people with 10-20 years of experience in an environment most people will never experience with those terms isn't going to be easy. So instead they whine that no one wants to work.
Second company wants a laundry list of skills, and the pay is marginal for those skills. They've been looking most of this year, and they want a 12+ month contract to hire before you get hired by the company, so no benefits, insurance, or anything for at least a year. Anyone that's not 22 isn't going to be able to easily consider that, but I've sent some people to that job to interview. I know these people had all of the primary skills the company wants, and they have the certs and track record to prove it. They never hear anything beyond the initial interview, not even a "sorry, not sorry now go away." The place is being a really choosy beggar with hiring, and the person they're trying to replace has already left for another position in the company. This company, through another contact, has complained that things are slim pickings. Others I've mentioned it to say the skill set and the pay don't match well, and there's no way they can take a 12 month contract with a family.
Other places in the area are still trying to pay under $16 for a degree required, skills required job, and wondering why they don't get anyone. So when I hear no one wants to work, I usually reply "at the price you want to pay for the skillset."
Companies are simply unwilling to pay for the skills they want, and are unwilling to train prospects or even consider those who have a good background but not all of the things they want immediately, but still demand that you stick around on your own dime and hope they decide to actually hire you. I wonder why no one wants to work?
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