Now hiring...no interview necessary...just show up

I have an honest question for you, a question that I don't have the answer to.  I'm hoping you do.

Thankfully our economy is flying high.  Our official unemployment rate is around 4%, which I've always heard was considered "full employment".  Those final 4% who weren't employed (and perhaps that many more who weren't even looking) were often said to prefer welfare to a minimum wage job, couldn't pass a drug test, had a violent criminal history, etc, which made them "unemployable".

In my area (Dallas) there are "help wanted" signs everywhere you turn, especially in food service and retail.  In the construction field additional plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc, are desperately needed.  The same goes for the health care industry, too.

Now Congress has passed and the President has signed a tax cut bill hoping that many companies will plan major expansions and create millions of new jobs.  So far there have already been announcements by Intel, Apple, Amazon, and many more that they are now hiring.  Right now Amazon is looking for a location to build a second headquarters (what exactly is a second headquarters?) promising 50,000 jobs to the winning city....on and on.

The Trump administration is threatening to deport the "dreamers", kids who were brought here by their parents who entered the US illegally.  They say there are 800,000 dreamers who are here now in school, in the military, and working.  If those who are now employed are deported, that will mean even more job vacancies.

My question is now obvious.  Where are we going to find quality candidates to fill all the positions we already have, plus the new jobs being created, plus the vacancies created by dreamers (and others) leaving, plus normal job attrition?  

It sounds like we're already scraping the bottom of the employment pool barrel right now.  Isn't this likely to mean a wild bidding spree by employers, driving up wages and salaries for those willing to change jobs?  Good for employees, sure, but won't that also create serious inflationary pressures?

This reminds me of the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for."  It's truly a blessing to have this "problem", but please tell me, where are all these new workers going to come from?

S

The kind of Monday that gives Mondays a bad name....

That's what I had yesterday.  I covered work for my bro while he played in the local Homebuilder's Association Golf Tournament.  The profits go to a charity, and since he plays golf and I don't, I figure covering for him is my contribution to the cause.  

When I say he "plays" golf, that's probably a stretch.  He whacks at the ball and occasionally makes contact.  Me....I can't even do that.  I've tried, but honestly it frustrates me no end.  

Despite the fact that golf just bores me to tears, I can usually hold my own until I get to "that" hole.  You know the one I'm talking about....every course has one.  I'm talking about *wait for it*  >>>>
               

....the dreaded windmill.  Grrrrr!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But back to work:  The electricians showed up late, and when they finally arrived they brought a new guy with them.  Actually he worked for them 5 years ago and was an absolute f__k up.  I was glad to see him go.  But now with the local economy again hitting on all cylinders, and with labor hard to come by......heeeeeee's baaaaaaack.  *Ugh*  And despite the extra hand, they still didn't get finished.

Then a new building inspector showed up to give us a  plumbing final inspection.  Here's the problem with inspectors and building codes:  Every inspector interprets it differently.  Something one inspector insist on another expressly prohibits.  

This guy wants the fancy, high-dollar outdoor grill installed now.  We usually wait until right before the homeowner moves in so as not to tempt thieves.  Then he wants the pool company plumber to come do something-or-other.  I asked him why that was my problem?....let the pool company address that at their inspection.  *sigh*

*In my best Rodney King whine* Why can't we all just get on the same page?  

All this in 100 degree heat.  I couldn't have been any wetter if I'd fallen in the pool.  I need these inspections in order to get the utilities turned on.  With utilities comes air conditioning.  You watch....as soon as we get the A/C turned on it will turn nice and autumn-like and we won't need A/C.  Another Murphy's Law / Scott's Corollary.

Oh well.  It just made my glass of wine that much more special when I finally made it back home for the evening.

A more sedate, less frustrating Tuesday would be sincerely appreciated.

S