Labor Shortage?!?

I want to use this blog post to talk about an experience I had while looking for a job earlier this year, but before I do that, I need to add some context to this experience.

I hear talk from experts saying that Canada is currently facing a labor shortage, meaning that companies are having a hard time filling job positions as there are either not enough people applying to these roles, or job candidates are not able to match the qualifications of the job itself. From my observations, it seems like most of these job openings are low-paying job openings from the service industry. As awful as the COVID-19 pandemic is, there is a strange positive that came out of it. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a positive shift in how we work in our jobs and the overall work culture (such as working from home). I also find that more people are better able to gauge their overall worth to an employer, and it led to another shift of people leaving their current jobs and finding better-paying jobs and more convenient job environments.

I feel like most companies have not responded appropriately to the changing job culture. Many of these companies would rather listen to their own shareholders and/or protect their skyrocketing profits rather than give much-needed raises to the "front-line" workers that generate the most value for the company. I believe many Canadians have wised up and have either left these companies, or will not work for these companies. These companies have now looked to hiring temporary foreign workers just so they can pay them a pittance, treat them like shit, and then spit them out (and the cycle continues).

Why am I saying all of this? Although there is labor shortage on what I feel to be lower-paying jobs, this is not the case when it comes to higher-paying and more valuable positions. I am lucky to have the necessary experience in my career where I can apply for higher-paying positions and be in serious contention for getting the job. Now, I am going to talk about the experience I had applying for a specific job.

I applied for a researching position for a public service institution in the city, and the institution invited me to their facility one night to test me on my knowledge of the position. I waited outside the facility as more people were coming over to stand outside as well. The proctors let us inside and into a classroom to take our test. As I sat in my seat awaiting the distribution of the test, I counted the amount of people coming into the classroom. I counted 60, then 70, then 80 people including myself in this classroom. I initially thought that there were tests for multiple positions in one sitting, but this was not the case. There were over 80 people taking the same test for one researching position, which was insane to me.

I am not going to lie to you, I felt intimidated. I could not believe that the company was considering this many people for one position, but I guess the upcoming test will eliminate most of the candidates from contention. It got me thinking about if I had to face similar numbers when applying to other jobs. I completed the test and I did well enough that the institution contacted me for further interviews a few days after the test. The institution did not select me for the position but thankfully another company offered me a better-paying position shortly after.

I guess what I am trying to say is that there is a labor shortage for some positions and industries, but not all of them. I always believe in striving for better, and I try not to stay at a company for too long. I am glad that some people are starting to realize that they do not have to abide by the status quo, and they can (and they should) find a company that will treat them like human beings.