Live data from Hacker News

Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

edwardconard.com

51–59 of 59 posts

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#51
post #43

Yet there's a major shortage of Real Men for skilled engineering jobs.[1] The kind of jobs that require a hard hat. Not enough people are going to college and then taking jobs like that. Read through the titles on Edward Conard's page. Too many college grads, too few going into tough industries, and too many young people collecting disability. [1] https://www.edwardconard.com/macro-roundup/aging-populations...

> "young people collecting disability."

Can you elaborate?

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#52
post #8

If woman really are getting paid less for the same work as men wouldn't employers do the arbitrage of hiring women instead of men?

In general, women get paid the same as men, within the error of measurement, and have for many years. The trope of women making less than men comes from an apples to oranges comparison. Women choose less lucrative careers, leave the workforce more often to care for children, and care more about work-life balance. The result is that on average across the workforce, women make less. But if you look at an individual car…

This is only true right after graduating and before giving birth. There is still a gender gap, but it's maternity induced.

See Kleven & Al, 2019.

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's not an either-or problem, but a mix. Most of the effect does appear to be job choice, which is driven by degree choice, which is driven by earlier education / coaching by teachers, parents, etc. However, In my experience my female colleagues doing similar things are generally under-compensated BUT, and this is a big BUT.. they also are less aggressive in asking for money. I have had this discussion with…

I rarely win arguments against my wife and anecdotally neither do my male friends. As a manager the most vocal people reporting into me were always the women. Perhaps I have been lucky to be amongst strong women but I find the simingly widely accepted notion that women cannot speak up for themselves in this day is not convincing for me.

Men have been losing arguments with their wives since the beginning of recorded history lol. And I don’t disagree that women can be outspoken in the workplace. I just have seen a lot of capable women not willing to advocate for themselves.

My wife will spend many evenings arguing with me about why she can’t just ask her boss for a raise (rather than venting to me about it for months) before finally agreeing to do so.. and winning.

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#54
post #43

Yet there's a major shortage of Real Men for skilled engineering jobs.[1] The kind of jobs that require a hard hat. Not enough people are going to college and then taking jobs like that. Read through the titles on Edward Conard's page. Too many college grads, too few going into tough industries, and too many young people collecting disability. [1] https://www.edwardconard.com/macro-roundup/aging-populations...

> "young people collecting disability." Can you elaborate?

Some articles. [1][2]

For a while, this seemed to be associated with COVID, but it's continuing.

[1] https://www.edwardconard.com/macro-roundup/just-5-of-young-m...

[2] https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health/physical-health-develo...

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Additionally, many women are not mimicking their competition in how the career ladder is approached. There is a fear of coming across as too assertive within the organization she is already employed in . What’s understated is that plenty of men come across as too cocky too and get passed up within the organization and at other organizations. But some men, with the societal incentive to get ahead, continues aiming hig…

> But some men, with the societal incentive to get ahead, continues aiming higher at other organizations with the same playbook, and enough of them find the organization that is indexing for that attitude. At a previous employer, I had skip levels who apparently only made disparaging statements in public settings (and only in public settings, they’d dismiss it lightly if you tried to discuss said feedback in private…

What stands out to me most is that management isn’t the only way to make a lot of money in corporate environments, and that managing that way is not a necessary way to accomplish the same goals

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#56
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fire or cut pay - now they might.

At the end of the day if you are getting fired/paycut for asking for a raise, you are either doing a bad job or at a bad company. The sooner it happens / you realize, the better. This is the most edge of edge cases, and I've literally never heard of such a thing in 20 years working.

Said no one worried about being laid off ever.

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#58
post #43

Yet there's a major shortage of Real Men for skilled engineering jobs.[1] The kind of jobs that require a hard hat. Not enough people are going to college and then taking jobs like that. Read through the titles on Edward Conard's page. Too many college grads, too few going into tough industries, and too many young people collecting disability. [1] https://www.edwardconard.com/macro-roundup/aging-populations...

There appears to be a certain level of background propaganda where people keep saying that such-and-such occupation is facing a shortage of workers, but the actual evidence of that in the real world - sharply jumping salaries - rarely seems to eventuate. In a lot of cases wage rises don't even match the amount of money printing going on.

And things like being "unable to fill" a role are a red herring. They are probably fishing where they have a role in case someone with very high skills very much already in the field comes along at a moderate price. In a real shortage people pay above market rate to attract canny candidates, then hire a capable individual who is slightly under-qualified and train them up.

Re: Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men

#59
post #58
post #43

Yet there's a major shortage of Real Men for skilled engineering jobs.[1] The kind of jobs that require a hard hat. Not enough people are going to college and then taking jobs like that. Read through the titles on Edward Conard's page. Too many college grads, too few going into tough industries, and too many young people collecting disability. [1] https://www.edwardconard.com/macro-roundup/aging-populations...

There appears to be a certain level of background propaganda where people keep saying that such-and-such occupation is facing a shortage of workers, but the actual evidence of that in the real world - sharply jumping salaries - rarely seems to eventuate. In a lot of cases wage rises don't even match the amount of money printing going on. And things like being "unable to fill" a role are a red herring. They are probab…

Yes. If you meet an executive who complains they can't find skilled workers, ask how many people they have in training right now.

There are some industries that go in for extensive formal training. Power companies and railroads are examples. The skills they need are unusual, and mistakes are deadly and expensive.

Post reply on HN