Interest in IT and media jobs is surging, but no one wants to fill the sorely needed child care and home health roles, Erica writes.

Why it matters: Workers have the power, and some industries are struggling way more to hire than others, according to a new report from the jobs site Indeed. Labor shortages in those industries will continue to hobble the economy.

By the numbers: Interest in civil engineering jobs and IT operations jobs has surged the most since the pre-pandemic era. Postings for both types of jobs are getting 59% more clicks on Indeed now than in February 2020.

• Clicks for media and communication jobs as well as software development jobs are up 48%.

What's happening: Only around 37% of U.S. jobs can be done from home, per an analysis by economists at the University of Chicago. But more and more people are eager to secure those jobs for the flexibility they provide during the pandemic and beyond, says Indeed economist AnnElizabeth Konkel.

• That explains the uptick in interest for jobs in IT and civil engineering, many of which are welcoming to career-switchers.

At the same time, Indeed's report shows that interest in loading and stocking jobs at warehouses has cratered 40%. Clicks for food service jobs are down 18%. And interest in personal care and home health jobs and child care jobs is down 33% and 15%, respectively.

• The jobs in this group are all in-person roles with relatively low pay, says Konkel.
• 9.8% of personal care and home health job postings and 4.8% of child care jobs on Indeed were "hiring urgently," well above the site's national average of 2.6% of job postings.
• "Those employers are likely going to continue to experience hiring difficulties in the immediate term," Konkel says.

What to watch: It'll be tough for employers to fill these jobs that are losing clicks unless they keep raising wages, Konkel says. Take hospitality and leisure, an industry in which interest was dipping but rose back up to pre-pandemic levels after wages went up.

• But some industries in which interest is waning have been so battered by the pandemic that they just can't afford to bump pay.

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In the span of less than a week, Hertz has made three big strategic moves intended to keep the car rental giant from fading into oblivion, Joann Muller writes.

Why it matters: Ride-hailing and other mobility innovations are rapidly changing the way people get from A to B, posing an existential threat to traditional car rental services.

• "We want to become a critical and essential component of modern mobility and that whole ecosystem," interim CEO Mark Fields tells Axios. Fields is the former CEO of Ford Motor.

1. Tesla purchase. Hertz said Monday it will purchase 100,000 Tesla Model 3s by the end of 2o22 — by which time they'll comprise 20% of Hertz's fleet —as its first step in a shift toward electric vehicles.
2. Uber partnership. On Wednesday, Hertz said it would make up to 50,000 of those Teslas available exclusively to Uber drivers, ensuring it has rental customers for its EVs while also helping Uber achieve its zero-emissions goals.
3. Carvana deal. Also on Wednesday, Hertz struck a deal to utilize Carvana's used-car sales website and logistics network to unload 1- to 2-year-old vehicles from its rental fleet.

Between the lines: The rental car industry — which buys and sells millions of vehicles annually — is an important cog in the used car market.

• Historically, Hertz has sold vehicles from its rental fleet through wholesale auctions like Manheim, direct-to-dealer programs and its 68 Hertz Car Sales locations.
• By using Carvana's online marketplace, Hertz can likely fetch higher prices — and better margins — for its cars than selling them at auction.

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The State Department announced Wednesday that it had issued the first U.S. passport with an "X" gender marker, Oriana Gonzalez reports.

Driving the news: The announcement comes after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the department had started plans to add a gender marker for individuals who do not identify as male or female, according to a State Department spokesperson.

• Blinken said at the time that applicants would no longer need to submit medical certification if their stated gender did not match their other documents.

What they're saying: "The department also continues to work closely with other U.S. government agencies to ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in Wednesday's announcement.

• "I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport issuance, the Department of State’s commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people — including LGBTQI+ persons."

What's next: U.S. officials are still "in the process of completing necessary systems and form updates," a spokesperson said.

• The department will begin offering the new gender marker option to all passport applicants in early 2022.

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Companies are making money at record rates thanks in part to customers who are willing to pay higher prices, as Hope King writes in Axios Closer.

Why it matters: To keep that corporate profitability streak going, shoppers should expect sticker prices to stay high or become more expensive well into 2022.

• Fewer promotions and shallower discounts will stay in place while inventory levels remain low.

Driving the news: The number of events in which companies have mentioned "price increase/s" in the third quarter more than doubled from last year, according to Nick Mazing, director of research at Sentieo, a financial research platform.

• The exact phrases came up in 1,784 transcript documents, up from 690 in 3Q 2020, with August seeing the most significant number of mentions — 889 times versus 317 times last year.

A sampling ...

• Food: Albertsons, Chipotle and Nestle have all benefited from higher prices this year.
• Toys and gifts: Hasbro price hikes began in August, enough to cover its costs — amid industry-wide inflation of 10%.
• Apparel: Cotton T-shirts, jeans and sneakers are among wardrobe items also seeing or expected to see hikes.

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What's Next: Ubiquitous cleaning automation

Jack O'Donnell writes: "While traveling to Carlsbad, California, last week, I was greeted daily by this robot cleaning carpets throughout the hotel. 

"It struck me that normally I would not be happy about this contraption taking a job away from someone. However, in the same week, I read that a record number of Americans are quitting their jobs and [I saw] many businesses woefully understaffed because they can not find workers — I admit, I had an attitude shift.

"So maybe I should get used to seeing more of this in the future, if not reluctantly."