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The U.S. job market is not wanting too scorching for recent college graduates and different job seekers, in response to economists and labor consultants.
“The job market is type of trash proper now,” mentioned Mandi Woodruff-Santos, a profession coach and private finance skilled.
“I imply, it is actually tough,” she added. “It is actually tough for individuals who have a few years of expertise, so it may be tough for faculty youngsters.”
‘Robust summer time’ for job seekers
That will appear counterintuitive.
The nationwide unemployment rate in Could was comparatively low, at 4.2%. The layoff rate has additionally been traditionally low, suggesting employers are holding on to their employees.
But, hiring has been anemic. The tempo of employer hiring in April was the bottom in additional than 10 years, since August 2014, excluding the early months of the Covid pandemic.
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The speed at which employees are quitting — a barometer of employee confidence about their job prospects — has additionally plummeted to beneath pre-pandemic ranges, a stark reversal from the “nice resignation” in 2021 and 2022.
“It will likely be a troublesome summer time for anybody in search of full-time work,” Heather Lengthy, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit score Union, wrote in an e-mail Friday.
“That is an ‘abundance of warning economic system’ the place companies are solely filling essential positions and job seekers, particularly latest graduates, are struggling to seek out employment,” she mentioned.
Regular job market erosion ‘can not proceed perpetually’
Whereas the job market could also be limping alongside by some measures, Lengthy additionally mentioned a recession does not appear “imminent.”
Companies added more jobs than anticipated in Could, for instance. However these positive aspects have slowed considerably — a worrisome signal, economists mentioned.
Employers seem reluctant to rent in an unsure economic system.
CEO confidence plummeted within the second quarter of 2025, seeing its largest quarterly decline on file courting to 1976, according to a survey by The Convention Board. Uncertainty round geopolitical instability, trade and tariff policy had been the biggest enterprise dangers, in response to Roger Ferguson Jr., the group’s chair emeritus.
The share of CEOs anticipating to increase their workforce fell barely, to twenty-eight% in Q2 from 32% in Q1, and the share planning to chop their workforce rose 1 level, to twenty-eight%.
“The regular erosion within the US job market can not proceed perpetually — sooner or later, there’ll simply not be a lot left to provide,” Cory Stahle, an economist on the Certainly Hiring Lab, wrote in an evaluation Friday.
“In a low-hiring, slow-growth setting, employers can solely maintain onto their present staff for thus lengthy earlier than they too must be let go — rising unemployment whilst job alternatives proceed to shrink,” Stahle wrote.
Do not underestimate private connections
Do not underestimate the “energy of private connections” to assist get seen in a aggressive job market like this one, mentioned Woodruff-Santos, the profession coach.
Her No. 1 piece of recommendation: Make your self “uncomfortable” with a purpose to community and construct skilled relationships.
“It’s worthwhile to put your self in conditions the place chances are you’ll not know all people, chances are you’ll not know one particular person, the place you may very well want somebody to provide you a little bit of a serving to hand, and to really feel assured and OK doing that,” Woodruff-Santos mentioned.
If you happen to’re pushed to simply accept a job you do not like to make ends meet, make a plan to maintain present within the area to which you aspire, she mentioned.
In different phrases, construct the talents that can ultimately enable you to get that job, maybe by taking a coaching course, getting a certificates or doing contract work, she mentioned. Additionally, take into account becoming a member of knowledgeable group, placing your self in the identical room as individuals in your required area and with whom you possibly can join, she mentioned.
These steps increase your probabilities of getting consideration from future employers and preserving your expertise sharp, Woodruff-Santos mentioned.
She additionally had some phrases of encouragement.
“The job market has been trash earlier than,” she mentioned. “It will be trash once more. This most likely will not be your first trash job market. And you are going to be OK.”
