A “Hiring Recession” Has Changed the Rules for Job Seekers

[cryptohog]

Economists say 2025 effectively became a hiring recession in the United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows employers added just 584,000 jobs last year, the weakest non-recession performance since 2003. Hiring slowed sharply after April, long-term unemployment rose, and the hiring rate fell to levels last seen more than a decade ago.

According to Heather Long of Navy Federal Credit Union, this downturn hit both blue- and white-collar workers, marking a stark reversal from the worker-friendly labor market of 2021–2022. While conditions may improve later in 2026, experts agree job seekers must adapt to a far more competitive environment in the months ahead.

[cryptoenthusiast]

“we’re hiring, just not you unless you’re ai-forward” is kinda brutal