Hello 2025 Job Market: Why it’s confusing and how to see through the job search fog
If you’re looking for work right now, you might be feeling overwhelmed and a little confused. Many of my clients who are on the job hunt are a little extra fatigued and wondering what they can do to help themselves be successful at landing that great role. This blog is dedicated to my observations of the job market confusion and what to do to help yourself through the job search fog.
Let’s talk about what’s causing confusion and frustration about the job market first.
Simply, the job market confusion is coming from lacking cohesion between market numbers and what people are experiencing. Things like unemployment are low (low 4% range) and we have a high enough number of job openings to more than cover the number of people on the market searching for work. Yet, what I know from clients and talking to people looking regularly, is that it’s taking an extended amount of time for quality professionals to find work.
So, what’s going on that places are hiring but people aren’t landing jobs quickly? Let me offer two important perspectives:
From my coaching clients’ perspectives, the job market does seem to have slowed. The time to land a new job has gotten longer, even with the available jobs, expanding from 3 months to 6-12 months.
From my business clients’ perspectives, they’re admittedly hiring cautiously by trying to make sure they are stable given recent economic changes before they commit to new hires, reassessing the need for who and when more critically.
Now for the job search fog. What does this mean if you’re looking for a new job?
What you should spend time on is networking (!!!) I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Let’s break this down a little further to help you make the most of your time by focusing in three areas:
· Start simple with the people you know. Tell them you’re looking for a job. Practice your elevator pitch by including what kind of work you’re looking for and why.
· Take advantage of opportunities and networking at places you go naturally. If you love a brand and would want to work with their crew, investigate that by networking in real-time to see what job postings they have and might fit for you.
· Cold networking via meet-ups and on LinkedIn is still alive and well. Most businesses are social like humans are so find your ways to connect.
o Find your local MeetUps, Chamber and community events, business card swaps, or job fairs where you might find the right leads for you
o If you’re prepared and your LinkedIn is complete, reach out to individuals you are interested in working with/for or doing something similar to them, for informational interviews. Use these connections to find jobs and network in to companies.
I often am asked how many jobs people should be applying for per week. The truth is, it depends… on your networking game (willingness and ability) and how much you care about actually liking your job (lol). Sometimes having a job is better than not having a job and we cannot afford the privilege of time but casting the same resume to 1000 companies hasn’t been a fruitful long-term strategy for most people I know.
What to do instead? Conserve your energy and be strategic with it.
When you feel like your job search is never-ending, get your feet on the ground and try a focused approach. Conserve your energy and don’t apply for 100 random jobs. Instead:
· Look for the right kinds of jobs for you – roles with activities you’d be motivated to do and companies you’d enjoy working for
· Make a reasonable goal per day or week – get applications in and make getting a job your current job. As a general rule of thumb:
o Spend time on each application
o Make them high quality so they stand out
o Use language you see in their job description and website
Lastly, I’ll toot the horn of balance and self-care on this one as usual. Rejection is HARD. Having it on repeat, getting ghosted by companies, or just generally not finding success on the job market for months can be incredibly demoralizing. Let me tell you, in this case, it probably it isn’t you, it’s the market. And you’re going to have to hang in there a little longer as things settle into a new normal. A few tips for achieving job search balance:
· Have your friends and family pump you up and remind you of why you’re great
· Finish something - a project, cleaning a room, etc.
· Get movement in throughout the day. State changes can be very helpful.
· Take the opportunity to meet people to network for walks or coffee
To reassure you, there are jobs and people are getting them. There are also a lot of qualified candidates transitioning from other places like government sector. It’ll take time for the job market to sort out with this and other supply chain impacts expected this year. Hang in there, take care of yourself and use your network in the meantime.
P.S. Please reach out with questions or topics you’d like featured in an upcoming blog!