Job market is ‘trash’ right now, career coach says — here’s why

The U.S. job market is not trying too sizzling for latest school graduates and different job seekers, in line with economists and labor specialists.

“The job market is type of trash proper now,” stated 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 will be tough for school children.”

Which will appear counterintuitive.

The nationwide unemployment fee in Might was comparatively low, at 4.2%. The layoff fee 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 tricky summer season for anybody on the lookout for 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 financial system’ the place companies are solely filling crucial positions and job seekers, particularly latest graduates, are struggling to search out employment,” she stated.

Whereas the job market could also be limping alongside by some measures, Lengthy additionally stated a recession would not appear “imminent.”

Companies added extra jobs than anticipated in Might, for instance. However these positive factors have slowed considerably — a worrisome signal, economists stated.

Employers seem reluctant to rent in an unsure financial system.

CEO confidence plummeted within the second quarter of 2025, seeing its largest quarterly decline on file relationship to 1976, in line with a survey by The Convention Board. Uncertainty round geopolitical instability, commerce and tariff coverage had been the most important enterprise dangers, in line with 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 without end — sooner or later, there’ll simply not be a lot left to offer,” Cory Stahle, an economist on the Certainly Hiring Lab, wrote in an evaluation Friday.

“In a low-hiring, slow-growth atmosphere, employers can solely maintain onto their current staff for thus lengthy earlier than they too must be let go — growing unemployment at the same time as job alternatives proceed to shrink,” Stahle wrote.

Do not underestimate the “energy of non-public connections” to assist get observed in a aggressive job market like this one, stated Woodruff-Santos, the profession coach.

Her No. 1 piece of recommendation: Make your self “uncomfortable” as a way to community and construct skilled relationships.

“You might want to put your self in conditions the place it’s possible you’ll not know everyone, it’s possible you’ll not know one individual, the place you may very well want somebody to offer you a little bit of a serving to hand, and to really feel assured and OK doing that,” Woodruff-Santos stated.

When you’re pushed to simply accept a job you do not like to make ends meet, make a plan to maintain present within the discipline to which you aspire, she stated.

In different phrases, construct the abilities that can ultimately show you how to get that job, maybe by taking a coaching course, getting a certificates or doing contract work, she stated. Additionally, contemplate becoming a member of an expert group, placing your self in the identical room as folks in your required discipline and with whom you possibly can join, she stated.

These steps elevate your possibilities of getting consideration from future employers and protecting your expertise sharp, Woodruff-Santos stated.

She additionally had some phrases of encouragement.

“The job market has been trash earlier than,” she stated. “It will be trash once more. This in all probability will not be your first trash job market. And you are going to be OK.”