First things first: if you’re having trouble finding work right now, it’s probably not your fault. This is the worst job market either of us can remember, and we’ve been doing this for longer than we’d like to admit.

That said, it’s pretty easy to make mistakes while you’re job searching. We don’t do it very often (hopefully), and it’s a stressful situation. Very rarely are you asked to impress people you don’t know very well, especially from a distance.

To help you avoid the pitfalls, we’ve put together a list of some of the most common job search mistakes. Here’s how to conduct your job search safely, thoroughly, and effectively.

If You’re Job Searching While Employed, Don’t:

1. Tell your co-workers that you are in job-hunting mode. If you’re employed, keep your job search quiet. Even trusted colleagues could inadvertently slip and share the news. Word could get back to supervisors and cause them to question your commitment to your current position. Don’t share too much information on LinkedIn, either. Be careful — don’t give your current employer an excuse to let you go.

2. Use your work computer to create documents, search for job listings, or conduct networking outreach. Contrary to what many workers might think, there is no guarantee of privacy when you use company equipment. Many employers monitor communications and will be upset (or worse) if you spend work time or resources on your search.

3. Make changes to your LinkedIn profile without deactivating the activity broadcast. Changes in your profile can alert contacts in your company that you are anticipating a job change. You don’t need to advertise that you’re revamping your profile because you’re thinking about a new job. Here’s how to change notifications that your network receives from you.

4. Take an unusual amount of time off, especially without providing advance notice. Your attendance pattern can send a signal to your employer that something is up. Try creatively blocking out your calendar so the time away won’t be noticed, schedule interviews during lunch or after work, and give advance notice whenever possible.

5. Stop doing your best work. Even if you never want to work for this company again, it’s best to maintain goodwill. You might need your coworkers to give you a reference or a referral to a job in the future. Make sure they think of you fondly after you’ve moved on.

Whether You’re Employed or Unemployed, Avoid These Mistakes:

1. Having an unprofessional email address or voicemail message. Keep all your communications polished and professional. Be sure that your email address is appropriate, and your voicemail message is as well. If your email address isn’t what an employer might expect to see, you can set up a separate account to use for your job hunt.

2. Forgetting to limit public access to your social media, particularly if the sites contain posts that recruiters might consider unprofessional. If you have a personal website, make sure you wouldn’t mind having employers view it. Hiring managers don’t need to know what you’re doing on your own time.

3. Posting the wrong stuff on LinkedIn. Skip the photos of kids, dogs, vacations, etc., as well as political content, jokes, or personal stories. Also avoid using AI to write your posts; the last thing you want is for your readers to hit the “Seems like AI slop” button and reduce your reach.

4. Relying solely on job listings to generate leads. You’ll most likely need more than just listings from a job board to get hired. Networking has historically been the most effective job search method. Now that job boards are oversaturated with AI-generated application materials, a personal connection is even more valuable.

5. Reducing your activity with professional organizations because you are busy with your search. Maintaining a high profile with contacts in your field is one of the best ways to network. Continue to attend seminars and conferences. Present or participate in panels and help to organize programs whenever possible. That exposure and those connections can help build your expertise and your personal brand.

6. Stopping at the obvious contacts when networking. Sure, you will want to contact your best friend who works in your industry. However, your cousin who works in an unrelated field might have a close friend who could be of tremendous help to you. You never know who could be the person who’ll help you secure your next job.

7. Submitting application materials with spelling or grammatical errors. A typo or error in your resume or cover letter can be a quick way to get knocked out of consideration for a job. Spellcheck and carefully proofread all your documents, or employers may conclude that you are not attentive to detail. Consider using ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to check documents and make sure they are perfect.

8. Using generic application materials. Don’t send the same cover letter and resume to every employer. Target your cover letter and resume to the job you’re applying for to make the best case for your candidacy. Demonstrate your strong interest in the opportunity by taking the time to tailor your documents. In this competitive job market, it’s important to show employers how you can add value to their organization.

9. Looking only at job boards. If you’re a college grad, contact your alma mater’s career office, alumni office, and professional organizations in your field. They may be able to assist with job listings and networking contacts. Go directly to the websites of employers of interest and access job listings there. Applying directly is one of the best ways to avoid scams.

10. Showing up late for an interview. Employers want responsible and punctual employees. Plan your travel carefully for in-person interviews and leave extra time for unanticipated delays. When interviewing remotely, be sure all your technology is in working order and ready to go. Be online a couple of minutes early so you know you’re set.

11. Neglecting to send a follow-up communication as soon as possible after your interview. You can send the wrong signal if you delay or miss the opportunity to follow up before a decision has been made about your candidacy. Here’s when and how to send an interview thank-you email, with examples.

12. Forgetting to check if you have any contacts at the company. Having an internal advocate can help you gain visibility with an employer and ensure that you are given careful consideration as an applicant. Check your LinkedIn connections to see who you know at the company. They may be able to assist.

13. Rushing to gather references at the last minute. Take the time to select your references carefully and evaluate their willingness to vouch for your credentials. Have a list of references ready to share with prospective employers, let your references know when they can expect to be contacted, and don’t forget to thank them for recommending you.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Free Tools for Career Changers

Are you considering a career change? If you’ve reached a dead end in your current career, you may be able to pivot without investing a ton of time and money. These free tools can help you figure out what to do next.

How to Stay at a Job That Sucks

Now is not the time to quit a job without a backup. But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Do you need to boost your skills or add to your credentials? Whether you’re changing careers or trying to get promoted on your current track, job training can help.

You don’t always have to pay a lot or invest significant time to upskill yourself, either. These resources include free online training, as well as databases of local classes and programs that can help you enhance your resume and get hired. We’ve also highlighted some companies that provide on-the-job training and employers who will pay some or all of your college tuition.

Here are a few places to look for courses, training programs, and employers who will help you build your skills:

Amazon: Want to upgrade your AWS Cloud and AI skills? Amazon offers over 1,000 free, on-demand courses. Learn more on the AWS Training and Certification website.

Coursera: Offers a selection of free online courses across various subjects.

edX: Free online courses in a variety of topics, such as data science, computer programming, and the humanities, are available on edX.

Google Career Certificates: Google offers flexible online training programs to help you fast-track to high-growth fields.

Grow With Google: Google Digital Garage offers free online courses on digital marketing, advertising, coding, business security, and more.

Microsoft Learn: Check out the free training, resources, and certifications offered by Microsoft.

OpenLearn: OpenLearn offers 1,000 free university courses in eight different subject areas.

Stanford: Stanford Online has free classes in health and medicine, education, engineering, and arts and humanities.

Verizon Skill Forward Program: This collaboration between Verizon and edX provides free career-building online courses and certifications focused on high-demand skills. Course options include AI, coding, cybersecurity, data analytics, leadership, and project management. Everyone over 18 in the U.S. is eligible to apply, and you don’t need a Verizon account to participate.

Training Finder: You can use CareerOneStop’s enhanced Local Training Finder to search for training in any career or industry in any local U.S. area. These aren’t all free, but if you need help paying for training, the Scholarship Finder can help you with funding.

Tip: If you’re looking for employers who provide free college tuition, here’s a list of 11 companies that will pay some or all of the costs from Investopedia. For on-the-job training, here are 25 companies with excellent training programs from Indeed.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Good News for Job Seekers With Resume Gaps, per Huntr’s Data

It’s rare to read encouraging job search data right now, but here you go: Huntr’s Q2 2026 Job Search Trends Report highlights several bright spots for job seekers, including those who’ve been searching for a while. Here are the highlights.

Free Tools for Career Changers

Are you considering a career change? If you’ve reached a dead end in your current career, you may be able to pivot without investing a ton of time and money. These free tools can help you figure out what to do next.

How to Stay at a Job That Sucks

Now is not the time to quit a job without a backup. But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

It’s rare to read encouraging job search data right now, but here you go: Huntr’s Q2 2026 Job Search Trends Report highlights several bright spots for job seekers, including those who’ve been searching for a while.

Huntr, a Seattle-based company that provides AI tools for job seekers, analyzed 179,000 saved jobs, 103,000 applications, and 32,000 tailored resumes for Q2 2026. Here are a few highlights from their research:

• Employers may finally be letting go of the stigma against hiring unemployed workers. Most unemployed candidates scored interviews at rates similar to those of employed prospects, according to the data, provided that they tailored their resumes to each job.

• The median time from job search start to first offer fell for the first time since Huntr started collecting this data. That number is now 82 days, compared to 108 days in Q1.

• Time to first interview also fell, from 29 days to 23 days (median).

Job seekers can also find tips in this data that may make their search easier and more productive. For example, using Google to search for jobs yields better results than other job sites. Per Huntr: “Applications sourced through google.com had a 7.91% recorded interview rate, 2.4x linkedin.com’s 3.36%. Seek (5.24%), Wellfound (5.20%), Welcome to the Jungle (4.70%), and Computrabajo (3.63%) also had higher unadjusted rates than LinkedIn over the past twelve months.”

Other findings of note:

• Remote-only positions yielded the worst interview rates (3.53% vs. 6.07% for hybrid roles). So, if you’re able to work on-site, you may have better results than if you’re committed to remote.

• Customized resumes still beat generic ones, yielding a 5.71% interview rate vs. a 3.09% interview rate. By all means, make a resume template for each job title you’re targeting, but take a few minutes to adapt it using the keywords in the job listing.

• It’s worth applying to jobs without a posted salary rate. Yeah, we’re annoyed about this one too. But the data show that jobs with a disclosed salary had a 4.38% interview rate, vs. 6.21% for job listings that didn’t mention salary. Worth considering whether to include those postings in your search. (Just make sure you do your salary research ahead of time so you’re prepared to negotiate.)

For more analysis of the latest job search trends, read Huntr’s full report.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Free Tools for Career Changers

Are you considering a career change? If you’ve reached a dead end in your current career, you may be able to pivot without investing a ton of time and money. These free tools can help you figure out what to do next.

How to Stay at a Job That Sucks

Now is not the time to quit a job without a backup. But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Are you considering a career change? If you’ve reached a dead end in your current career, you may be able to pivot without investing a ton of time and money.

It may not be as hard to do as you might think. Some of the jobs you’re qualified for might not have even existed when you started working. Your transferable skills can help you jump to a different job. Or you may be able to take a class or two to upgrade your skill set to get the qualifications you need for the next phase of your career.

What’s the best way to explore options? You can quickly and easily generate ideas to help you get started on a new and different career path. Then, once you have options to consider, you can talk to people in the field, research salaries, learn what you’ll need to do to get hired, find training programs and job opportunities, and decide where your career will go next.

Online Career Assessments

To get started, try these free online career assessments that help you learn about occupations that might be a fit, jobs that match your skills, and investigate careers.

123 Career Aptitude Test

The 123 Career Aptitude Test will give you insight into careers that match your personality. To take the test, you view pictures that show work activities. Select the activities that appeal to you the most and those you aren’t interested in by liking or disliking each picture. The test only takes five to 10 minutes.

CareerOneStop Interest Assessment

CareerOneStop’s Interest Assessment asks questions about what you like and don’t like to do. You’ll get a list of jobs that match your likes and dislikes, the education requirements for each position, and the job prospects. In addition, you can learn more about the roles you’re interested in and what you need to do to transition your career.

CareerOneStop Values Matcher

The Work Values Matcher is a tool that will help you find career options that fit your values. You’ll respond to questions about different aspects of a job or workplace to help you find jobs and employers that match your values. For each question, you’ll think about how it matches your ideal job and rate it on a range from the least important.

O*NET Interest Profiler

The O*NET Interest Profiler is a 60-question interest inventory that generates a cluster of career options based on your responses. You can review a list of careers related to each cluster and get detailed career information on the occupations that interest you the most.

Truity Career Personality Profiler

The Career Personality Profiler evaluates your interests and your personality so you can explore career alternatives. It’s a quick 10-15 minute test, and after you answer a series of questions, you will be able to learn about jobs and industries that are a match. There is a fee to receive a comprehensive report, but a summary of your results is free.

Tip: If you’re not sure about making a change, here are some signs that your career needs a makeover and you’ve stayed too long in your job.

Match Your Skills to Jobs

Another way to approach a career switch is to use tools that will help you find jobs that use the skills you already have. There are many online tools that you can use to help you evaluate your skills and find jobs where you can use them.

LinkedIn Career Explorer

Use LinkedIn’s Career Explorer to find real jobs that match your skill set. You can learn how your skills match job titles, find and apply for available jobs, and connect with LinkedIn members who may be able to help your career transition.

CareerOneStop Skills Matcher

Use Skills Matcher to assess your preferences and find careers that match. You’ll answer 40 questions to rate your level in various skills. Then, you can review a list of suggested careers that match your skills well. You will also be able to learn more about the career, the education requirements, the salary, and the job outlook.

Get Training

CareerOneStop Local Training Finder

When you’re looking to unretire or start a new career that requires expertise you don’t have yet, use CareerOneStop’s Local Training Finder to search for training ranging from six-week certificates to two-year, four-year, and graduate programs in any career or industry in any local U.S. area. If you need help paying for training, the Scholarship Finder can help you with funding.

Free Company-Sponsored Training Programs

There are companies that offer free training programs to everyone—you don’t have to work there to participate. Here are some of them:

• Amazon Web Services Training

• Google AI Professional Certificate

• Google Career Certificates

• Google Skillshop

• Home Depot Skills Program

• Microsoft Learn

• Salesforce Trailhead

• Verizon Skill Forward Program

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

How to Stay at a Job That Sucks

Now is not the time to quit a job without a backup. But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

What can you do if you’ve run out of unemployment benefits, are about to lose them, or if your benefits aren’t enough to pay the bills? It’s scary to have little or no income, but you may be eligible for financial assistance to help you through this difficult time.

Before you panic, check with your state unemployment office to ensure you receive all the benefits you’re entitled to.

The duration of regular unemployment benefits varies by state and ranges from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Additional weeks of benefits (Extended Benefits) may be available when the unemployment rate is high. Here’s a chart of weeks of unemployment listed by state from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Ask for Assistance

You've probably already tried many of the financial strategies you can use when you're out of work, but if you haven't, it's worth speaking to your creditors to see if they can waive payments and fees.

• Talk to your mortgage holder or landlord, cell phone provider, internet and utility providers, credit card companies, car loan company, and other creditors.

• Some may offer grace periods or payment or finance plans to enable you to continue business as usual, at least for a while.

• A personal loan may be an option as well.

It’s always embarrassing to ask for help, but your family, friends, and others won’t know you need assistance unless you ask. Whether it’s giving you a loan, buying groceries, or providing childcare while you job search, here are some ways that your friends, family, and connections can assist with your job search.

Where To Get Help

It’s also important to tap federal, state, local, and community resources available to help unemployed workers. Here are some options for assistance:

CareerOneStop Center

One of the best ways to find assistance is to use the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop website. In addition to a wealth of job search and career resources, you can get help at an American Job Center (AJC). Search by zip code to find local assistance.

American Job Centers have information on local support resources, such as funding for utility bills, food costs, childcare, emergency funds, and other necessary expenses. Career OneStop also has a directory of job listings and offers job and skill training assistance.

Federal and State Assistance Programs

The following federal and state programs are available for low-income workers:

• Benefits.gov has a directory of benefits and assistance programs. Fill out a brief questionnaire to learn about and apply for the benefits you may be eligible to receive.

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program can help with food and financial assistance, training, as well as job searching.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income families and individuals buy groceries.

• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental food and nutritional assistance to low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5.

Nonprofit Agencies

Nonprofit and community agencies can help you locate food, housing, clothing, and emergency resources. Here’s how to connect with nonprofit organizations near you:

• 2-1-1 Call Center. Call 211 or search online to get local help with training, employment, food, housing, and support groups.

• Churches and Community Organizations. Check with local churches and community organizations. Many offer a variety of resources for those in need, including food, clothes, household supplies, and other necessities.

• Food Banks. If you need food assistance, here’s a directory of food banks from Feed America. Also, search Google for “food pantry” or “food bank” to get a list of providers near you.

• Homeless Shelters. Here’s a list of homeless shelters throughout the United States from the National Coalition for the Homeless. If you’re about to be homeless, here’s a guide for what to do now.

• Phone Service. Reduced-cost phone service is through the Lifeline program for qualifying low-income people.

• Pets. Contact your local animal shelter and veterinarian to see whether they can help you or refer you to resources for pet food and care. Also, some food pantries may have dog food and pet supplies.

Free Resources and Services

It can be really hard to focus on job searching when you’re unemployed and stressed about losing your home, your vehicle, your phone, and your life as it used to be. But there are no-cost and low-cost ways to keep moving forward.

Use the Library

One of the best free resources you can use is your local public library. You’ll be able to access free Wi-Fi, computers, printers, workshops, and training classes.

Some libraries lend Chromebooks and internet hot spots, and you may be able to get free access to LinkedIn Learning to upgrade your skills.

Use Google

You can use free Google tools for every component of your job search: gain skills, write resumes and cover letters, save documents and files, send professional email messages, find job listings, apply for jobs, track your applications, and get ready to interview.

If you don’t have access to a computer, you can use Google Drive to store your job search materials and access via the library’s or a family member’s or friend’s computer.

Get Free Rides

If you don’t have access to transportation, Lyft’s free rides program offers transportation to job interviews, training, or work.

Supplement Your Earnings

If you need to make money fast, there are apps you can use to find gigs where you can apply, get hired, and get paid quickly. Here are free apps you can use to find shopping, delivery, driving, caregiving, building, repairing, tutoring, freelance, and professional gigs.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Employers shed 23,000 jobs last month, bringing hiring into negative numbers for July. Further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised tallies for June and May to reflect 103,000 fewer jobs added than originally reported.

Even healthcare, which is typically a rare bright spot in monthly jobs reports, added only 22,000 jobs, compared with an average of 36,000 per month over the past year. Likewise, a lower unemployment rate, which often signals increased hiring, hides bad news: the labor force participation rate dipped to its lowest rate in five years, indicating that some people are leaving the workforce altogether.

It feels like we say this every month, but nothing in this report will come as a surprise to anyone who’s looking for work right now. It’s rough out there.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

What Experts Are Saying

“Economists always warn not to read too much into any one month’s data, but this does feel like the kind of report that could shift the narrative on the labor market. After a period of weak job growth — and even job losses — last year, hiring appeared to pick up in the first half of this year, an encouraging sign of stabilization.

“But this report not only says that hiring went into reverse in July but also that job growth was weaker in May and June than previously believed. Wage growth was also soft, and the labor force continued to shrink. Taken together, that suggests a significantly weaker jobs picture than we had believed.” — Ben Casselman, The New York Times

“One thing to flag: The overall number was significantly dampened by a 50,000-job loss in local government education, which is likely a seasonal quirk having to do with summer school closings. That’s why we shouldn’t read too much into the positive headline number turning negative, but private sector hiring was still very weak.” – Lydia DePillis, The New York Times

“This jobs report may look a little sketchy, but taken together with everything we know about the current labor market it’s not cause for panic. Current conditions certainly aren’t welcoming to job seekers, but this data may be overstating things.” – Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist at Nerd Wallet

“I spent the week writing about different pieces of the labor market. ADP pointed to slower hiring. Job openings remained relatively stable. Challenger layoffs stayed subdued, and weekly jobless claims suggested employers continued to avoid widespread layoffs. Today’s employment report brings those pieces together and suggests the slowdown in hiring has become more pronounced than any one report indicated on its own, particularly after accounting for the substantial downward revisions.” – Thomas J. Thompson, Chief Economist at Havas

Just Give Me the Data, Please

The Employment Situation Summary by the numbers:

Total nonfarm employment: -23,000 jobs

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (down from 4.2% the previous month)

Revisions to previous jobs reports: 103,000 fewer jobs than originally reported for May and June

Long-term unemployed: 1.8 million (down from 1.9 million the previous month)

Labor force participation rate: 61.4% (down from 61.5% for last month)

Employment-population ratio: 58.9% (down from 59%)

People employed part-time for economic reasons: 4.8 million (up from 4.7 million the previous month)

People not in the labor force who want jobs and have looked for work in the last year: 5.9 million (down from 6 million the previous month)

Discouraged workers: 476,000 (down from 477,000 the previous month)

Average hourly earnings: $37.62 (up 2 cents)

Industry that added jobs:

• Healthcare (+22,000 jobs)

Industries that lost jobs:

• Local government education (-50,000 jobs)

• Retail trade (-19,000 jobs)

• Financial information (-14,000 jobs)

Industries that remained essentially flat:

• Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

• Construction

• Manufacturing

• Wholesale trade

• Transportation and warehousing

• Information

• Professional and business services

• Social assistance

• Leisure and hospitality

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

How to Stay at a Job That Sucks

Now is not the time to quit a job without a backup. But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Supposedly, the job market is getting better, but you couldn’t prove it by most of the readers we hear from. They tell us it’s still hard to get interviews, never mind actual job offers. Bottom line, now is not the time to quit a job without a backup.

But what if your job is really awful — your boss is a jerk, your work is way too stressful, or the company culture is just plain toxic? In those cases, your focus is on survival. Here’s how to stick it out at a bad job until you can leave on your own terms.

Look for Opportunities to Boost Autonomy

Studies have shown that people are happier when they have more control over their lives. At your job, much of what we do may be determined by other people — but typically, not everything. Usually, there are steps you can take to gain more autonomy at work.

• Under-promise and over-deliver. This helps build trust with your boss, which can lead to more freedom of choice over your schedule (provided that your manager is good at their job).

• Don’t raise issues unless you have solutions. When you bring a problem to your manager or the team, make sure you have some ideas of how to solve it. This minimizes the chance that you’ll wind up with a fix that you don’t want.

• Audit your time. Look for opportunities to increase self-directed time. For example, if you have a light meeting day, block off time for heads-down work. (Depending on the culture, you may need to clear this with your manager.)

Build Skills

What do you want to do next, and what’s standing between you and that job? Look at LinkedIn profiles for people with that job title and pay attention to their experience, qualifications, and skills. There are loads of free classes and training programs out there that can help you boost your profile.

Leave Work at Work

When you clock out or log off for the day, your workday is done. To the extent that you’re able, leave work at work.

If your boss expects you to check email after hours — and you don’t feel that you can get away with pushing back — choose a limited block of time for email. Then go back to your real life, which is everything that happens when you’re not at work.

Make sure you have things to look forward to outside of work, whether it’s watching your favorite show, meeting friends for a drink, taking a class, or working on a hobby. It’s easy to lose all your non-work time scrolling or doing chores if you’re not careful to plan some fun as well.

Document Everything (Good and Bad)

Make a standing note in your calendar to write down what you’ve accomplished each week. If your team uses Slack, you may have access to a Slackbot function that will document it for you. Otherwise, comb through your emails and messages and note any big achievements. Tweak your LinkedIn and resume accordingly.

On the flipside, if you’re dealing with bullying, discrimination, etc., keep a log of what you’ve experienced. Note the date, time, people involved, and the action. Keep this log off your work computer or phone so you can access it if you need to pursue legal action later.

Keep Your Resume and LinkedIn Updated

And speaking of your achievements, make sure your application materials reflect what you’ve achieved. Ideally, you want your resume ready to go if you find an opportunity that appeals to you. Applying quickly can help you get hired. (It’s easier to stand out from an initial pool of 20 applicants than an eventual pool of 200.)

Know That It’s Not Forever

One way or another, this will end. Maybe you’ll get a new job. Maybe your boss will retire and move to another state. Maybe you’ll switch to a new department and find a better fit. Be ready to move on, because eventually, you will.

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Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

How To Find Real Job Openings and Get Your Resume Noticed

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t. However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager.

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

It can be hard to find job openings that are actually available, don’t have a ton of applicants already, or try to trick you into thinking the job is remote when it isn’t.

However, there are ways to quickly find current, legitimate openings, get to the head of the queue, and get your application noticed by the hiring manager. It’s not always easy, but it’s a strategy that will save you from endlessly scrolling job listings in the hopes of finding a real open job that matches what you’re looking for.

Here are some ways to bypass the ghost jobs, scams, and roles that already have hundreds of applicants, along with advice on how to find and reach out to connections at the company so your application gets noticed.

Find Job Listings Fast

To make your search more time-effective, there are workarounds you can use to find positions faster. You can also target the most recently posted listings, which will help you get your application in sooner and boost your chances of getting an interview. Here’s how to quickly get to the jobs that are actively hiring.

Check Out Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

One of the best ways to get directly to companies that are hiring is to look at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. You’re more likely to find legit roles from a company that’s advertising hundreds of jobs. Plus, companies with large-scale active hiring surges have dedicated recruiting teams actively reviewing resumes, meaning your application will be less likely to get lost in space.

Use this list to find employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets.

Skip the Job Boards

Using the top job boards isn’t always the best way to get hired. In addition to scams and fake jobs, there are often an overwhelming number of applicants for employers to screen. One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better.

Tip: When you do find a job you’re interested in on Indeed, LinkedIn, or another job board, go directly to that company’s official “Careers” page to apply. If the job isn’t listed on their actual website, it’s most likely a ghost job or a scam.

Use State and Local Job Boards

Every state has a job bank where job seekers can post their resumes and search for jobs. Employers can post jobs for free, so you may find jobs that aren’t posted elsewhere. Here’s a directory of state job banks so you can quickly access resources for job seekers in your location. Your local Chamber of Commerce, county or city website, and Craigslist may have relevant job listings too.

Follow the New Rules for Applying for Jobs

The traditional cycle of submitting a resume, doing an interview (or maybe two), and getting an offer or rejection is mostly a thing of the past unless you’re very lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The current job market rewards speed, strategy, and a willingness to think differently about how you show up. Here’s what’s actually working right now.

Get Your Application Noticed

One of the best ways to get your job application noticed is a referral from someone you know at the company.

• You can search for connections on LinkedIn by searching by company and job title (or keyword), then select People, and you can see your 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-degree connections.

• If you’re a college student or alum, check with career services to see if there’s an alumni network you can tap into.

• Also, check any professional associations you belong to for connections who can get your application a close look from the hiring manager.

Tip: If you have a contact who might be able to help, it’s fine to let them know even before you apply. They may be able to streamline the process for you.

Sample Networking Messages

Here are some sample messages you can use to reach out:

General Message

Subject: Connecting Regarding the [Job Title] Role at [Company Name]

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re having a great week! I saw an opening for the [Role] position at [Company] and would love to apply. Since we are connected here, I wanted to reach out and ask how you like the culture there and if you have any advice on making my application stand out.

I know you’re busy, so any brief insights you could share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Best,

[Your Name]

Message to an Alum

Subject: Fellow [University Name] alum / Question About [Company Name]

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re having a great week. I’m a fellow [University Name] alum ([Year of Graduation, e.g., Class of ‘24]) and came across your profile while researching [Company Name].

I’m very interested in the [Job Title] role currently open at [Company Name]. Since we share the [University Name] connection, I wanted to reach out and see if you might have any insight into the team culture or any advice on how to stand out in the application process.

Thanks so much for your time!

Best,

[Your Name]

Message to an Association Member

Subject: [Association Name] member / Inquiry Regarding [Job Title]

Hi [Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I’m a fellow member of [Association Name], and I noticed you work at [Company Name].

I’m currently preparing an application for the [Job Title] position there. Given your experience in the field and our shared connection through [Association Name], I would appreciate your perspective on what [Company Name] looks for in this role, or any tips you might have for getting my resume in front of the right person.

I know you’re busy, so any brief insights you could share would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

Google has lots of free tools you can use to help grow your career and find your next job. Explore career options, take a course, earn a certificate, write your resume and cover letters, track your applications, find the latest job listings, and practice interviewing with Google's tools.

Google has resources for every phase of the job search process (and for career pivoting), and you won't have to spend any money to use them. It's also a lot easier to use one set of tools for everything rather than having to keep track of a bunch of different apps.

Google Tools for Job Searching

Explore career options: Google Career Dreamer can help you connect your experiences, educational background, skills, and interests to explore new career possibilities. You can also create a career profile to add to your resume or LinkedIn.

Enhance your skills: Grow With Google offers courses, career certificates, AI training, and career advice.

Send email: It's important to have a professional email account to use for job searching. Gmail is one of the best-known and easiest to use free email accounts available. You'll need a Google account (which you'll also need for some of the other tools). Once you have set up your Google account, you can use it to sign into Gmail.

Find job listings: Search Google using the "Date Posted" feature to find new job listings. Search Google for the job title and location you're interested in (or select Remote). Then click Date Posted and choose Yesterday, Last 3 Days, or Last Week. You'll be able to get ahead of the competition and get your application in early.

Create a resume and cover letter with Google Docs: This free Coursera project will show you how to create your resume and cover letter from start to finish. In a video that plays on a split-screen with your work area, you'll be walked through creating your documents.

Get help writing your Google Docs resume: Access Google resume templates by clicking Template Gallery or select File, New, Generate Document, and type "resume" in the box to get started.

Edit and proofread your application materials: Use Gemini to edit and proofread your resume and cover letter. You can use it to help write your documents, too.

Store and share your documents: Google Drive provides access to Google Docs, Google Sheets, and more. You can store a copy of it and the rest of your job search material on Drive for free. Your documents can be opened from any computer or your phone for easy editing. You get a combined 15 GB of free storage space on Drive and Gmail, and if you need more, you can purchase it.

Download and send your resume and cover letter: Employers may request a PDF or Microsoft Word version of your resume and cover letter. If they do, here's how to convert your documents. Also, review tips for sending a Google Doc file when applying for jobs via email.

• How To Convert a Google Doc to a PDF

• Converting Google Docs to Microsoft Word

• How to Email a Google Doc

• Track your applications: The Muse has a Google Sheet job application tracker you can download to keep track of your applications and where you are in the hiring process.

Send a thank-you note: It’s always a good idea to relay your appreciation for the interviewer’s time. Create a Google Doc template you can use to say thank you via email or message. You’ll have a draft you can tweak and send out right away. Here are examples and tips to get started.

Our Favorite Tools & Tips

CareerOneStop Compare Occupations: Are you thinking about a career change? Use CareerOneStop’s Compare Occupations tool to compare your current job to other occupations to see what you could earn and learn about the skills you need to get hired.

Free LinkedIn Learning Courses: Linkedin Learning and Microsoft are offering new courses and professional certificates to help you learn the skills you need to get hired for in-demand tech and tech-enabled jobs. The courses are free through 2025.

Jobsearchdb: When you're looking for a job in a specific industry or career field, using job sites that focus on the types of jobs you're interested in can be a time-saver. The Job Search Database includes links to hundreds of niche career sites, organized by category. It’s one of the best resources for finding job listings. The Job Search Database is free.

Special Offers From Our Partners

We appreciate our partners who have offered special discounts to Job Hopper subscribers. Thank you!

Remote Rocketship: Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There's also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page (which will help you avoid scams). The basic version is free. The premium version is $6 per week, with monthly and yearly discounts.

• Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

JobLogr: JobLogr is an AI-powered, mobile-friendly platform you can use to find jobs faster and easier. There are job listings direct from 50k employer partners and trusted job boards. You can organize and enhance every aspect of your job search, including searching for jobs just for you based on your resume and application history, application tracking, resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn optimization, and interview preparation.

• Subscriber discount: Sign up for a free trial, and if you're interested in subscribing, there's a special discounted monthly subscription rate (the regular rate is $20/month) for Job Hopper subscribers (use promo code Hop20). The application tracker, AppTrackr, is free forever.

Remotive: Remotive can expedite your search for a remote job, and the basic version (2000+ jobs) is free. Remotive's jobs are screened, verified, curated, and classified, so you know you're applying for a legitimate position.

• Sign up for the Remotive Accelerator to access over 54,000 listings and the Slack community for a one-time fee of $79.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using these links.

Ask any long-time freelancer: the cure for economic anxiety is adding to your bank balance. Whether you’re unemployed, worried about potential layoffs, or just feeling the bite of inflation, picking up a side gig can help you save for your future and reduce your stress levels.

But not every potential side gig is a real opportunity. Some are scams, some pay so little they’re not worth it, and others take too much time to get up and running. With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide to finding a real side gig — one that will pay you actual money without costing a mint before you ever earn on your investment.

How to Find a Side Gig

“Today’s sharing economy and technology make it simple to connect your assets and abilities with people willing to pay for them,” said Hannah Morgan, Job Search Strategist at Career Sherpa.

You might be surprised at the value your know-how (or old stuff!) can fetch in the digital marketplace.

Consult or Freelance

You have expertise — make it work for you. By consulting or freelancing in your industry, you keep your skills sharp, build your network, and earn money at the same time. Plus, if you’re currently unemployed, freelancing will help you avoid resume gaps, which might give you an edge when you’re looking for your next full-time role.

Start by reaching out to your network to let them know you’re looking for freelance work. Then, look at niche sites that specialize in freelance, contract, and part-time work, such as FlexJobs (subscription), Fiverr, and Upwork.

Use Gig Apps

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart — if you have a reliable car and a license, and time to spare, you can make some extra cash driving for rideshare or delivery companies.

Are you handy or a cleaning whiz? TaskRabbit and Thumbtack can connect you with customers who will pay for your skills.

Tutor or Teach

Being a full-time educator usually requires a master’s degree in education. But you can often become a tutor, instructor, or substitute teacher with less formal training or a different degree. Indeed has a list of companies that hire online tutors (with and without credentials). Want to teach in person? Check out your local community college for adjunct roles in your field or try your local school system for substitute teaching roles.

Make Things and Sell Them

“Creating an online store to sell your crafts/goods is low-cost and simpler than it used to be,” said Morgan.

Set up a shop on Etsy, Shopify, Redbubble, and other platforms — or sell on Facebook Marketplace through your personal account. You can sell everything from digital designs to jewelry to handmade clothing to furniture. Just remember to price in your time and materials, as well as shipping costs.

Babysit, Petsit, or Housesit

Post your services in local Facebook groups and Nextdoor pages, use word of mouth, or go through an app like Care.com, Rover, or TrustedHouseSitters.

“Many more sites like these are available based on specialty and geography,” Morgan said. “Ask people you know what they've used or recommend.”

Bartender/Barista/Waitstaff Jobs

We know many, many people who’ve gone the hospitality route to make extra cash. Restaurants, bars, and coffee shops are almost always looking for help, especially if you have experience in the industry. But even if you don’t, it’s worth checking local spots to see if they’re hiring.

Househack

Got extra space? Turn it into cash. Get a roommate, rent a room to a traveling nurse, or rent your backyard, pool, or parking space through Sniffspot, Swimply, or SpotHero.

Sell (or Rent) Stuff You Don’t Need

Got piles of books you’ll never read again, old clothes that no longer fit, or collectables that are just gathering dust? Sell them on eBay, Mercari, or Poshmark. You’ll free up closet space while you earn cash.

Morgan also noted that you can rent things online as well, using services like Yoodlize. If you have extra sports equipment, outdoor gear, tools, or party supplies gathering dust in your garage or basement, consider renting them out for extra cash.

Finally, Morgan reminded us not to forget about word of mouth: “One of the first things you should do is ask people you know (friends, family, etc) if they need your help as an ‘X’ (whatever it is you specifically want to offer). Being specific is important and much more helpful.”

Avoiding Scams

There are plenty of legitimate side jobs out there — but also lots of scams. The first rule of avoiding them is, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” No one is going to pay you thousands of dollars a week to do data entry, stuff envelopes, or do anything that could be done more cheaply by an entry-level worker (or AI).

“If an opportunity feels off or makes you uncomfortable, trust your intuition and disengage from the communication,” wrote Mark Anthony Dyson at The Job Scam Report. “It's better to avoid a potential scam than take a costly risk.”

A few other red flags to watch out for:

• Repeated spelling and grammatical errors.

• URLs and email addresses that are close to — but not exactly — the same as real corporate sites and emails, e.g., HR@amazon-site.com. (Although you’ll want to keep an eye out for obvious fakes, too. We’ve seen scammers list Gmail addresses for supposed hiring managers!)

• Jobs that ask for payment of — or offer — payment up front. No legitimate business is going to send you a check to buy equipment. They’ll stop payment on the check and leave you holding the bag. Nor will they ask for your Social Security number and bank account before you’ve been through an interview process and been offered a job.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, there are workarounds you can use to find positions faster.

You can also target the most recently posted listings, which will help you get your application in sooner and boost your chances of getting an interview.

Here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help get directly to the most relevant job listings.

LinkedIn

Use Filters
Use advanced filters to narrow down listings that match your interests and to find contacts who work at the company.

Here’s how:

• Select the Jobs tab, then search for your desired role and location (or choose “Remote”).

• Click or tap All Filters.

• Select options such as Date Posted, Remote, In Your Network, Under 10 Applicants, Experience Level, and Employment Type.

• Click Show results.

Search Public Posts
Hiring managers, recruiters, and current employees often post unlisted openings on their personal feeds using phrases such as “we’re hiring” or “join our team.” This is a great way to discover current openings from companies that are actively recruiting.

To find these posts:

• Type a target phrase along with your industry or role into the main search bar. For example: “hiring” AND “Customer Service Manager.”

• Click the “Posts” tab at the top of the search results.

• Filter by “Past Week” to see real-time, active announcements from real people.

Get the Most Recent Job Postings
This free LinkedIn job search tool from Jan Tegze lets you quickly find the latest job postings on LinkedIn, whether they were posted in the last hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, or 24 hours, so you can be one of the first to apply. That’s important because if your application is buried under hundreds of others, it may never get seen.

Look for a Contact
One of the most effective ways to get hired is by leveraging a connection inside the company. When filtering the search results, use the “In Your Network” option to instantly see if you have a contact who can help. For other listings, take a moment to check the company’s LinkedIn page to see if any of your connections work there.

Google

Search for Recently Posted Jobs
One of the quickest ways to find listings that were just posted is to search Google using its built-in job search feature. By filtering for the newest posts, you can beat the rush and get your application in early.

Here’s how:

• Search Google for the job title and location you’re interested in (e.g., “Data Analyst Austin” or include the word “Remote”).

• Click the “Jobs” search panel that appears at the top of the results.

• Click the Date Posted filter and choose Yesterday, Past 3 days, or Past week.

Save Job Postings
When you’re in the Jobs section on Google, look for the bookmark icon next to listings you’re interested in. Google will compile these into a “Saved” tab at the top of the job panel, creating a dashboard of roles you can easily return to when you’re ready to apply.

General Strategies

Set Up Automated Job Alerts
Sign up for job alerts on the job sites you use most frequently and let the listings come to you. Spend a little time each day reviewing the automated email digests (and applying) rather than browsing the sites for hours.

Look for Exact Matches
When you’re searching, you can use the operators AND, OR, or NOT to filter out positions that aren’t a match for what you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for a remote, entry-level product marketing role, you can search for “Accountant” AND Remote AND “Entry Level” or “Operations Director AND Senior”. On most job boards, you can further refine your results by filtering for Date Posted and Job Type.

Use Company Websites
One of the best ways to find and apply for jobs is directly through a company’s careers website. This ensures you are viewing the most current openings and speeds up the application process. If there is a specific company you would love to work for, visit their site and sign up for job alerts. Also, check out this list of employers hiring right now. There are over 40 employers with 100+ job openings.

Don’t Count on “Easy Apply” or “Quick Apply”
Features like “Easy Apply” or “Quick Apply” make it tempting to think you can speed up your job search. While they are definitely fast, these listings often get flooded with hundreds of resumes within hours. Instead, use these posts to find the opening, then go directly to the company’s careers page to apply.

Use Niche Job Sites
When you’re looking for a role in a specific industry, using niche career sites can be a time-saver. The Job Search Database can help you find the best sites to use. It includes links to over 1,000 active, specialized job boards organized by category. Targeting these industry-specific platforms allows you to bypass the noise of massive job boards, find positions that meet your criteria, and, best of all, face less competition for every opening.

Know someone who needs career advice? Forward this their way!

If someone forwarded this post to you, you can subscribe here for free.

Connect with us: Facebook | LinkedIn

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

SPECIAL EDITION: Resources for Unemployed Federal Workers

If you’re one of the thousands of federal workers who’ve recently lost their jobs — or if you’re concerned that you’re about to join them — you need and deserve support. We’ve assembled some helpful resources to get you through the next couple of weeks and months as you figure out what to do next.

Are you worried about losing your job? Given the number of layoffs over the last few years, you’re right to be concerned. It can happen to anyone, sometimes when you have no clue that your role isn’t secure. Worse yet, you might not get any advance notice. Often, employees only find out when their access to company Slack, email, and internal systems is suddenly cut off.

How can you tell if it could happen to you? Sometimes employers announce upcoming workforce reductions, making it obvious that your employment is on the line. In other cases, it’s much harder to tell if your position is on the chopping block.

Even if you love your job and have no intention of leaving, it’s always better to be ready just in case your employer decides to eliminate your role.

Here is what to watch for if you’re concerned about job security, along with ways to protect yourself, just in case. Some of these red flags are broad corporate changes that impact everyone, while others are personal shifts in your relationship with your manager and the company.

Changes at the Company

Mergers and Acquisitions

When mergers and acquisitions happen, redundancy is almost guaranteed. A combined company doesn’t need two HR departments, two accounting platforms, or overlapping marketing teams. If your company is bought out or merges with another, expect a workforce evaluation and potential restructuring.

Work Processes and Software Changes

Companies are constantly adopting new technology to automate workflows and save money. If your employer is heavily discussing implementing generative AI tools or consolidating multiple departments into a single software platform, evaluate how those shifts impact your day-to-day. If a new system can do 80% of your manual tasks, your role may be at risk of being downsized or phased out.

Budgets and Perks Are Being Cut

Even if a company is profitable overall, specific departments may be struggling. Pay attention if your team’s budget gets slashed, but also look at broader company spending. Sudden travel bans, hiring freezes, or the elimination of standard company perks are often early indicators that workforce reductions are being considered.

The Company Has Financial Issues

One of the biggest red flags to watch for is the bottom line. If an organization is missing revenue targets or losing money, leadership will actively look for ways to trim expenses. Often, the fastest way to cut costs is by reducing headcount, which could mean eliminating individual jobs or laying off entire teams.

The Company Is Cutting Other Jobs

If layoffs are already happening on other teams, don’t assume your department is safe. It often means a larger, rolling cost-cutting strategy is underway. When you hear about job cuts elsewhere in the organization, take a realistic look at your own role and consider how future rounds of restructuring might impact your position.

Signs Your Job Might Be at Risk

Your Performance Reviews or Feedback Are Slipping

Are you suddenly receiving critical feedback or formal negative reviews? If you feel you are meeting expectations but your manager suddenly starts documenting small mistakes, it’s a red flag. They may be building a “paper trail” to justify a termination. If this happens, ask for a clear, written improvement plan to see if the situation can be salvaged.

You Don’t Get Along With Your Manager (or Team)

Sometimes losing a job has nothing to do with company finances. If you and your manager are constantly clashing or communication has broken down entirely, it’s a strong sign of friction. Cultural misalignment with the broader team is a similar warning sign. While it’s worth trying to communicate openly to fix the relationship, realize that a toxic dynamic is rarely sustainable.

Your Workload Lightens Significantly

Are you being assigned less work? Are major projects you used to manage being handed off to other team members? Having too much downtime or watching someone else take over your traditional responsibilities is a clear sign that leadership is testing how the company functions without you.

You’re Being Excluded From Meetings and Digital Channels

In a remote or hybrid environment, exclusion leaves digital clues. If you notice you are no longer being invited to meetings, or if you discover your team has spun up new Slack channels or Zoom syncs without you, you are likely being cut out of the workflow.

Your Communication Loops Dry Up

Pay attention to your inbox and messaging apps. If a project is moving forward but your standard email loops, project management tags (like Jira or Asana), and casual check-ins completely dry up, it’s often a sign that you are being phased out of active operations.

Your Hours or Shifts Are Cut

For hourly or shift-based roles, a reduction in your schedule can be a sign that you are no longer a priority. This is a particularly strong warning sign if your coworkers’ schedules don’t change or if their hours are increasing while yours shrink.

You’re Not Getting Promoted

If you are getting passed over for promotions, it doesn’t always mean you’re about to be let go. However, it does mean your employer may not see a long-term future for you with the company. It’s an ideal time to reevaluate whether staying is worth it.

What to Do if You’re Worried About Your Job

One of the best ways to handle job anxiety is to channel it into preparation. Even if the situation blows over and your role remains secure, being interview-ready gives you peace of mind.

Remember, exploring the market gives you some control. If you get an offer elsewhere, you don’t have to take it unless it’s the right move.

Start discreetly preparing to transition with these steps:

Update your resume: Ensure your resume accurately reflects your current role, emphasizing tangible achievements and data (e.g., “managed a $50k budget” or “boosted team efficiency by 15%”). Add any new technical skills, certifications, or professional development you’ve completed since your last update. Make a note to keep updating your resume regularly. That way, you’ll be prepared if you have to start a job search.

Adjust your LinkedIn privacy settings: You can update your profile without tipping off your boss or colleagues. Go to your LinkedIn Settings & Privacy, select Visibility, look for Visibility of your LinkedIn activity, and toggle “Share profile updates with your network” to Off. Now you can overhaul your profile without anyone noticing.

Hold off on the “Open to Work” badge: The green “Open to Work“ photo frame on LinkedIn is highly visible. While you can set it to “Only to Recruiters,” internal recruiters at your own company can sometimes still see it. Avoid using it until you have officially separated from the company.

Reconnect with your network: Don’t wait until you’re unemployed to reach out to professional contacts. Start scheduling casual coffee chats, sending friendly check-in messages, and attending industry and networking events. It’s much easier to ask for a referral when you’ve already reestablished the connection.

Expand your network: Don’t wait until you’re out of work to build your professional circle. Instead, connect with just a few people a week to keep it manageable. Reach out to former colleagues, clients, university alumni, and professional association contacts with invitations to connect.

Check out career options: If you’ve been in your current role for a while, the job market may have positions that didn’t even exist the last time you looked. It is always a smart move to see how your skills transfer to other industries, particularly if your current field is facing layoffs. You might find a better job in a higher-paying industry that values the experience you already have. These free career quizzes will help you explore options to see what you could be doing.

Explore the job market: Spend time browsing job boards to see who is actively hiring and what credentials they are looking for. This helps you gauge how robust the market is for your specific skill set.

Launch a proactive job search: If the stress of potential layoffs is affecting your well-being, don’t wait for the axe to fall. Landing a new role on your own terms feels much better than scrambling after a sudden layoff notice. Use our Job Search Guide to get started.

Audit your personal finances: Take a hard look at your bank accounts. Calculate your baseline monthly expenses to see how long your emergency fund would last. Keep in mind that while unemployment benefits help, they only cover a fraction of your previous income. Knowing your numbers reduces panic if a sudden transition occurs.

Get prepared for a layoff: Layoffs can happen at any time for any reason. Review our 30 Day Plan for Surviving a Layoff now so you’ll know what you need to do if you lose your job.

Know someone who needs career advice? Forward this their way!

If someone forwarded this post to you, you can subscribe here for free.

Connect with us: Facebook | LinkedIn

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

Economists were expecting payrolls to add around 110,000 jobs in June, according to Reuters. But the latest jobs report showed only 57,000 jobs added. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised the previous two months’ tallies downward by 74,000 jobs.

There were other signs of weakness as well. The lower unemployment rate, which dipped to 4.2%, coincided with a shrinking labor force, a decline in prime-age workers, and a rise in the number of people who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer.

Further, healthcare — one of the only industries that reliably adds jobs each month — added fewer jobs than usual (+22,000 compared to an average of +38,000 per month for the year). And leisure and hospitality shed 61,000 jobs, defying expected gains for the World Cup.

In short, the job market hasn’t thawed yet. But if you’re looking for work right now, you already knew that.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

What Experts Are Saying

“A broader measure of unemployment, which includes people who are ‘marginally attached’ to the job market or who are working fewer hours than they would like, also dropped in May, to 7.9 percent. That might otherwise be seen as a good sign. But this time it seems more likely that people have stopped looking for work. That follows a rise in the number of people who have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks, which is up 286,000 over the year — a consequence of the low hire, low fire labor market in 2025.” – Lydia DePillis, The New York Times

“That — the labor market is OK — phrasing is useful from a macro perspective, but job seekers or would-be job seekers may see it differently. That’s often the way it goes with these big-picture numbers. It can be simultaneously true that employers are adding jobs amid a fairly stable labor market and you are having trouble finding work. Paired with the very real affordability constraints brought on by inflation and right now could be a painful time for the 7 million people who are out of work.” – Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist at Nerd Wallet

“At first glance, this week’s labor market reports appeared to tell different stories. JOLTS showed job openings unexpectedly increased. Challenger reported the fewest announced layoffs since December. Weekly jobless claims remained historically low. Yet today’s payroll report showed hiring slowed sharply.

“The reports are not necessarily in conflict because they measure different stages of the employment process. Job openings reflect employer demand for workers. Challenger measures announced layoffs. Jobless claims track workers entering unemployment. Payrolls measure the workers employers actually hired. Businesses can keep job openings posted, slow the pace of hiring, and avoid layoffs all at the same time. Today’s report suggests hiring has become the primary adjustment mechanism.” – Thomas J. Thompson, Chief Economist at Havas

Just Give Me the Data, Please

The Employment Situation Summary by the numbers:

Total nonfarm employment: +57,000 jobs

Unemployment rate: 4.2% (down from 4.3% the previous month)

Revisions to previous jobs reports: 74,000 fewer jobs than originally reported for April and May

Long-term unemployed: 1.9 million (little changed from the previous month, but up 286,000 over the year)

Labor force participation rate: 61.5% (down from 61.8% for last month)

Employment-population ratio: 59% (down from 59.2%)

People employed part-time for economic reasons: 4.7 million (down from 4.8 million the previous month)

People not in the labor force who want jobs and have looked for work in the last year: 6 million (down from 6.2 million the previous month)

Discouraged workers: 477,000 (down from 486,000 the previous month)

Average hourly earnings: $37.64 (up 13 cents, or 0.3%)

Industries that added jobs:

• Professional and business services (+36,000)

• Social assistance (+25,000)

• Healthcare (+22,000)

Industry that lost jobs:

• Leisure and hospitality (-61,000)

Industries that remained essentially flat:

• Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

• Construction

• Manufacturing

• Wholesale trade

• Retail trade

• Transportation and warehousing

• Information

• Financial activities

• Government

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why You’re Finding Job Listings Too Late (and How to Fix It)

One of the most frustrating parts of job hunting is spending time weeding through listings to find openings that actually match what you’re looking for. To make your search more time-effective, here are some tips (and a few tricks) to help you get directly to the most relevant job listings.

40+ Companies That Are Hiring Right Now

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets. Check them out here.

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

It’s hard to get hired right now. Job boards are full of ghost jobs, employers insist on long interview cycles and then drop candidates with a form email, and the news churns out endless stories of industry-wide layoffs.

Sometimes, the best way to get out of the doom loop is to stop looking for open jobs and start looking at employers that are hiring for multiple open roles. It’s not foolproof; you might still run into some listings that are just for show. But you’re more likely to find legit roles from a company that’s advertising hundreds of jobs.

With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of employers that are hiring right now. These companies have 100+ open jobs, a history of hiring, and opportunities for diverse skill sets.

Tech

This sector has taken a hit in recent years, but there are still jobs out there — and not just for AI engineers.

Some employers that are hiring right now include:

• Apple

• Google

• NVIDIA

• Meta

• Microsoft

• Salesforce

Don’t let recent layoffs at an organization stop you from checking their careers pages. It’s not uncommon to see mega-companies cut staff while hiring for thousands of open roles in other areas.

Tip: But do keep in mind that it’s important to be loyal to yourself and not to an organization. If we’ve learned one thing in recent years, it’s that companies don’t care about us. Keep your resume updated and your connections active, even when you’re in a good situation.

Financial Services

Financial services encompasses a wide range of categories from commercial banking to corporate finance to wealth management. So there are a lot of jobs — and employers — to choose from, depending on your interests and skill set. Some even hire workers with no experience for entry-level positions and then provide training.

These are a few employers with open jobs right now for candidates with various levels of experience:

• Ally

• Bank of America

• Capital One

• Charles Schwab

• Fidelity

• Wells Fargo

Looking for remote? Built In keeps a list of employers hiring remote workers in finance.

Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the few industries that has consistently added jobs over the past few years. But you don’t necessarily have to be a doctor or a nurse to take advantage of this growing field.

Local hospital systems need administrators, tech personnel, facility support, food service workers, and security staff. If you’re working in a different industry and have any of these skills, you might consider taking your experience and transferring it to a more secure sector.

Many national and worldwide healthcare employers also hire remote staff. Consider:

• Cigna

• CVS Health

• Humana

• Mayo Clinic

• UnitedHealthcare (includes remote and on-site jobs)

Education

Here’s an example of an industry that’s mostly (although not exclusively!) local. Your best bet is to check the websites of local public and private schools, universities, colleges, and community colleges.

However, there are also industry-wide resources to check out:

• Higher Ed Jobs

• Indeed’s list of employers offering online tutoring jobs

• National Association of Independent Schools

• SchoolSpring

• Women in Higher Education

Retail

We’re calling this retail, but you know that some of these monster superchain big-box stores hire for everything from cashiers to supply chain maintenance planners to pharmacists. (We’re looking at you, Walmart and Costco.)

So, regardless of what your specialty is, it’s worth taking a look at open positions in your area. A few places to start:

• Best Buy

• The Gap/Old Navy

• Giant

• H-E-B

• Home Depot

• Kohls

• Lowes

• Stop and Shop

• TJX

Delivery and Logistics

Americans love buying stuff, and someone has to get their purchases from Point A to Point B. Delivery and logistics professionals are the folks who do that. These jobs include drivers, warehouse associates, and supply chain managers.

• Amazon Delivery

• Amazon Warehouse

• FedEx

• UPS

Other Places to Try:

Sometimes the best way to get hired is to stick close to home. Get on mailing lists for your favorite local businesses and services. Ask about job openings the next time you’re in the neighborhood. Remember that a recommendation is the best way to get hired. And who better to recommend you than a friend or neighbor?

Check out:

• State and local governments

• Your local Chamber of Commerce website

• Local businesses and services (restaurants, small retail, construction, agriculture, and landscaping)

• Education and learning (colleges, school systems, libraries)

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Stop Paying for Job Search Help. Everything You Need Is Free.

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role. Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

SPECIAL EDITION: Resources for Unemployed Federal Workers

If you’re one of the thousands of federal workers who’ve recently lost their jobs — or if you’re concerned that you’re about to join them — you need and deserve support. We’ve assembled some helpful resources to get you through the next couple of weeks and months as you figure out what to do next.

We’ve had a few requests from readers for more guidance on the money side of work, including raises, layoffs, benefits, and career transitions. We’re testing some paid-subscriber-only content on personal finance. We hope you like it. Our regular careers coverage, published every Monday, will always be free of charge.

The popular wisdom is that job seekers should always negotiate salary. Studies show that most hiring managers expect to negotiate, at least a little. In that case, not asking for more would be like leaving money on the table.

Further, because raises are calculated as a percentage of what you’re currently earning, a lowball offer now can haunt you throughout your tenure at the organization. If you work in a state or locality that allows companies to ask about your previous salary, you might even wind up with a lower paycheck for life.

Here’s the problem with that logic right now: The rules were made up during a very different job market.

Paid subscribers get our full breakdown: exactly when to negotiate, when to take the offer and run, and how to ask without blowing up an offer you actually need.

Read more

Regular readers of The Job Hopper know that our job searching and career advice content is free. It always will be. However, we’ve had a few requests from readers to do more personal finance content in the newsletter, and those bonus features will be for paid subscribers only. This is the first in our weekly bonus series, Paycheck to Paycheck. We hope you enjoy it.

It’s getting harder and harder to get by, even when you’re gainfully employed. The cost of everything is going up, and it’s more difficult than ever to stretch a paycheck to make ends meet.

It’s even worse when you’re out of work or underemployed. Before you panic (and that’s a perfectly normal reaction to financial stress), there are some things you can try.

Know your options. When you’ve run out of unemployment benefits, your benefits aren’t enough to get by, or your paycheck doesn’t stretch enough to cover the bills, it can be terrifying. But you may be eligible for financial assistance to help you through this difficult time. Here’s where you can look for support.

Check on government benefits. You can use USAgov’s Benefits Finder to get information on federal and state government programs that may help you pay for food, housing, health care, and other basic living expenses.

Make a budget (or review the one you have). Know your current financial situation so you can review how much you need to cut or reduce to balance your budget. Consider using Rocket Money or another free app to manage your money.

10 more tips follow, including how to turn a few phone calls into real relief on your essential bills.

Read more

Job searching is much harder than it used to be. It’s a challenging market, to say the least, and it seems like almost everyone is trying to sell you something to help you land a role.

Save your money. You don’t need to pay to find your next job. There are a lot of free websites, tools, and apps you can use to get hired.

Here are some that can help:

Use CareerOneStop
CareerOneStop has a Skills Matcher & Interest Assessment to identify career paths, Occupation Profiles to check local salaries and job growth, mySkills myFuture to find industries where you can use transferable skills, and the Veterans Job Matcher to convert military codes into civilian roles. They also offer Local Training and Scholarship Finders, an interactive Practice Job Application tool, and a step-by-step Resume Guide to help you build a professional resume.

Get Help From Google
Learn about career options, take a course, earn a certificate, write your resume and cover letters, track your applications, find the latest job listings, and practice interviewing with Google’s career and job search tools.

Get a Free Resume Template
Thanks to Jan Tegze, you can get a free, simple ATS-friendly resume template. That’s all you need to get started. You can tweak it as needed when you apply.

Use AI (Carefully)
AI, when done wrong, can hurt your job search. When your resume and cover letter read just like everyone else’s who is applying for the job, it’s not going to help. It also makes stuff up, so you need to double-check that it’s accurate. Done right, AI tools can help you find jobs that are a match and create templates you can use to expedite your job hunt.

Grow Your Network
It’s impossible to overstate the value of networking in building your career. Many jobs are filled through referrals, and if you don’t have those connections, you could find yourself missing out on your dream job. It doesn’t cost anything to build a network (and you don’t need to pay LinkedIn to do it).

Check Out Career Services
If you’re a college student or graduate, check what resources your school offers. Many offer services, including career counseling, resume and cover letter assistance, internship and job search help, and a career network you can use to make connections to both students and alumni.

Go to the Library
Many local libraries offer job search assistance and workshops, free wifi, and free computer access. Some will even loan you a computer to take home to use. Also check your local Chamber of Commerce website; you’ll often find job listings and career fairs.

Find New LinkedIn Job Postings
This free LinkedIn job search tool from Jan Tegze lets you quickly find the latest job postings on LinkedIn, whether they were posted in the last hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, or 24 hours, so you can be one of the first to apply. That’s important because if your application is buried under hundreds of others, it may never get seen.

Get the Newest Job Listings
One of the quickest ways to find new job listings that were just posted is to search Google using the “Date Posted” feature. Search Google for the job title and location you’re interested in (or select Remote). Then click Date Posted and choose Yesterday, Last 3 Days, or Last Week. You’ll be able to get ahead of the competition and get your application in early.

Use the Job Search Database
When you’re looking for a job in a specific industry or career field, using job sites that focus on the types of jobs you’re interested in can be a time-saver. The Job Search Database includes links to over 1,000 niche career sites, organized by category.

Try Free Interview Practice Tools
It’s always a good idea to brush up your interview skills, even when you’ve done it more times than you can count. Use these free online interview prep tools to practice answering questions and get ready to ace the interview.

Do a Zoom Practice Meeting: Before you participate in a job interview, it’s always a good idea to test your computer settings and make sure your background is appropriate and your appearance is professional. Sign in to Zoom’s practice meeting for a trial run to ensure everything is set.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

Are You Applying to Ghost Jobs?

If you go by the number of listings on job sites and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings are seemingly plentiful. So why is everyone we know having an impossible time getting hired? The answer is ghost jobs.

How To Find Companies That Are Still Hiring

If your job search is stalled, take a break from looking for specific job openings. Instead, target companies that are staffing up. Here’s how.

SPECIAL EDITION: Resources for Unemployed Federal Workers

If you’re one of the thousands of federal workers who’ve recently lost their jobs — or if you’re concerned that you’re about to join them — you need and deserve support. We’ve assembled some helpful resources to get you through the next couple of weeks and months as you figure out what to do next.

The job market has been mostly stagnant for quite some time. It feels nearly impossible to get an interview, much less a job offer, right now.

The smart move would seem to be to hold on to any job you have, no matter how lousy. But if you’re stuck in a bad job right now, you know that there are times when even the promise of a steady paycheck doesn’t seem worth it.

The problem, of course, is that most of us don’t have the option to up and quit, especially during a historically bad job market. As a result, a whole lot of workers feel stuck right now.

Here are a few examples of situations that might make it hard to quit (even if it feels impossible to stay):

• The work environment is toxic: Maybe your boss is a bully, or the company culture revolves around the kind of jokes that need a target. Whatever the reason, if you find yourself dreading work, unable to focus, or suffering from new or worsened health problems like insomnia, frequent sickness, or depression, it might be time to move on.

• The workload is unsustainable: Lots of companies are laying people off right now and saying it’s because AI made their services redundant. What’s actually happening is that the surviving workers are being asked to do the work of three people. But even the best LLMs are just tools, not replacements for an entire team.

• There’s actual abuse/harassment/discrimination: More than 1 in 5 workers worldwide say that they’ve experienced harassment or violence at work, according to a global study. If this is your situation, keep a detailed, dated account of your experience and consider meeting with an employment attorney to see what your rights are. (Look for one that offers a free consultation.)

How to Stick It Out

But let’s just say that none of these extreme situations are present, and you’d still prefer to be working somewhere else. How do you survive at your current job until you can hop to another?

• Figure out what to do next: The worst feeling is not liking your job and not knowing your next move. To get unstuck, try some free career quizzes that can help you recognize what you enjoy doing most at work and where your opportunities might be.

• Upskill yourself: Once you have an idea of where you want to go, the next step is to learn how to get there. Look at LinkedIn profiles of people with your target job title to see where their skill sets differ from yours. Then hit CareerOneStop for training resources.

• Leave work at work: This is the toughest one. When you’re unhappy at work, it’s hard to leave it there. But do your best to keep reminding yourself that work stays during work hours (if possible — we know that some employers are fuzzy on these boundaries, which makes it hard).

• Find things to look forward to outside of work: It can be as trivial as a favorite TV show dropping on streaming or as healthy as taking a regular yoga class or building walks into your daily schedule. Pick up a silly little hobby and do something just for fun. Put time with friends and family on your calendar and keep those commitments no matter what. When work is a drain on your energy, you need to recharge elsewhere.

• Remember that it’s not forever: Maybe the most important thing to hold in your mind is that all conditions are temporary. Just because you can’t see your way clear of this professional situation right now doesn’t mean you’ll always feel stuck. One way or the other, you’ll find a way to move forward.

What to Do Before You Quit

We won’t waste your time by telling you to get a new job before you quit the old one. You almost certainly already know that and are looking for your next gig. But what if you can’t line up the next job and really need to go?

Here’s what to do before you make a decision:

• Cut every expense you can. Start with the painless ones, like that streaming service you never use. Look for lower-cost options for staples (like Aldi or dollar stores instead of your regular grocery store).

• Figure out your absolute rock-bottom budget. How much do you absolutely need to get by each month?

• Find a way to get money coming in. Side hustles, gig apps, freelance, dogwalking, househacking, etc., can help you survive in lean times.

• Look for bridge jobs. Not every role has to be your dream job. The right “just-for-now” job can keep you afloat while you figure out your next move.

Alison Doyle and Jen Hubley Luckwaldt are trusted career experts and the co-authors of The Job Hopper, a free weekly newsletter with career advice you can actually use. Subscribe at thejobhopper.substack.com.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

The Job Hopper’s Guide to Job Searching

Are you on the hunt for your next job? Whether you’re currently unemployed, looking to grow in your field, or planning a career pivot, we have the tools to support you every step of the way.

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Kindness isn’t just the absence of bad behavior, and it isn’t just being nice. Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

The New Rules of Applying for Jobs (That No One Told You)

Today’s job market rewards speed, strategy, and a willingness to think differently about how you show up. Here’s what’s actually working right now.

10+ Free Career Quizzes

When you’re unsure about your next move or considering a total pivot, a career assessment can be the perfect spark to find new options. These quizzes are a great (and even fun) way to discover roles you may never have considered.

How to Build a High-Impact Job Search Strategy (Without the Burnout)

In today’s competitive market, simply applying at random won’t yield results, regardless of how qualified you are for the role. Whether you are just starting out or your current search feels stuck, here are several high-impact strategies to increase your chances of landing your next position.

How to Survive Financially Until You Get Hired

Job searching is tough under the best of circumstances. Throw in a stagnant job market and limited unemployment benefits, and you have a recipe for financial stress. If you’re unemployed and worried about finances, here are some ways to buy some time until you land a job.

The Top 5 Job Search Sites, According to the Data

Job sites are less effective on-ramps to employment than they used to be, but they can be part of a successful job search strategy. However, not all sites are equally useful.

This was a blockbuster jobs report: payrolls added 172,000 jobs in May, and revisions to previous months tacked on an additional 93,000 jobs.

“Well, I guess we have an answer to whether the labor market has gotten its mojo back from last year — or at least that’s what the evidence is pointing to at this point,” wrote Lydia DePillis this morning at The New York Times.

Job gains were also broader based than in previous months’ reports, including leisure and hospitality (+70,000 jobs) and local government (+55,000 jobs), as well as healthcare (+35,000 jobs), typically a reliable sector for job growth.

However, the May Challenger Report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed 16% more job cuts in May than the previous month. Driven largely by AI adoption — or at least corporate’s desire to funnel investment toward AI projects and away from labor — last month’s tally of 97,006 cuts was the highest May total since 2020.

JOLTS, the monthly job openings survey from the Labor Department, was also weird: the number of job openings rose, but hires and separations both decreased. This could mean that employers were gearing up to start hiring in April (this particular survey is two months behind). Or it could mean more ghost jobs.

Bottom line, there’s reason to be cautiously hopeful, but it’s still a very, very tough market for job seekers.

Sponsored by Remote Rocketship

Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 100,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. There’s also a link to the application page, company website, and LinkedIn page, which will help you avoid scams. The basic version is free. The premium version is $21 per month, with quarterly and annual discounts available.

Subscriber Discount: To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using this link.

What Experts Are Saying

“Before the numbers came out, Lydia [DePillis] flagged the question of the ‘breakeven rate.’ That is, the number of jobs the economy needs to add each month just to keep up with population growth. Many economists estimate that the breakeven rate has fallen close to zero over the past year, due to a combination of the falling birthrate and the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies. But it’s a bit hard to square those estimates with the recent numbers — if employers are adding more than 150,000 jobs per month, and the breakeven rate is near zero, then the unemployment rate should be falling. So far, though, it isn’t.” – Ben Casselman, The New York Times

“On top of the headline AI story [tech layoffs related to AI], we’re seeing a sharp rise in cuts tied to acquisitions and mergers and a jump in bankruptcy-related losses, which tells me companies are restructuring aggressively as they reposition for an AI-driven economy.” – Andy Challenger, labor and workplace expert and chief revenue officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas

“At first glance, this was one of the strongest labor market reports in months. Employers added jobs at nearly double the expected pace, unemployment remained stable, wages continued to grow, and previous estimates were revised sharply higher. Taken together, the labor market was 265,000 jobs stronger than economists believed just 24 hours ago.” – Thomas J. Thompson, chief economist at Havas

“None of this means the labor market is booming. Hiring remains slower than the extraordinary pace seen during the post-pandemic recovery, and many workers in white-collar professions continue to describe a much more difficult job market than the headline statistics suggest.” – Thomas J. Thompson, chief economist at Havas

Just Give Me the Data, Please

The Employment Situation Summary by the numbers:

Total nonfarm employment: +172,000 jobs

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (unchanged from the previous month)

Revisions to previous jobs reports: +93,000 jobs than originally reported for March and April

Long-term unemployed: 2 million (up from 1.8 million the previous month and an increase of 524,000 over the year)

Labor force participation rate: 61.8% (unchanged)

Employment-population ratio: 59.2% (up from 59.1%)

People employed part-time for economic reasons: 4.8 million (down from 4.9 million the previous month)

People not in the labor force who want jobs and have looked for work in the last year: 6.2 million (ticked up slightly from 6.1 million the previous month)

Discouraged workers: 486,000 workers (up from 475,000 the previous month)

Average hourly earnings: $37.53 (up 12 cents, or 0.3%)

Industries that added jobs:

• Leisure and hospitality (+70,000 jobs)

• Local government (+55,000 jobs)

• Healthcare (+35,000 jobs)

• Social assistance employment (+12,000 jobs)

• Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (+5,000 jobs)

Industries that lost jobs:

• Financial activities (-22,000 jobs)

Industries that remained essentially flat:

• Transportation and warehousing

• Construction

• Manufacturing

• Wholesale trade

• Retail trade

• Information

• Professional and business services

Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Why It’s So Hard to Get a Job Right Now, According to the Data

108 days. That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025. Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

How To Find Companies That Are Still Hiring

If your job search is stalled, take a break from looking for specific job openings. Instead, target companies that are staffing up. Here’s how.

SPECIAL EDITION: Resources for Unemployed Federal Workers

If you’re one of the thousands of federal workers who’ve recently lost their jobs — or if you’re concerned that you’re about to join them — you need and deserve support. We’ve assembled some helpful resources to get you through the next couple of weeks and months as you figure out what to do next.

108 days.

That’s the median amount of time job seekers can expect between the start of their job search and getting an offer, according to the latest data from Huntr, a 30% increase from Q4 2025.

Huntr is an AI-backed job search management platform that also issues quarterly reports on the state of the job market. The Q1 2026 report came out this week, and it is a doozy.

Here’s what the data says about the current (horrifying) state of the job market.

The Listings Are Broken

• 93% of job seekers have applied to a ghost job or suspect they have

• Ghost job exposure scales with how many apps you send — the more you apply, the more fake listings you hit

• 72% encountered a job scam during their search

• Unsurprisingly, only 1% say that they completely trust online job listings

Takeaway: Quality over quantity is the way to go. Huntr found that fewer, more targeted applications convert better than the “spray and pray” method.

Even If You Get an Offer, It Might Disappear

• 1 in 5 job seekers had an offer withdrawn in Q1 2026 (nearly double the 2025 full-year rate)

• Mid-career workers are hardest hit (29%)

• 71% of job seekers lowered their salary expectations in 2026, and many of those are the same people losing offers

Takeaway: Don’t bet on a new job offer panning out. If you’re employed, wait to resign until you have a signed offer in hand. If you’re unemployed, keep applying until you’re settled into your new job.

Be aware of state law; all U.S. states except for Montana are at-will employment states, meaning that your employer can revoke your offer at any time. However, in a few states, like New Jersey, you might have a legal claim for damages in some situations under the doctrine of promissory estoppel. An employment attorney can advise you about your situation.

Everyone Is Using AI; Everyone Hates It When Other People Use AI

• 2 in 3 job seekers say they’ve been rejected by AI

• 18% say they lost a job to AI or automation in 2026, up from 1 in 7 in 2025

• 42% of candidates say they’d use AI to lie on their resume in order to get a job (even though that’s a bad idea)

Takeaway: Applicant tracking systems don’t work the way most job seekers think they do. They’re more of a filing cabinet than an AI overlord.

The best way to get past the ATS is to make sure that your resume includes the right keywords from the job listing, especially those related to skills, qualifications, and other requirements. That’s how you make sure that your resume gets in front of the human hiring manager who sets the filters. (But again, don’t lie — it’ll come back to bite you eventually.)

Even better: find a contact who can pass along your resume or put in a good word for you.

Being Strategic Is the Best Approach

Most job seekers are focused on LinkedIn, but that’s not the best online source for jobs. Job seekers who applied through Google saw application responses at 2.4x the rate of apps through LinkedIn.

Conversion rates for the past year for top job sites:

• Google: 7.12%

• Wellfound: 5.02%

• Seek: 4.63%

• Welcome to the Jungle: 3.63%

• Handshake: 3.35%

• LinkedIn: 2.94%

Also important to note: Remote jobs are hardest to land. The conversion rate for remote-only listings was 3.63%, which is 37% lower than for on-site only listings.

Meanwhile, tailored resumes converted at twice the rate of untailored resumes, showing that it’s still worth it to customize your resume for each job. What’s not worth it? Churning out lots of applications without adapting your materials.

Per Huntr: “Volume erodes quality. The candidates landing the most interviews per application are the ones writing fewer, more targeted applications. The candidates landing the fewest are the ones running spray-and-pray at scale.”

Takeaway: Make a template of your resume and cover letter for each job title you’re pursuing and customize it for every job.

What Should Job Seekers Do?

This isn’t just a slow job market. It’s a downright weird one. Huntr’s data shows that job seekers who are making it through are targeting their resumes, tailoring them to the job, and resisting the urge to apply broadly instead of strategically.

Alison Doyle and Jen Hubley Luckwaldt are trusted career experts and the co-authors of The Job Hopper, a free weekly newsletter with career advice you can actually use. Subscribe at thejobhopper.substack.com.

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Earlier Posts From The Job Hopper

Skip the Job Boards: Smarter Ways to Find Your Next Job

What can you do to get hired in this challenging job market? One of the best workarounds is to use alternative ways to look for jobs. It can be a little more work, but the payoff (and the response rate from hiring companies) is better. Here are some options to try.

Should You Use AI to Apply to Jobs? Maybe!

The job hunt has devolved into bots talking to bots. Recruiters use AI to write job descriptions, which they post online, and then screen electronically. Job seekers use AI to write their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs, blissfully unaware that they sound just like every other candidate who’s using AI to apply. No one is really talking to a person, and no one is getting anywhere. So what now?

The Job Hopper’s Guide to Job Searching

Are you on the hunt for your next job? Whether you’re currently unemployed, looking to grow in your field, or planning a career pivot, we have the tools to support you every step of the way.

Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s a Career Strategy.

Kindness isn’t just the absence of bad behavior, and it isn’t just being nice. Real kindness involves a sense of community and empathy that makes life better for everyone, regardless of employment status or job title. Cultivating kindness is also the best thing you can do for your career. Let us explain.

The New Rules of Applying for Jobs (That No One Told You)

Today’s job market rewards speed, strategy, and a willingness to think differently about how you show up. Here’s what’s actually working right now.

10+ Free Career Quizzes

When you’re unsure about your next move or considering a total pivot, a career assessment can be the perfect spark to find new options. These quizzes are a great (and even fun) way to discover roles you may never have considered.

How to Build a High-Impact Job Search Strategy (Without the Burnout)

In today’s competitive market, simply applying at random won’t yield results, regardless of how qualified you are for the role. Whether you are just starting out or your current search feels stuck, here are several high-impact strategies to increase your chances of landing your next position.

How to Survive Financially Until You Get Hired

Job searching is tough under the best of circumstances. Throw in a stagnant job market and limited unemployment benefits, and you have a recipe for financial stress. If you’re unemployed and worried about finances, here are some ways to buy some time until you land a job.

The Top 5 Job Search Sites, According to the Data

Job sites are less effective on-ramps to employment than they used to be, but they can be part of a successful job search strategy. However, not all sites are equally useful.