Advertise on podcast: Cornering The Job Market

Hiring didn’t just slow in January... it nearly stalled. In today’s episode of Cornering the Job Market, host Pete Newsome breaks down the new ADP employment report showing private employers added only 22,000 jobs last month, far below what’s needed to keep pace with population growth. Healthcare carried the report, while white-collar and manufacturing roles pulled back sharply and regional hiring looked wildly uneven. Next, Pete digs into Upwork’s 2026 in-demand skills report. Despite fears that AI is eliminating work, demand for AI-related skills on the platform jumped 109% year over year. Roles like AI video editing, AI integration, and data labeling are exploding in demand, suggesting AI isn’t replacing work yet; it’s being layered into it. He explains why workers who embrace these tools are gaining an edge while others risk falling behind. Finally, the episode covers major layoffs at The Washington Post, where 300 journalists (roughly a third of the newsroom) were let go as legacy media struggles to keep pace with digital and independent news platforms. Pete connects the dots between industry disruption, entrepreneurial opportunity, and how technology is reshaping who gets to create and distribute content. So here’s the question: If hiring is stalling but AI skills are surging, what are you doing right now to stay relevant? Articles: 1. ADP Report: https://adpemploymentreport.com/ 2. Upwork Skills Report: https://www.upwork.com/research/in-demand-skills-2026 3. NYT on The Post: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/media/washington-post-layoffs.html Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news. 🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

A single number dominates today’s episode: 60%. That’s the share of American jobs now exposed to artificial intelligence, according to the newly released International AI Safety Report, a 156-page study authored by more than 100 experts across 30 countries. In today's episode of Cornering the Job Market, host Pete Newsome zeroes in on what that number actually means for workers. “Exposed” doesn’t mean eliminated, but it does mean the tasks in those roles can now be automated or significantly augmented by AI. The report shows that knowledge work (writing, analysis, coding, research, and communication) is squarely in the crosshairs, and that AI adoption is moving faster than any technology in history, outpacing even the internet and personal computers. Pete breaks down key findings: AI usage among U.S. workers jumping from 30% to 46% in months, freelance writing demand dropping within weeks of ChatGPT’s release, productivity gains between 20–60% in studies, and early signs that junior workers are feeling the impact first. While the report emphasizes that large-scale job loss hasn’t happened yet, Pete explains why focusing on what hasn’t happened can be dangerously misleading when the technology is evolving this quickly. Whether you run a business or work for one, this is not the moment to be passive. So here’s the question: If 60% of jobs are already exposed to AI, what are you doing today to stay ahead of that curve? Link to International AI Safety Report: https://internationalaisafetyreport.org/ Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news. 🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

No January jobs report. Rising layoffs. And a growing narrative that AI isn’t really behind the cuts. In today’s episode of Cornering the Job Market, host Pete Newsome tackles a wave of skepticism around AI’s role in the labor market and why dismissing it now could leave workers unprepared for what’s next. Pete starts with the delay of the Bureau of Labor Statistics January report due to the government shutdown, removing a key data point at a moment when everyone is debating whether the job market is strengthening or slipping. With no federal numbers, attention turns to private data and headlines from companies like Amazon, UPS, Dow, and Pinterest announcing cuts. Then Pete unpacks a New York Times argument that many companies may be “AI washing,” using AI as a convenient explanation for layoffs driven by other economic pressures. He explains why that framing may miss the bigger picture: companies aren’t cutting because AI has fully replaced jobs yet, but because they’re positioning for a future where it will. Investment is shifting from payroll to AI infrastructure, signaling where leadership believes work is headed. Finally, he looks at a Gartner report claiming many AI-driven customer service cuts will be reversed by 2027. Pete highlights a key contradiction in the data: leaders report serving more customers with the same headcount, a sign that AI is already enabling “more with less,” not a return to old staffing levels. The takeaway is clear: early AI may be imperfect, but dismissing its impact because it hasn’t fully arrived is risky. So here’s the question: Are companies overstating AI’s role in layoffs, or are they quietly preparing for a future most workers aren’t ready for yet? Articles: 1. NYT on AI Washing: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/business/layoffs-ai-washing.html 2. Gartner Report: https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-02-03-gartner-predicts-half-of-companies-that-cut-customer-service-staff-due-to-ai-will-rehire-by-2027 Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news. 🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

It’s a Friday episode with a wide-angle view of today’s job market, and plenty to unpack. Host Pete Newsome is breaking down new data showing a growing disconnect between employers and job seekers, rising anxiety about AI-driven job loss, and a surprising look at workplace relationships in 2026. Pete starts with a new report from Indeed, which finds that most employers believe they understand what workers want, while job seekers overwhelmingly disagree. He explains why this gap widens in an employer-driven market, how perceptions flip when power shifts, and why balance (not extremes) matters most for long-term job stability. The episode also explores the widening AI trust gap, as employers push adoption while many workers remain uneasy about what automation means for their careers. Next, he turns to Monster’s 2026 workplace report, which shows that office romance is still very much alive. More than half of workers admit to having a crush at work, and one in three report having been in a workplace relationship. Pete also highlights why managers play an outsized role in job satisfaction: many employees stay longer because of great leadership or leave because of poor management. Finally, the episode covers comments from Avishai Abrahami, CEO of Wix, who predicts that a large share of today’s most popular jobs will be affected by AI in the coming years. Pete weighs in on which roles are most exposed, why timelines matter less than direction, and why ignoring AI is no longer an option for workers at any stage of their career. So here’s the question to end the week: Do you feel your employer actually understands what workers want right now, or are job seekers being forced to adapt faster than companies are willing to listen? Articles: 1. Employers Are Out of Touch & Job Seekers Are Over It: https://www.indeed.com/lead/employers-are-out-of-touch-job-seekers-are-over-it-what-now?hl=en 2. Office Romance Isn't Dead: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/job-search/news-and-insights/office-romance-isnt-dead 3: CEO of Wix on AI & Jobs: https://www.businessinsider.com/wix-ceo-jobs-ai-most-and-least-likely-to-replace-2026-1 Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news. 🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

It’s been a rough week for the job market, and today adds to the pile. In this episode of Cornering the Job Market, host Pete Newsome breaks down fresh job cut announcements from Dow Chemical and Home Depot, marking the latest in a string of workforce reductions by major employers. Dow plans to eliminate 4,500 jobs globally, while Home Depot confirmed 800 corporate cuts, raising more questions about how companies are balancing profits, AI-driven efficiency, and headcount. Pete walks through what’s behind these decisions, including Dow’s claim that AI-driven transformation is a key driver, and why that explanation is becoming both more common and more controversial. He also looks at weekly unemployment claims and labor market forecasts, which still appear stable on the surface, but may not yet reflect the impact of recent layoffs, especially as small and mid-sized businesses quietly pursue similar cost-cutting strategies. Pete closes with a deeper conversation about the stigma of layoffs. New data shows many workers still feel embarrassed about being laid off and even consider hiding it on their resumes. He explains why context matters more than ever, how to handle layoff conversations honestly, and why the stigma may finally fade as layoffs become more widespread. So here’s the question: As AI-driven cuts continue and layoffs become more common, do you think the stigma around being laid off is finally disappearing, or does it still hurt job seekers more than it should? Articles: 1. CBS News on Dow Cutting 4.5K Jobs: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dow-job-cuts-layoffs-4500-ai-artificial-intelligence-automation/ 2. Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases 3. Chicago Fed's Labor Market Forecast: https://www.chicagofed.org/research/data/chicago-fed-labor-market-indicators/latest-release 4. The New Resume Taboo: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/job-search/news-and-insights/new-resume-taboo Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Layoffs are back in the headlines, and they’re colliding with deeper shifts in how companies hire and how workers feel about work. In today’s episode of Cornering the Job Market, host Pete Newsome breaks down major job cuts at Amazon and UPS, alongside new data on skills-first hiring and employee engagement. He starts with Amazon’s confirmation of roughly 16,000 corporate job cuts, completing a broader plan totaling nearly 30,000 corporate reductions since October, the largest in company history, as leadership pushes to reduce layers, increase ownership, and accelerate automation and AI. Pete explains which parts of the business are affected, why Amazon is doubling down on AI despite growing skepticism, and what these moves signal for corporate roles more broadly. Next, Pete looks at UPS’s plan to eliminate up to 30,000 positions and close dozens of facilities as it deliberately scales back lower-margin Amazon delivery volume. Unlike Amazon, UPS is emphasizing attrition and buyouts over direct layoffs, highlighting how strategy, unionization, and profitability shape workforce decisions differently, even during cuts. The episode then shifts to hiring trends from Indeed Hiring Lab, which show that college degrees still matter more than many expect, though requirements vary sharply by geography. Pete unpacks what “skills-first hiring” actually looks like in practice and why degree requirements may be quietly creeping back up. Finally, he closes with new findings from Gallup showing declining employee engagement since 2020, with the steepest drops among Gen Z and younger millennials. Pete shares his perspective on how shifting expectations, remote work norms, and a tighter job market are reshaping the employee-employer relationship. So here’s the question: Do these layoffs and engagement trends feel like a temporary reset, or a sign the job market is fundamentally changing for the next generation of workers? Articles: 1. Amazon Axes 16,000 Jobs: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/amazon-cuts-16000-jobs-globally-broader-restructuring-2026-01-28/ 2. UPS to Eliminate 30,000 More Jobs: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/ups-forecasts-higher-2026-revenue-2026-01-27/ 3. U.S. Employee Engagement Declines From 2020 Peak: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/701486/employee-engagement-declines-2020-peak.aspx 4. Where College Degrees Still Matter in a “Skills-First” Market: https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/01/28/where-do-college-degrees-still-matter-in-a-skills-first-job-market/ Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

AI isn’t just changing jobs... it may be changing the entire entry-level pipeline. In today’s episode, host Pete Newsome breaks down a new, widely discussed essay from Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, that offers one of the starkest warnings yet about what advanced AI could mean for the job market. Amodei’s argument isn’t the usual “technology reshapes work” story. He warns that the speed, scale, and concentration of AI power could displace a massive share of entry-level white-collar jobs in just a few years, potentially faster than workers, institutions, or governments can adapt. Pete explains why the timeline matters less than the direction, and why dismissing these risks as hype may be a mistake. The episode also covers fresh labor market data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including a sharp drop in job openings in Florida and continued signs of slower hiring nationwide. Wage growth is cooling, job creation weakened in the second half of last year, and real income gains are barely keeping pace with inflation, signals that the labor market may be losing momentum heading into the new year. The takeaway is sobering but grounded: AI progress is accelerating, hiring is slowing, and the job market is offering fewer easy on-ramps, especially for early-career workers. So here’s the question: Do you think AI disruption is being underestimated, or do you see this as another cycle we’ll adapt to like the ones before it? Articles: 1. Dario Amodei's The Adolescence of Technology Essay: https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology 2. BLS' State JOLTS: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jltst.nr0.htm 3. Haver Analytics Article: https://www.haver.com/articles/keep-an-eye-on-real-wages-and-hours-worked-in-economy Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

AI is forcing a career reckoning, and it’s happening faster than most people realize. In this episode of Breaking Job News, host Pete Newsome breaks down what AI is actually doing to jobs, why vocational and technical skills are gaining ground, and how “career value” is being measured more clearly than ever.  Pete cuts through the Davos hype to explain what this shift means for middle management, career planning, and choosing skills that will stand the test of a rapidly changing market. He also unpacks new worker sentiment data from ManpowerGroup, revealing a strange contradiction: U.S. workers report solid job satisfaction and stability, yet confidence in long-term security is slipping. Pete explores why people are “job-hugging” rather than job-hopping, how quiet quitting fits into the picture, and how to keep your options open without risking your current role. Finally, he tackled the resume reality of 2026. Longer resumes, heavier keyword stuffing, and growing ATS anxiety are reshaping how people apply, but not in ways that actually help. Pete explains how recruiters really scan resumes, what fails the six-second test, what to cut immediately, and how to structure a resume that gets read by both systems and humans. What do you think:  Is the one-page resume rule still relevant in 2026?  Articles: 1. YouTube: Palantir CEO Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fqxZKdb3J0 2. ManpowerGroup Talent Barometer: https://www.manpowergroup.com/en/insights/talent-barometer 3. Monster's State of the Resume 2026: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/job-search/news-and-insights/state-of-the-resume-2026 Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

The job market looks busy on the surface, but the signals underneath tell a more complicated story.  New data from Indeed, Randstad, and ADP shows workers still pushing for higher pay, better benefits, and real flexibility, even as job postings with flexible hours have barely budged since late 2023. That gap explains why job searches feel harder, and timelines feel longer in an employer-leaning market. Host Pete Newsome breaks down the growing AI divide holding many U.S. workers back. Most AI users save at least an hour a day, yet many employees still don’t see a personal upside. He shares how to turn AI into proof of value by tracking time saved, improving output, and translating results into concrete stories that strengthen interviews, reviews, and negotiations. Pete also unpacks the widening perception gap between confident employers and cautious employees. When leadership expects growth, but teams feel uncertain, retention risk rises. Clear communication around priorities and progress matters more than ever. While ADP’s late-December hiring slowdown looks seasonal, January data will be the real test. Until then, the smartest move is focusing on what you control: broaden your search if flexibility matters, refresh your portfolio, and double down on skills that signal impact. So here’s the question: in a market where workers want more but hiring hasn’t fully caught up, what would actually make you stay—or start looking? Articles: 1. Randstad Workmonitor 2026: https://www.randstad.com/press/2026/randstad-releases-new-workmonitor-2026-report/ 2. Indeed Workforce Insights Survey: https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/01/19/2025-indeed-workforce-insights-survey/ 3. ADP NER Pulse: https://www.adpresearch.com/msm-ai-and-the-great-job-unbundling/ Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Your skills may already be on the clock. In today’s video, host Pete Newsome connects new data from IBM, Indeed, and Monster to show how AI is reshaping jobs, why companies are hiring for mindset over static skills, and where employers are still adding workers at scale. Pete starts with IBM’s Enterprise 2030 findings: executives say roles are becoming shorter-lived, more than half of today’s workforce will need reskilling by 2026, and adaptability is quickly overtaking technical expertise as the most valuable trait. Hiring is shifting toward people who can learn fast, think critically, and work alongside AI agents that increasingly handle execution across marketing, sales, IT, finance, and operations. Next, he balances that future with Indeed’s hiring data. AI job postings are rising fast, but adoption remains heavily concentrated among the largest companies, while smaller employers fold AI into existing jobs without labeling it. That gap explains why AI feels everywhere in the headlines but uneven in real workplaces. Finally, Pete grounds everything in Monster’s 2026 hiring trends. Healthcare, caregiving, retail, admin support, logistics, and skilled trades are still driving the majority of openings, essential, human-heavy work that keeps the labor market moving even as AI accelerates change behind the scenes. So here’s the question: What’s one skill you’re actively working on right now to stay ahead of AI in your career? Articles: 1. IBM Enterprise 2030 Report: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/enterprise-2030 2. Indeed Hiring Lab: https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/01/16/ai-adoption-accelerating-still-concentrated-among-largest-firms/ 3. Monster Hiring Trends: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/job-search/news-and-insights/what-employers-are-hiring-for-2026 Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Is AI coming for your job, or can it actually make you more valuable? In this video, host Pete Newsome breaks down new survey data from Axios showing why many lower-wage and early-career workers feel exposed as AI moves from helper to doer. He explains what today’s AI tools can already handle, from organizing projects to updating spreadsheets, and how that shift is quietly changing everyday work. Pete also zooms out to the bigger picture. U.S. News & World Report’s best jobs for 2026 point to where opportunity still exists, especially in healthcare, technology, finance, and safety-critical roles. Jobs that require judgment, accountability, and human decision-making aren’t immune to automation, but they’re better positioned to use AI as a force multiplier rather than a replacement. The takeaway is practical: waiting isn’t a strategy. Start using AI in your workflow now, automate repetitive tasks, track the results, and build skills that make you harder to replace and easier to promote. The workers who win won’t be the ones who avoid AI; they’ll be the ones who know how to direct it. So here’s the question: Do you feel AI is helping your work today, or do you worry it’s slowly replacing parts of your job, and why? Articles: 1. Axios Survey: https://www.axios.com/2026/01/16/lower-wage-workers-ai-threatens-jobs 2. U.S. News & World Report: https://careers.usnews.com/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Disruption may be cooling globally, but in the U.S., it’s accelerating, and AI is at the center of it. In today’s video, host Pete Newsome breaks down new data showing why most executives are optimistic about AI’s productivity gains while still expecting AI-driven layoffs in the years ahead. That tension is reshaping how companies think about headcount, output, and career paths right now. Pete also unpacks fresh ZipRecruiter data on new hires that explains why job searches are moving faster. More candidates are landing roles in weeks, employers are responding quicker, and application volume per job is falling. At the same time, many workers report limited hands-on AI use, even as companies invest heavily behind the scenes. He explores why AI adoption feels uneven and how much of it is already built into everyday tools without being labeled as “AI.” Finally, Pete looks at job seeker sentiment data that highlights longer hours and mounting pressure, without tipping into panic. The market isn’t booming, but it isn’t breaking either. His takeaway is practical: use this moment to build AI fluency, tie your work to measurable outcomes, and stay flexible as roles continue to evolve. So here’s the question: Are you seeing real AI productivity gains at work or mostly big promises with little change so far? Articles: 1. AlixPartners Disruption Index 2026: https://www.alixpartners.com/disruption-index/ 2. ZipRecruiter Survey of New Hires: https://www.ziprecruiter-research.org/new-hires-survey 3. Express Employment Professionals/Harris Poll: https://www.expresspros.com/newsroom/news-releases/news-releases/2026/01/58-percent-of-us-job-seekers-say-finding-work-will-be-harder-in-2026-yet-42-percent-are-already-on-the-hunt Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

AI headlines are loud, but the real question is how jobs, wages, and hiring change next. In today’s video, host Pete Newsome breaks down the biggest job market stories shaping the future of work, starting with the World Economic Forum’s four futures for jobs by 2030. Instead of one prediction, the data shows four paths driven by two forces: how fast AI advances and how ready the workforce is to adapt. He also unpacks Forrester’s latest analysis on AI and job loss, which shows AI reshapes work far more often than it replaces it. At the same time, new small business data explains why hiring feels stuck: open roles are rising, yet qualified candidates remain hard to find. The issue isn’t demand or confidence; it’s skills and readiness. Finally, Pete connected the dots between these stories and what to do next. He covers which skills hold up across every scenario, why entry-level and administrative jobs face the most pressure, and how workers and employers can stay competitive as AI adoption accelerates. So here’s the question: Which future do you think we’re heading toward, and what are you doing right now to stay ahead of it? Articles: 1. World Economic Forum Report: https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Four_Futures_for_Jobs_in_the_New_Economy_AI_and_Talent_in_2030_2025.pdf 2. Forrester Analysis: https://www.forrester.com/blogs/ai-and-automation-will-take-6-of-us-jobs-by-2030/ 3. NFIB Small Business Optimism Survey: https://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-survey-small-business-optimism-continues-to-rise/ Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Still applying and hearing nothing back? Today’s job market headlines explain why. In this video, host Pete Newsome breaks down the biggest job market stories shaping 2026 and what they actually mean for job seekers and employers right now. Pete starts with Monster’s 2026 Job Market Outlook, which shows a selective hiring market, not a frozen one. Demand is rising for healthcare, behavioral health, skilled trades, logistics, and other hands-on, hard-to-automate roles, while office support, education, and creative jobs cool under budget pressure and automation. The takeaway is simple: jobs aren’t disappearing, they’re shifting. Next, Pete unpacks Glassdoor’s data on how hiring actually happens. Online applications still drive most interviews and offers, but they’ve normalized after peaking in 2023. Recruiter sourcing and referrals are growing as employers try to cut through AI-generated application noise, making human connection more valuable than ever. So here’s the big question: If hiring in 2026 is about being in the right place with the right approach, how are you changing your job search (or your hiring strategy) this year? Articles: 1. Monster 2026 Job Market Outlook: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/job-search/news-and-insights/2026-job-market-outlook 2. Glassdoor Economic Research: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/ai-has-not-killed-online-job-applications/ Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

A soft landing doesn’t look like a victory lap; it looks like a tug-of-war. December added 50,000 jobs versus a 70,000 forecast, unemployment ticked down to 4.4, yet long-term joblessness and involuntary part-time work continue to weigh on households and hiring plans. Host Pete Newsome breaks down why the trend matters more than the miss, and how slower growth in 2025 stacks up against a much stronger 2024. Beneath the headline rate, friction is building: more workers stuck unemployed for 27 weeks or longer, and a persistent gap in part-time work for economic reasons points to tighter screening and cautious employers. One bright spot stands out: wages rose 3.8% year over year while inflation sits near 2.7, creating real gains that smart teams can turn into retention by simplifying job requirements, hiring for potential, and accelerating onboarding and mobility. On the ground, staffing pipelines are warming. We’re seeing more requisitions and faster movement, often an early signal before payroll data turns. If that momentum holds, the first half of 2026 could bring a modest pickup, especially for employers focused on measurable ROI and reskilling. For job seekers, the play is scarce skills and documented impact. For employers, it’s reducing friction and building pathways from part-time to full-time.  So what’s your read on the next quarter, cautious or confident? Article: 1. BLS: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm Don’t miss out! Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest job news.  🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/ 👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/ Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/