The job market is so bad, workers now think they have worse odds of finding a role than during the pandemic
Posted by fortune@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 69 comments
Job prospects during the pandemic were grim. After all, companies shuttered their windows, business went online, and recessionary forces put most hiring on ice. Of course, most job hunters at the time felt as though the job market was frozen solid.
But now, job hunters across the country actually feel worse than they did during the peak of the pandemic.
Newly released data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York finds that Americans are less optimistic about finding work than they were in 2020, when the government was literally paying people to stay home from work. Since late 2025, the average American worker said they have a roughly 45% chance of securing a new role within three months if they were to quit their job today, according to the Fed’s job finding expectations, a portion of the Consumer Expectations Survey. That’s lower than the 46.2% chance reported in December 2020, marking an especially dire outlook for workers.
Successive warnings of AI’s encroachment on the white-collar workforce has workers fearful their jobs are on the chopping block. Aside from AI, economic headwinds such as unpredictable tariffs and a shrinking consumer base (the result of tightening immigration policy) threaten companies’ growth plans.
To be sure, the U.S. just posted a better-than-expected jobs report. Employers posted 178,000 new roles in March and unemployment edged down to 4.3%, a huge bounce back from February’s dismal numbers.
Read more: https://fortune.com/2026/04/10/job-market-pessimism-fed-reserve-covid-pandemic/
The_Dayne@reddit
Im at a top 25 school.
I have associate degrees in psych and prehealth.
I volunteer.
Ive ran clubs.
Research and write.
Im doing all the things.
I cant get entry level work anywhere.
Ive hit every hospital, small practice, and contractor in the area.
NGOs and labs at my uni.
Restaurants, bars, gas stations.
I even caved and started applying to Walmart and stripmall staples.
Ive recieved 2 interviews since the new year. Professors have all been kind but "we dont have the funding at this time" is giving me waking nightmares.
blasphemousbroad@reddit
To be fair, associates are usually underqualified for medical or psych jobs. Getting a relevant internship while doing additional schooling is all about networking and who you know, usually with connections from your school.
‘We don’t have the funding at this time’ means your school is past capacity in the field you are studying, and you aren’t ranked high enough against your peers to get one of their few internship/assistant jobs.
It doesn’t mean you won’t find work in your field, but you’ll probably need a masters or PhD, and you’ll need to be building those research connections now and identifying those programs. Psych jobs with a bachelors are few and far between.
If you school isn’t supporting you enough career and research wise, the right move would be transferring to a school where you’re a big fish in a small pond instead of a middling student at a top 25.
Hustling in retail while getting advanced degrees is also a very valid path. But don’t assume ‘top 25’ will mean much in the workforce if you aren’t also in their masters/phd/researcher pipeline. An opportunity you get through the top 25 with a good reference is where the value is, top 25 with no support is pretty much the same as non top 25.
aglowworms@reddit
I don't doubt your advice, but stuff like this is always so depressing to read. It seems like every year the bar gets higher. I'd love to read the equivalent advice for each decade from the 1950s onwards. So now you don't just have to get into a top school, be highly involved in extracurriculars, do a good, possibly unpaid, internship, but also give up your college friends and transfer schools if you aren't a top student at your top school because otherwise you'll never have the chance to get an ordinary job in the health field, on of the most highly in-demand fields? What a sad way to have to spend your adolescence and young adult years.
blasphemousbroad@reddit
My advice there was very much predicated on the Psych/Premed combination. Psych is kind of its own tricky beast in academia. Researcher and practitioner paths are weirdly distinct and both super competitive, and you can end up at a school that prioritizes research when you want to go into practice. Notoriously it’s hard to get a psych job with just a bachelors, vs nursing and many other practice focused programs.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
Well, I had to go back to school in the mid '90s because my two years of college were no longer enough, in spite of my many years of directly related experience, because suddenly every employer wanted someone with a bachelor's. Does that help? I ended up getting a master's for good measure, since I didn't want anyone to ever again say I didn't have enough degrees to make me a candidate for even the most basic job.
This isn't a new trend.
And no, you don't necessarily need to go to a top school, although a degree from a locally popular state school can open doors with other alumni, who often like to hire their own. And no employer gives a rat's ass about whether you were on the damn lacrosse team or whatever. That sort of stuff on a resume just makes you look like you peaked in college.
Go look up job openings for the jobs that interest you, see what they want for qualifications, and proceed from there.
aglowworms@reddit
I wasn't asking for advice. I was commenting on how unfortunate the situation is.
stasi_a@reddit
And 50% of the population don’t have your fallback option
CompostYourFoodWaste@reddit
It's quiet for sure. And the few jobs I hear back from, I don't want.
Front_River_2367@reddit
"178,000 new roles" I'll give it 2 weeks before that gets corrected down to like 12.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
Many of those roles are in hospitality and construction. Hardly useful for a degreed IT worker or an MBA. Health care remains a good bet, but you need a specialized degree in something. Radiology and respiratory tech are only 18 months. Nursing is a 4-year degree.
Front_River_2367@reddit
Unfortunately, there is a ton of money to be made by exploiting the inelastic needs of human beings. You can always bet on someone needing healthcare and shelter, whether you can provide it in a way that won't bankrupt the average worker... well, I guess their bootstraps just weren't tight enough.
CHARM1200@reddit
All those jobs are very much going to be the next wave of things to be decimated by AI. That includes doctors. Doesn't mean they're going to be replaced but, if you think it's going to affect the job market, you definitely are right
Sea_Sun_5231@reddit
I'm desperately trying to leave this country (US) because I know the field I want to work in it better in a few of the countries I want to work at on certain ways that matter to me right now. It's difficult, the idea of uprooting me and my husband for a job but I know our quality of life will be so much better. I'm simply hiding my time until I can do that. Counting down the months and days.
I went to a top 40 school in the country, and one of the top 150 in the world. I got fantastic grades and yet I'm also applying to thrift stores being told they're looking for better qualified candidates to be a cashier.
AugustusKhan@reddit
Yep I’ve pretty much given up, and the worse part is I know nothing can change for the better if a don’t try but with over a year of just basically zero prospects/progress idk how to think anything else but a mix of depression and despair
nothankeww@reddit
yep
nothankeww@reddit
yep, can confirm
kdawg09@reddit
Admittedly there was a gap in my resume, but I've been job hunting for over a year. I talked to a VA career counselor and at the end she basically said "it's not that you aren't qualified there just are t jobs in your town". Yeah, tell me something I don't know. Doesn't help that it's Appalachia.
Fearless-Temporary29@reddit
Join the industrial military complex. You can't stop the war machine.
realperson5647856286@reddit
I'm an American IT worker. I read about major companies in my field laying off 10s of thousands every month. These people aren't getting new jobs. They're being replaced with H1-B and overseas workers. I have 20 years experience and I'm pretty certain my current job will be my last in the field.
eye_of_the_sloth@reddit
Yeah 30k axed from Oracle last week. Add those people to the ever growing pool of candidates into the ever shrinking job pool. 6 months ago i was told 700+ people applied to my hybrid role, so a localized snapshot into the supply of experienced job seekers in IT. Every month the gap grows, its pretty fucked. The companies know this so they treat their workers like shit and pay them below their worth. My manager is toxic and i have to endure abuse because theres nowhere else to go.
-Flukeman-@reddit
Do you have .net C# experience?
thevid9@reddit
I was a part of the recent Oracle layoff on 3/31 and I have many years of .net c# experience from my time at Cerner and then later Oracle after the acquisition, would be interested in hearing about the .net roles if you have them.
stasi_a@reddit
Does Claude count?
-Flukeman-@reddit
Lol, I dont think so.
siraliases@reddit
I was told the economy is booming
How could stock prices not reflect general living standards and ability to succeed? This can't be true!
(/s)
errie_tholluxe@reddit
Hey all those job creators will be getting on that any time now
strutt3r@reddit
"There are Lies, damned lies, and statistics"
siraliases@reddit
I swear to Ursoc people do not understand "appeal to stats"
TemporaryUser10@reddit
Weird that the same guy was in charge through both of these sessions
DoubtSubstantial5440@reddit
Are the ultra rich hurting? They’re the only people who matter
diovengeance92@reddit
That's why I follow the Dow Jones; I need to know the current state of the billionaires' feelings at any given moment!
xpmadmanqx@reddit
Is it over 50,000 still?
Ripple22@reddit
I don't know why you're laughing
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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VerySaltyScientist@reddit
I had to leave the country to get a job. Was in my third mass layoff in a row, was applying 5 months and not even getting an interview. Then I started applying in the UK where I also have citizenship and it was wildly different.
stasi_a@reddit
And all for a $35k salary?
VerySaltyScientist@reddit
£90,000 so like $121,000. Its less than what I was making but not in an expensive city and I really just want stability at this point. The jobs in London pay more but London is expensive.
Goatmannequin@reddit
It's worse than 2008. If you don't think so, you need to get back in touch and out of suburbia.
I_Enjoy_Beer@reddit
No, it isn't. Yet.
HousesRoadsAvenues@reddit
From the article:
"To be sure, the U.S. just posted a better-than-expected jobs report. Employers posted 178,000 new roles in March and unemployment edged down to 4.3%, a huge bounce back from February’s dismal numbers."
I don't believe this stat. Not one bit.
IKillZombies4Cash@reddit
100s of applications for a $50k Analyst Trainee, most from people with 20yrs experience - its TERRIBLE out there.
Then do I 1) Hire the smart college grad with no experience for whom the job was basically intended for, or 2) Hire the person with 20 years, 3 degrees, too qualfied, will be underpaid, and leave for a better job.
I think #1, so then #2 loses their house. #1 would just go live at home and then wait tables and watch their career never get off the ground (one can only be a waiter for so long until that hurts you).
Its horrible
nakedonmygoat@reddit
I agree it's terrible out there, but applicant tracking systems have made things worse in some ways. Hear me out on this.
In analog times, you either went in person or mailed your resume and cover letter. It was a pain in the derriere, but at least unqualified candidates weren't clogging the works. Now that everyone can apply for anything and everything in their underwear, there's no downside from the applicant's viewpoint, to applying for things they don't qualify for.
I've seen over 400 applicants for an Oracle-certified Database Developer. How many were actually qualified? about 10. All the others were web developers and desktop support techs. Many applicants know that they'll be weeded out by the algorithm, so they'll sometimes lie in the hope of getting a call back. This wastes everyone's time.
In the meantime, good candidates get lost in the shuffle, and employers have been slow to add recruiters to help meet the demand.
I don't know what the solution is, I only know that it's a problem.
FrivolousMe@reddit
Do you think all adults have the choice to go live somewhere for free? Most of the ones that do and need to are already doing so
sloppymoves@reddit
Where and when is that #2 going leave for a better job? What better job? Where did it exist?
Its all pretty fucked no matter where it goes.
CannyGardener@reddit
The idea being it is safe harbor in the storm, until things hopefully hit an upswing for long enough to get something better.
sloppymoves@reddit
When we are talking about theoretical professionals with 20 years of experience, that means this person is likeliest 40+ years of age.
At some point ageism and ageist hiring practices are going to kick in (as much as corpos love to say it doesn't exist) and no one will hire them past 50 or 55. Especially if they weren't able to keep fully up to date with their industry and any new practices while drowning in debt and payments whilst unemployed.
Beyond that, it also assumes that there will be an upswing, and that the upswing will ever look like it used to.
BigwaveBay@reddit
Not necessarily. Some people with 20 years of experience will take the salary cut but your logic is correct.
james_the_wanderer@reddit
Not every #1 is from a middle class family with free lodging to return to.
True-Yooper@reddit
I hear Russia is offering good signing bonuses....
stasi_a@reddit
Coming to a place near you soon
lowrads@reddit
It'd be so easy for people to hang up their own shingle if they didn't have to worry about basic medical finance for catastrophic care, the cheapest category of insurance. The slightly increased corporate taxation wouldn't even matter.
Konradleijon@reddit
Maybe people shouldn’t neeed jobs to be able to live a
switchsk8r@reddit
I assume companies in reality have downsized but are pretending they have more open roles so it looks like they're infinitely growing. Most jobs in our society don't need to exist anyways, it's just that people need jobs to live. (± the loss of jobs from research funds being cut and maybe a little LLM replacement)
Syntactic_Acrobatics@reddit
Well people are hiring welders
CranberryNapalm@reddit
LOL.
Remember when people were committing fraud and time theft by using mouse jigglers and working three remote jobs simultaneously?
Who knew the corporations would force the pendulum violently in the other direction.
Welcome2B_Here@reddit
The work was and is still getting done, so who cares? The mouse jiggling might as well be the same as the constant distractions and time wasting conversations about the weather and "how was your weekend" discussions in the office. Turns out LARPing is okay as long as it's in plain view.
Many executives have multiple seats on boards, advisory roles, consulting, etc. Somehow that's okay, but not for gruntworkers?
eye_of_the_sloth@reddit
That was what productivity could look like, but corporate has a greed for control. Consulting is just that, imagine if their clients demanded they be the inly client serviced lol but they do that to workers.
Au2288@reddit
I had 4 interviews this week. One wasn’t even a 1 on 1, it was all recorded bs. Another, the interviewer didn’t show up, so I left after 15 mins. The 3rd one, decided to run an errand at the time we were supposed to meet. The last one was still in construction with no actual place to interview.
Personally, can’t tell if people are actually hiring or if they just want to talk to non employees throughout the day.
CzIitz@reddit
How OnlyFans and fraud be genuine careers now.
SMH
pro-window@reddit
Go to trade school. All the trades are hiring. It’s white collar stuff that’s really hard to get in to right now. I’m sure this also really varies depending on where you are. My son just got hired at Boeing. He doesn’t have a degree. It’s an entry level sheet metal position. We need to 25th the toad in chief and put someone that doesn’t want to start ww3 in there but unfortunately this mess is going to take years to rectify.
PorcelinaMagpie@reddit
My background is in tech and brand marketing. I've been laid off twice over the past two years. Now I'm wrangling carts at a local big box store in my area just to get by.
But at least the stock market is doing well everyone!
flriverlivin@reddit
Almost as if injecting trillions into the economy causes rapid expansion. Once that injection is used up, contraction occurs to below previous levels due to overload. During the GFC, the Fed purchased assets to keep the economy afloat to the tune of $4.4Tril. They began unwinding in 2018 only to have to resume (not)QE in Sept 2019 (yes before covid). Assets held then reached a peak of $8.9 Tril in 2022. The unwind began down to $6.5 Tril in Dec 2025. The Fed is now increasing assets again. This is the clear example of ‘law of diminishing returns.’ Each time more and more money is needed to keep things going. This will not end well. Assets held by Fed
NyriasNeo@reddit
"Successive warnings of AI’s encroachment on the white-collar workforce"
If you think this is grim, just wait till the robots coming for the blue collar work too.
flriverlivin@reddit
Already been happening…
lightttpollution@reddit
Lost my job in January. Luckily, I have steady freelance income for the time being. Whenever I have to start looking, I know it’s gonna be grim.
thainfamouzjay@reddit
My work was booming during the pandemic. Had recruiters calling back to back. Got like three offers all at once and actually had the leverage to ask for a shit ton of money. I even got to say no to Facebook during the second interview (although I regret that now should have just gone with them and would be in a better place now). Now its a lot harder. Everything is in office or hybrid and I moved to a place where tech jobs are hard to come by. So I need to stay remote and work for a Cali/Virginia/nyc company if I want to keep my lifestyle of lcol area and high paychecks. I miss 2020.
Prestigious_Wrap_932@reddit
Yeah, the framing of this article is moronic. Every tech company in America was suddenly doing record business and overhiring like crazy during the pandemic. It was widely acknowledged as a worker’s market and CEOs were complaining that “nobody wants to work” and couldn’t find enough applicants to fill their available roles.
blackcatwizard@reddit
There was a Bloomberg article recently (late fall 2025 iirc) that said of all applicants (I can't state which/how many) only 0.4% successfully for a position. But ya know things are great and the economy(s) are booming.