Job Market Tea: May 2025

This is not your typical economist take.We're just two women living in this actual economy, reporting what we see and feel — because too many of the reports out there are written by people who don’t live here, don’t work here, and frankly don’t get it.In this month’s Worksties Job Market Tea, we ask: Are we cooling, cracking, or just being sold a headline?Because while the official numbers look "steady," here’s what we’re actually seeing at the seat level:Fewer people are participating in the workforceMore jobless claims are hitting the marketWage gains aren’t keeping up with the cost of livingProfessional hiring is getting cautious — and longer to close818,000 jobs in 2024 were quietly revised awayAnd the "first look" job reports? They’re only about 60 to 75 percent accurate — but they’re what drives the headlines and decisions.If you’ve been wondering why your job search feels harder, or why hiring feels slower, or why your team is hesitant to fill that role — this is why.We break it all down — not as economists, but as women who have built careers here, raised families here, and who are paying these grocery bills right alongside you.What We Cover:The real signals the May report is sendingWhy participation is the number to watchWhy longer time-to-hire is the new normalWhy professional hiring is in a strategic pauseWhy we are entering a pressure moment — and what that means for summerMarket Vibe Check:Hiring is cautious and strategic.Wage growth is not keeping up with real costs.Job seekers are pulling back.Recruiters are seeing longer fill times and tighter client spend.This is the Worksties take — the one grounded in what’s actually happening in the US job market, not what the spreadsheets overseas say is happening.Next month’s report? It’s going to be pivotal.Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.Cue the music. Hold our drink. Let’s get into it. We’re about to say what you’re thinking…This Episode is Sponsored by social jobs.comShop Jennifer’s Store for Ausrine™ Products: ⁠https://ausrineskincare.com/TheWorkstiesThe Worksties email: [email protected] Buy Us a Coffee! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/theworksties... Riverside Podcast Platform: ⁠⁠https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig.... Music from ⁠⁠#Uppbeat⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/c.... License code: XBVTFXDPGBGOXHPR ⁠⁠#TheWorksties⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#talent⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#trending⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#talentacquisition⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#Recruiting⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#WorkStories⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#Staffing⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#Hiring⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#realtalk⁠⁠ #recruiting #talentbranding #employerbrand #influencermarketing #socialrecruiting #futureofwork #worksties #afterhours #recruitmentmarketing #realconnection #talentstrategy