00:00The job market may look stable on paper, but a lot of people say it does not feel that way.
00:05A new Gallup poll shows over 70% of workers say this is a bad time to be unemployed.
00:10Here's what's happening.
00:11Only about 1 in 4 workers say it's a good time to find a job, down from 70% in
00:162022.
00:17For college grads, it's even lower, just 19%.
00:20And there are a few reasons why.
00:22For one, hiring has slowed to its lowest level since 2013.
00:25There are also now more job seekers than openings, about 7.4 million people versus 6.9 million jobs.
00:33White-collar fields like tech, marketing, and media are seeing job listings drop by 20-30%.
00:38So we're technically in what's called a low-hire, low-fire market.
00:42Companies aren't laying off a ton of people, but they're also not bringing on a lot of new hires.
00:46At the same time, political leaders, including the president, continue to point to strong job numbers.
00:51That disconnect is leaving a lot of workers, especially college grads, questioning what's actually happening.
00:57Part of it is where the jobs are.
00:59Growth is stronger in fields like healthcare and manufacturing.
01:02Not the white-collar roles many grads are targeting.
01:05And at the same time, companies are being more selective, asking for more experience, more skills,
01:10and in some cases, replacing entry-level work with automation and AI.
01:13For a lot of job seekers, it feels more competitive than ever,
01:17with hundreds of applications, fewer responses, and roles that never get filled.
01:21And some critical economists say that this is more about perception than reality.
01:25But others say the data speaks for itself and shows real cracks in the job market.
01:29So what do you think?
01:30Is the job market actually strong, or are people being left behind?
01:33Drop your thoughts in the comments, check out our website, and follow us here for more.
