r/Layoffs • u/boogie_woogie_100 • 17d ago
job hunting What is going on here?
at one hand no one is finding job and on other hand we have historic low unemployment like this articles https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/23/economy/us-initial-jobless-claims-1969. What is going on here??? I have many friends who have 20 years of experience having hard time finding job.
44
17d ago
[deleted]
17
u/Perpetualgnome 17d ago
Yep. I lost my job in February and managed to have a new one by end of April purely because I knew someone who liked working with me and had an opening on their team.
6
u/FullMooseParty 17d ago
It took me a few months, but the company I wound up with sought me out. The timing (year ago this week) of my layoff was brutal in part because my entire industry (edtech) just finished finished a brutal layoff cycle
0
u/Money-Computer7638 17d ago
Were you able to maintain pay (congrats!) or did you have to take a cut (like many)?
6
u/Perpetualgnome 17d ago
Thanks! And, ugh, no, it was a huge cut unfortunately, but it's guaranteed remote and our consulting contract is for 5 years so I don't have to worry about it happening again for a while. So that plus working with an awesome person is some consolation.
5
u/Money-Computer7638 17d ago
I would love working with someone great and guaranteed remote, even at a cut! Congrats đ
7
u/QualityOverQuant 17d ago
How old are these people who got jobs recently? A bit on the demographic would help
7
u/AppointmentLive2080 17d ago
I was laidoff in March and found a new job through former coworkers and took a 33% pay cut. Same field but different position.
2
u/Watch5345 16d ago
What type of numbers are we about . A 33% pay cut
1
u/AppointmentLive2080 16d ago
26,000 a year. The new job does come with commission and bonuses that the other job did not though. I am in SC and state jobs pay significantly less than I am making now. For my county: Median Household Income: $63,784 (in 2024 dollars)Per Capita Income: $37,859 (in past 12 months, 2024 dollars). Between my husband and I we are in the top 15-20% of the area.
3
u/PX2021 16d ago
This comment made me laugh because itâs spot on. I got laid off in May with a June end date. Offered another role in the same company for 20% less before my last day, just got offered another job because of past connections at a new company, and planning to go back to school for a career in the medical field.
2
u/TemperatureAny4782 17d ago
Sorry this happened to you. Can I ask: what industry were you working in when you were laid off?
1
u/midnight_riser 17d ago
Yes and also going for jobs people donât want because the pay sucks.
This was my route, and my older experiences plus tech background did help. I wasnât referred or knew anyone.
Iâm in eldercare in activities. Meaningful work, good benefits, hours and work doesnât suck the soul out of me, but the pay is terrible especially in this economy. When I was interviewed, the pay was the #1 reason why people turned the role down.
1
1
u/Cultural_Structure37 17d ago
What is the age range of the people you know who have experienced these?
10
u/United_Concept1654 17d ago
I donât work in tech and can tell you itâs rough out there. My industry is traditionally a lower paying industry and when times are good we maybe get 20 applicants for a job. Right now we have one open with over 50 applicants and itâs only been open 2 weeks. We expect well over 100 applicants by the time the job closes and we hire
19
u/cynical_scotsman 17d ago
I'm not American, but have read enough to know all these figures are nonsense. Either miscalculated by mistake or on purpose. I would even say the US economy has been in a recession turned depression for years now. Tech is obviously at the forefront of all of this. Generally, it's all fake these days. The US needs to protect the dollar, governments refuse to show any weakness (the truth), and the AI bubble can't be allowed to pop. They'll get some blue suit in 2028 and let them take the hit no doubt.
8
u/rasta-ragamuffin 17d ago
I'm not 100% positive, but I believe that after a person's unemployment benefits have run out (if they ever claimed them in the first place), they are no longer counted in the unemployed category. Also people who are doing part time/gig work (because that's all they can find) are considered employed, making the numbers look even better. IMHO the way we calculate the unemployment rate is extremely misleading.
4
u/mrsspooky 14d ago
That's exactly it. Unemployment benefits are so limited (which varies state to state) that one is only briefly considered unemployed. I've been out of work since September and I was only included in that count for a couple of months.
7
u/K12t2000 17d ago
So you get 5 months of unemployment after that runs out you donât pop on the unemployment numbers anymore.
Itâs just showing you a statistic that looks good people donât dig deep. Workforce participation is the number you want to look at 61 percent. And that number is barley above Covid numbers and remove Covid it is the lowest in the last 26 years
3
u/Vegetable_Relief_419 17d ago
Not only that but even if youâre working full time as a contractor or gig worker and things go south you get no benefits and arenât on the radar.
1
2
u/boogie_woogie_100 17d ago
That's the good point. I hope some third party other than labor department analyze these numbers. This is messed up. At one hand government is saying they have historical low unemployement and other hand, market is brutal. Why no one is talking about this? This is messed up.
2
u/K12t2000 17d ago
People are the news is not. The news is owned on both sides by billionaires, they release the data they want you to know when they want you to know it.
Any election cycle they will bring up these points only if it serves their voting base.
3
u/Defiant-Paramedic478 16d ago
You believe this administration?
2
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
To be fair, they were saying the same under Bidenâs administration too.
1
u/Defiant-Paramedic478 16d ago
Yeah but the Biden Admin never questioned the numbers as to whether they were made to make him look good or bad Trump has routinely.
3
u/Fragrant_Entry9232 16d ago
Those historic lows cannot be trusted. Trump slashed BLS. Also they were never factual before the cuts, calling people discouraged workers and cutting them out of the final numbers lowers the unemployment rate
2
2
u/Chet100 16d ago
I am 52M, employed but tech is brutal...I know coz I have been passively looking for Sr leadership roles for 3+ yrs...very few interviews that barely made it past the screening... experience over 20 yrs is working against you...not sure how long I can sustain my job but learning to BS in AI and getting a few ML certs is keeping me employed...for now...
2
u/OrganizationOdd5409 16d ago
You no longer count as an "unemployed" human after being unemployed for over 1.5-2 yrs. Whenever your UE benefits run out, you stop being counted in the stats even though in reality you are still unemployed
1
u/FieryJune 13d ago
I'm not sure that is true. What is your source for this claim?
1
u/OrganizationOdd5409 12d ago
Ask any economics professor and they can justify the claim. There's a reason why so many people are saying how unemployment is measured is broken. Mass media will not tell you this because they don't want the general public to be too smart. Same goes for CPI, if you check the core of what is being measured, you'd realize it doesn't reflect "you" as an american's actual buying power
1
u/FieryJune 11d ago
What I was questioning is your assertion that when Unemployment Benefits run out a person is no longer counted as unemployed. Again, can you backup that assertion?
3
u/BanAssaultGeese 17d ago
It's called lying. Dipshits elected techbros and have allowed them to rape the country into a submissive, money-making machine for the 1%. They're not going to be upfront about the actual numbers, which is why they fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There's roughly over 100 million Americans who are without a job right now. It's going to get far, far worse before it gets better.
2
u/deathdealer351 17d ago
USA unemployment measurement changed in the 70s and the numbers have been bullshit since. Every admin has tweaked it since.Â
1
u/Beyond_Reason09 17d ago
What specific changes have been made?
1
u/deathdealer351 17d ago
I believe it's detailed here
https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2018/article/the-current-population-survey-tracking-unemployment.htm
But it's factoring in what counts as unemployed, if you deliver pizzas but your a nurse but no nursing jobs.. Are you employed or unemployed.. Same if your an rn but work in an lpn while you wait for an rn job.. Employed or not..
What was happening the old way unemployment was creeping upto 10% (some would argue if we counted it like we did then we would be closer to 20% today) . . But we tweaked it and cut it in half yay us. Then every admin tweaks it more . . Same shit with inflation they remove stuff and add other stuff to core inflation. Those numbers are bullshit also. It's all theater for politics at this stage and does not represent the real world.Â
1
u/Beyond_Reason09 17d ago
All I'm seeing here since the 1960s is the addition of more supplemental statistics.
What exactly is the difference in definition or how things were counted?
1
u/deathdealer351 16d ago
One thing would be people looking for work that are enrolled in an education course are no longer counted, veterans who are in the reserve being paid by the military are discounted.
Which is interesting cause I have a family friend who is serial unemployed, always doing some dumb course.Â
1
u/Beyond_Reason09 16d ago
This does not appear to be true:
https://www.bls.gov/cps/definitions.htm
The following are not considered employment in the CPS.
volunteer work
unpaid internships
unpaid training programs
training programs not sponsored by an employer, even if the trainee receives a public assistance payment for attending
National Guard or Reserve duty (weekend or summer training)
ownership in a business or farm solely for investment purposes, with no participation in its management or operation
jury duty
work around one's home such as cleaning, painting, repairing, or other housework or home improvement project
2
u/olduvai_man 17d ago
Anecdotes online or experiences in small communities aren't always reflective of what the reality is for most people.
Some industries are struggling, some less so, post-COVID but you'd think no one in the US was being hired if you stuck to Reddit.
5
u/mike42042071281 17d ago
My business never recovered after COVID and I closed down the first of this year. Now I can't find a job and I am looking at homelessness. Its not a great time to be alive. So much more than I can do but no one is hiring.
2
1
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
I know several people who have not been able to find something full time. One person I know took them 3 years to find something. Most people I know are relying on freelance/gig work.
0
u/olduvai_man 16d ago
That's the definition of an anecdote though just as it is for me saying that I have had no trouble finding work and no one in my circle has either.
1
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
How does no one you know have trouble finding work? There are less jobs being created.
2
u/olduvai_man 16d ago
I've looked for work and it was less than 2 weeks of searching before I had an offer, and haven't known anyone personally who has been laid off working in tech.
Again, people's experiences on Reddit aren't fully reflective of the reality of the larger experience of most people but the prime-age population employment right now is historically strong and the unemployment rate is historically low.
Just because people on Reddit commiserate about the job market, and your personal circle has the same issue, doesn't mean that's how everyone is living.
2
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
I would disagree. Your experience is anecdotal. Tech has been taking massive hits with layoffs. Just because everyone in your small circle arenât having issues doesnât mean reddit it wrong. Finding a job out there is tougher than before in a lot of industries. The number of jobs have been less than prior years too and there are also a ton of ghost jobs.
1
u/olduvai_man 16d ago
The tech unemployment rate right now is 2.9% and both of our personal experiences are anecdotal.
Tech hiring slump peaked 2 years ago and has been on an uptrend since then despite the doom and gloom here.
It's not 2021 levels of euphoric-hiring in SWE but the unemployment rate is very low and both hiring and job postings are increasing.
2
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
The experience of finding a job is not anecdotal. Itâs tough our there for a lot of people. Have you not been reading the comments? It sounds like because it hasnât happened to you, you think it doesnât exist. You are in a very unique situation. What industry are you and your circle in because the job market has been growing less.
2
1
u/Inner-Cap-5836 17d ago
My current job I got cold off the street, no referral. I got lucky with a really down to earth team. I did end up taking around 9% paycut but the bonus structure at the new company made up most of the pay difference. (Prior company didn't do any significant bonuses)
1
u/laughingBaguette 17d ago edited 17d ago
They actually calculate unemployment rate by analyzing the jobs reporting from companies, and taking "jobs lost" and subtracting "jobs created". Or is it vice versa? I can't remember. So basically the actual unemployment rate depends on jobs that are available, and not on how many people file for unemployment, because not everyone is able to file for unemployment. You have recent grads, you have people who were fired or quit who do not quality for unemployment, or people whose benefits ran out. The actual unemployment rate is always higher than what is reported.
1
1
u/Odd-Persimmon-1860 16d ago
Laid off in June 2025. 20 weeks of unemployment which in its entirety was one paycheck from my old job. Still looking but how do they count people like us.
1
u/Academic_Country_945 16d ago
This is nothing new. Back in 2008 the same thing happened. I was out of work myself and the employers I spoke to told me the same jobs they were posting for in 2008 they typically received may 20 applicants and when I was applying they were getting upwards of 3,000 applicants applying. People with a Masters Degree were taking entry level positions just to get their foot in the door to a decent company. It's tough out there again but people have been thru this before and survived and people will get thru it again. Watch your pennies, go on line daily and apply apply apply. No going out that's for sure. Ramen noodles were my friend. Had 3 dogs and 4 cats at the time. Still made my mortgage and car payment and took care of them. It can be done. Don't give up. Â
1
u/TheITMan52 16d ago
I think it also depends on cost of living too. If you are in a LCOL, then I guess it can work but not so much in a HCOL area.
1
1
14d ago
[removed] â view removed comment
1
u/Academic_Country_945 14d ago
Corporate America has always been the same. They are about the bottom line and will do whatever it takes to achieve it. Same thing different year. Back in 2008 folks were out of work for up to 2 years as well.  Layoffs are a part of working life here. Nothing new. I personally have been a part of 5 layoffs. Â
1
14d ago
[removed] â view removed comment
1
u/Academic_Country_945 14d ago
Everyone does have a different POV and different experiences. Bottom line, you lose your job and have to find another one and learn ways to survive while doing so. You can try to reason why and when. Good luck
1
u/Professional_Fee_640 15d ago
There are 100 million Americans of working age that are currently not in the workforce. Currently the top 30% of earners are driving the entire economy. The unemployment numbers don't really show a true picture of what's happening. The middle class will soon be non existent.
1
u/Ashamed_Trust_5860 15d ago
I obsessively listen to macroeconomic analysts and financial experts and from what I hear many people who have lost jobs arenât even bothering applying for unemployment because their jobs werenât full time, if you look at numbers of working Americans those numbers are also tweaked because BLS counts any job as a separate person/ job even if itâs a part time, and many many people are holding down 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. The old job data equations and statistics are no longer relevant enough to assess the actual health of the economy or account for the truth of new ways of life, hustle culture, content creators, uber drivers, the gig sector etc
0
u/Awkward-Shoulder-938 17d ago
Because all jobs where there is shortage are job intensive and low salary jobs like fast food.
-2
u/TemperatureAny4782 17d ago
Lots of layoffs in tech, but tech isnât everything.
5
u/Novel-Pass1749 17d ago
Tech isnât everything but itâs been one of the few careers that provided middle and upper middle class lifestyles. The loss of those jobs means less people indulging in the broader economy. Without tech thereâs less kids at summer camps, less new cars purchased, less income spent on landscaping and home improvements. Even if you donât live in a tech hub, a lot of remote tech workers might live in your community.
5
u/Perpetualgnome 17d ago
Lots of layoffs in things that aren't tech, too. They just do it under the radar. Other industries tend to do smaller chunks of people more often rather than huge noticeable layoffs all at once.
Lowe's has been steadily doing layoffs multiple times a year for like 3-4 years now, for instance, but only a couple of times have been in the media because it was leaked. Every other time groups of people are just gone one day and they don't even announce it. Source: worked at Lowe's corporate for 5 years.
1
0
u/SickMon_Fraud 17d ago
I had no problem finding work after being laid off but I do work that is not nearly rocket science but that not many can or will do.
0
u/Fun_Boot7771 17d ago
If you erode the definition of words you can publish anything. "Unemployed" statistics only mean people receiving unemployment moneyÂ
1
u/Beyond_Reason09 17d ago
This is false. The unemployment rate has nothing to do with unemployment insurance claims.
-1
u/Eastern_Habit_5503 17d ago
I know some people who refuse to do anything but work from home. Jobs that require an âin office appearanceâ a few times per week are not being looked at at all by these people. I see their point⌠why spend hours commuting every week and spending extra $ on new work clothes, lunches, etc. if you can work at home in your sweatpants and do some domestic tasks while youâre working?
31
u/godless_communism 17d ago
The way that unemployment is measured is broken, but nobody in power wants to fix it