Welcome to this week’s JSC Newsletter!
Writing this week's newsletter made me think of a couple childhood games I played, CandyLand and Chutes and Ladders. They were as much about chance as it was about persistence; What better comparison to the current Job Market! Does anyone remember these games?
Just like playing board board games, this month is an opportunity to make a choice. December isn’t just another month on the calendar, it’s a decision point. The moves we make now determine the momentum we carry into January and February, which is why this week we’re stepping into the data to paint a clearer picture of what may be on the horizon for job seekers and hiring teams.
This week you’ll find a breakdown of the shifting labor market, insights on layoffs and hiring trends, sector-by-sector changes, and what economists are predicting for 2026. We’ll also share what this means for your job search strategy, how to position yourself effectively in a potentially cooling market, and the mindset frameworks to help you navigate it all with clarity and intention.
As always, your voice shapes this community. After reading, I would love for everyone to hop into the JSC Discord and share your thoughts on Which data points surprised you? What insights resonated? What updates do you want us to track or expand on next week? Your feedback helps us keep this newsletter relevant, timely, and genuinely useful for everyone navigating this market.
Ready? Let’s dig in.
Let's recap from Mindset Monday
In this week’s Mindset Monday, we focused on how to reverse engineer the results we want to see in January and February. The choices we make right now become the foundation for our hiring-season outcomes. And that foundation isn’t built on “grind harder” energy—it’s built on clarity: knowing your story, understanding your superpowers, and being able to communicate both with confidence.
From there, strategy must beat scrambling—especially with the flood of January candidates on the horizon. Your resume, LinkedIn profile, elevator pitch, and core story should work together to create one intentional, consistent narrative about who you are and where you’re headed. With a clear outreach strategy and powerful questions in hand, networking stops feeling like a desperate ask and becomes a true momentum engine.
In this market, you get to choose how you move. You can choose wisdom over fear, strategy over scrambling, and momentum over stagnation.
Let's look at some data:
For nearly 2 years, the U.S. labor market sat in an unusual pause: few layoffs, but little hiring momentum. According to the new Indeed 2026 Jobs & Hiring Trends Report, the US labor market has settled into a deep freeze, Economists labeling it as a “no-hire, no-fire” environment: Many employers are too nervous to expand their headcounts, yet not distressed enough to initiate mass layoffs.
But recent data suggests that the freeze is beginning to thaw in the wrong direction. There's a shift coming for sure.
Industries that are seeing the deepest cuts are Childcare (-13.8%), IT Infrastructure (-13%), retail, hospitality, scientific R&D (-22.2%), software development (-3.5%), and even nursing (-6%)
Data shows a decrease in job postings and labor reductions have been down across nearly every major industry with exceptions in Banking & Finance, Therapy, Manufacturing & Production and Marketing (source: QZ.com).
Moreover, according to moneywise.com, in October 2025 alone, U.S. employers announced 153,074 job cuts, a staggering 183% jump from September and 175% higher than October 2024, the biggest October total in more than two decades. Tech, retail, and services led the reductions, with Amazon cutting 14,000 roles, Verizon cutting 15,000 and UPS shedding 48,000 over the year. Others, from Target, FedEx and Novo Nordisk, are also predicted to be scaling back.
Year-to-date, U.S. employers have announced 1.1 million job cuts—up 65% from last year and the highest level since 2020.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job openings fell from 10.8 million (2022 peak) to approximately 8.7 million in late 2025, with current unemployment hovering around 4.3% and major employers freezing or reducing headcount, projections point to a 2026 unemployment rate increase to between 4.8% and 5.6%.
While these numbers could signal a cooling market, they also mark a moment of recalibration. As industries reset and new technologies reshape what work looks like, opportunities will continue to emerge for job seekers who stay adaptable, sharpen their skills, and tell a clear, confident story about the value they bring.
The landscape is shifting, but with intention and preparation, there is still room to move forward and thrive in 2026.
Feeling lost? Need some help or accountability? Could benefit from a soundboard or a 1:1 session to explore some of these elements? Book some time: Personalized Workshops+Coaching
That's a wrap!
The big reminder: don’t get comfortable.
Even if you have interviews in motion, you keep building your pipeline so you’re not starting from scratch in January. This is where the JSC community becomes the cheat code. When you’re tired, overwhelmed, or starting from zero, the right people around you keep you accountable, motivated, and moving.
“Choose wisdom over fear. Choose strategy over scrambling. Choose momentum over stagnation.”
There's always a chance to roll again, shift the narrative or make it to a new destination, sometimes it's simply a matter of persistence and determination.
For weekly insights, data and to stay up to date with the JSC community, don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter!
Cheers,
Tena & Stephen
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