Recent reports are starting to show some weaknesses in job seekers’ confidence that they can get a new job or even hold onto their current job. As example job seeker “confidence” in their abilities to better themselves in their career was down by 5% according to the 2025 end of Q1 Vaco Talent Pulse Report.
“In today’s evolving economic environment, both employers and workers are navigating an increasingly complex hiring landscape,” Kevin Witt, president of Vaco by Highspring, said in a recent press release.
In terms of our own assessment of the local marketplace, it would be easy to confirm the Vaco report. We’re definitely seeing a definite slowdown in job opportunities particularly in March and April after what now appears to have been a temporary uptick in January. We’re still seeing pockets of hiring – not for profits seem to be busy as are some high-end manufacturing jobs. We still seeing employers who need to hire specialized talent, but the disparity between the skills and talents our clients want and what’s available in the marketplace, is still a marketplace factor that hasn’t gone away. That said, if we start getting reports of local layoffs, that landscape could change quickly, putting more candidates back into the marketplace available for both direct hire and interim temporary roles.
The Vaco Talent Pulse Report is based on feedback from more than 10,880 respondents across the US and Canada.
