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If central banks lower interest rates it's because they are worried about a weakening economy. Lowering interest rates doesn't lead to job hiring straight away. This is basic economics . You have to go through recessionary cycle
Labor Unions are closer to your friend than management or HR ever will be. Are they perfect, no, but they're the best hope any employee has of being treated and paid fairly
It's honestly hilarious that his investment folks think that reduced regulation leads to more investment. It'll probably move the stock market, but it won't lead companies to spend more on employment unless people are buying more.
I don’t know what the job market has in store for us in 2025, but I do know that companies will continue doing whatever they think is best for them, which doesn’t necessarily mean is the best for you. At this point, whatever’s left of loyalty between employers and employees will continue to erode, and you owe it to yourself and the people that depend on you to do what’s best for you, first and foremost.
There’s no amount of money that would ever convince me to go back to the office. Especially when I’m already doing the job of 3 people for the past 4 yrs. My New Year’s resolution for this year!? Have self worth, value and respect myself. Enough is enough!
It seems like there wre a large number of performers in that space. If you can offer something that people want to see, go for it! At the very least, you might be able to make some secondary income from something you enjoy doing anyway. Don't forget to study new things though, especially AI!
In summary, 2025 = more contempt for the employee, more jobseekers having to do the hiring manager's job for them, more undeserved faith in the gravy train of AI.
Employers and their workers or job-seekers shouldn't be at war with each other, we should be working for each other. Workers generate good profits for companies, and those companies should generate good lives for their workers. Anything less is a race to the bottom.
He’s being broad. Do you honestly think h1b is some external force. It’s totally employer based and a source of of why they have the power that they do. Call your local congressman for caps on it. This could take a while though
H1B has been around since the 1950s, and the reason why the US is still #1 in science and technology, despite our schools placing low compared to the world. It is also capped at 65,000 per year. They don’t waste this on general laborers.
I watched the abuse of the H1 from day one. Theres no reason my IT dept (major bank) is 13% American on shore and 4% American overall. Thats men, women, black, white, in 13%. Its a disgrace.
The recruiter ghosting is bad. I try to remain nice, but recruiters should know better than to burn bridges by ghosting people they are working with for management positions that will eventually need them to fill out their teams. I keep two lists… my contacts, and a list of people that I will never give an opportunity to, due to blowing me off. Heck, I since I run IT, they may make the block list and their future attempts to email or calls into the company I work for will never get through. That list is real and I just added 2 last week. On the flip side, recruiters that remain professional and get back to you (even when I did not get the job or next steps) are actually very appreciated and the way it should be.
Just gotta get used to it. It sucks and it’s unprofessional, but learn to just expect it. Treat them like fish (if you’ve ever been fishing). Lots of fish nibble on the line but few will bite the hook. Just answer and pursue as many opportunities recruiters present as you can. It’s a numbers game. If they ask you to jump through too many hoops, know when to back out and move on.
@ 100%. Everything is a sale and very few are genuinely nice or professional without a tangible gain for them. I still have faith that there are awesome people out there though and are not pretending. Just too easy to spot the bad and can be hard to spot the good.
@@bostonbeanman6173 I feel you on this. Not uncommon at all to be working with a recruiter and then get completely ghosted. I really don’t know why they don’t take 30 seconds to write a short message following up. Especially if they’re a recruiter in the industry I work in. Don’t know why they want to burn bridges.
1 in 5 job postings now are fake, meant only for data collection or bolstering image to management or investors. Some are literally considered fraud by the employers. This needs to stop.
Do you know of any remote IT jobs that pay more than $20 an hour? I can't seem to find any that don't want a ridiculous amount of experience. I do have years of level 2 IT field service technician experience. I ran 7 Home Depot/Lowes sized businesses by myself with thousands of devices per location.
@@bun_bun17 LOL, amazing how backwards you have it. Companies save on salary and payroll taxes with H1Bs. This means LESS in tax. This just takes away jobs from Americans. So much for "America first".
My son in law cannot get a foothold after a good paying job with a major company. He's stuck with cyclical layoffs. He runs instacart on the side to try to stay afloat. It's incredibly discouraging.
Yes, one of my nephews is very gun shy now. I think he's lost confidence in finding an office job after a couple of different roles led to layoffs within 18 months of starting. He's in his twenties.
I would recommend networking as much as possible. But I’ve been in office jobs where everyone else kept their head down. Wouldn’t even respond to small talk. Like high school detention to the extreme. So it varies. I had to get out asap with those environments
Your content was instrumental during my unemployment journey. I've since got a great job and lost interest in unemployment content. However, I still find your content relevant and valuable. Thanks for these annual updates.
Yeah the job market seems to have gotten worse. I have almost 30 years of engineering experience and my phone used to ring all of the time from recruiters. Also used to get lots of emails. I haven't gotten that many in the past 6 months which is very unusual. I used to get at least a few per week. The whole process is broken and needs to be repaired ASAP.
@@kaylove4507 Could be but I don't think so. It was never a problem before. I just don't think there are a lot of open positions right now so nothing to recruit for.
Cus they gonna have to pay you for all your knowledge and experience they don't want to do that. Even if you are willing to take a pay cut they fear you leaving and finding better. Bc better is out there!!! ❤️
I was part of the recent TEGNA lay offs. I got the news a few months ago but my last day was this past Friday. Your channel was really helpful while I was navigating the job market, applying for jobs, and interviewing. Glad to say I’ve accepted a new job (better than what I was doing) but I actually had an abundance of offers to consider. Just wanted to say thanks.
A tip I've learned the hard way, having already been fired in 2025: don't get caught up in the job market and your company's financial performance and outlook IF your manager is a black belt narcissist looking for any reason to throw you out like a back-alley aborted fetus. Try to verify the professionalism of your manager before all else. It unfortunately feels like startups can be a breeding ground/enabling mechanism for egomaniacs. I'm not being melodramatic here, the way I was terminated was beyond the pale. There are gorier details, but don't want to get into it here.
I only recommend startups as a way to get your foot in the door and to get some experience! Always have a foot in the door and have an exit plan prepared.
@@Fairpavel Agreed. Perhaps ask the manager how they got their start in management or why they like being a manager. That's my idea at least, but have not tried that in an interview setting before.
@@FairpavelI would suggest asking the average length of time that most of their team has stayed with them. Ask what they enjoy about their team's culture and if there are any opportunities regarding the work environment that they would like to further develop? Read between the lines as this could reveal some red flags.
I'm turning 67 soon, and reached full-retirement age on November 1, 2024. The rub is, I'm going to have to continue pushing my boulder into my 70s, or until I can't anymore, so it is what it is. My current job of one year tenure excluded, I can state unequivocally that all my other employers over these many years in the trenches have acted like street hoodlums, and managed their businesses like frat houses or county jails. I learned (unfortunately, later in life), and after dying on several hills, and contending with abusive bosses and employers that would make canonized martyrs question their faith, how to spot problematic bosses and employers. Simply trusting my gut, or the vibe I get, is one credible litmus test. The other is the inflection of voices, and the verbiage they use. Case in point, I was listening to Dave Ramsey (I'm no fan necessarily) the other day. Some small business owner (construction company) was telling Ramsey that he keeps hiring and firing what he deems are inept employees who he asserted falsify their credentials during the hiring process. There was virtually no culpability with either this caller, and Ramsey putting some of the onus on him for making bad hires. The one thing that stuck out (and quite literally cut to the bone for me) was the narcissistic sociopathic voice (think of interviews with Manson, Berkowitz, Dahmer, etc.) this guy had. Posturing aside, Ramsey and his pal even grimaced a few times during the call. It's quite fashionable to not "judge" today, but it's a complete fool's errand to not show discernment with critical life decisions.
I've given up on work in my field at this point. I do everything suggested, get ghosted by recruiters DAILY and....I'm just tired, man. I think it's just best to own your own business at this point. No one wants to hire anymore. They don't give a shit if you have an internship, a degree, experience or ANYTHING. It is never enough. lol I wasted money on my degree. I'm sticking to petsitting, working as a barista and trying to get work voice acting.
@@user-lu6yg3vk9z Except there are fields where you legitimately need the course work. And you have jobs out here 'preferring' (really requiring) a four year degree for all sorts of work that absolutely does NOT need college level education. It has gotten crazy in the past 20 years or so. I do expect more employers to move away from this tendency but when they are flush with applicants than can easily inflate requirements and still have plenty of candidates.
2025 is already off to a less than steller start for me. Some Senior managers at my two full-time jobs are no longer around due to various reasons. Those Senior managers were able clarify policies made by lower managers that didn't make sense to me. I find myself in a situation now, where I do need that clarification on something, without my usual resources available. I will likely have a full head of grey hair by the end of the year from the stress.
10 seconds in, I was curious so I clicked on this video. I'm really surprised that no one has said this yet, especially as job seekers, but there's just no pattern. There's no way to beat the ATS, there's no way to know what your interviewer is thinking if you even get one, and there's no way your offer is guaranteed especially if you try to negotiate your salary or benefits after the fact. I've been unemployed now for 8 months, had to resort to filing lawsuits with former employers to make some money. There's no gig work apps where I live, and I can't even get a call back from Domino's. No one knows what is happening, no one knows how to fix this, no one knows when this will end. There. Is. No. Pattern.
I wish I could throw in some positivity, but adding on to what you just stated, it seems like nepotism is the law of the land. I'm still getting my things straight career wise and hearing what you are going through is absolutely terrible. Try to stay positive, Mr. Fender. As a Dean guy, I'm wishing you good fortune this year.
There are ATS scanners online where you can put your resume and a job posting and it will compare the two, checking to see if it will get past the ATS. Could be pretty helpful.
I have been laid off twice in the last 2 years. It is awful. I work in tech and it seems it is no longer stable as it used to be. Your note about people going into realty was interesting. I have been questioning pivoting out of tech as a project manager (possibly look into construction), but a video on industries/jobs others have been pivoting to and maybe tips on how to do a career pivot would be incredibly helpful. I feel like all the tips are learn AI and that is valuable but I fear there is an expiration date on that skill as well.
I work for a software development company. The top level managers have issued orders that everyone in the company become proficient in using AI. I already use it to write new software and debug existing software.
AI agents will build your business for you. That means, AI agents will build the same business for everyone. So yours and everyone else's business will be worthless lol
One of my previous supervisors would ask me about job growth and then stonewall me in the next breath when I asked her if my job there could go from PT to FT. 🙃
The question may show that you're not a good fit for the role. They are looking for a long term, part time hire. You're showing them that it's not what you truly want
Contract work is fine, if it pays more to help make up for the lack of other benefits. However, the pay has been terrible and you are lucky if they offer high deductable insurance, because there are no 401k matches or other traditional benefits.
@@jonjmorganshow I’m currently full, I often find myself wanting to take more time off, and I find that if I get laid off from this role, my next will will be a contract where I will only work for it certain time, to give me flexibility and travel more… I understand that it takes a bit of setting up because you need a good emergency fund and little to no debt to manage, but I think it could be doable
It's in the nature of most companies to drive employee skills down to the lowest, cheapest level. Henry Ford did it with Ford Motor Company, Ray Crock did it with McDonalds, etc. That way, employees are easily replaceable and require minimal training or education. These are the jobs AI will come for first, and then continue to work it's way up the ladder- until the machines take over, like they did in movie "The Terminator".
@@Frissdas1207 LOL, I actually agree with you. The first part of what I said was true, but I work in IT and have limited experience with it, and in most situations it's a ways off from completely from replacing people. We have a client that uses it for a general email box, where it tries to read the body of the an email to determine where it should be routed. It's wrong often, and even when right, it still needs to be maintained. So even something as simple as that, it can't completely replace a person. I also agree with you that the term AI is buzz word that is used in place of "automation" constantly now- for something to be considered AI, it needs to do a lot more than just that.
AI will probably replace knowledge workers. Anyone who has a job that requires them to be there in person and has survived automation will likely still have their job. AI doesn't produce quality work. My guess is that people producing unique, high-value work will see their job survive AI, but others will be replaced.
@@Frissdas1207 AI just replaced the payroll and accounts payable department at a local hospital. They now only have 2 accountants that are training the AI but it's my understanding they'll lose their jobs as well eventually. So it does actually exist and is already taking jobs.
I think you're pretty spot-on. I have seen the big shift to contractors reflected already. Basically, teams that used to have multiple full time perms in my industry are now one full timer and a set of contractors they can flex based on needs. Goodbye job security, although my industry has never had it, I've been lucky to make it to 4 years in any job without a layoff hitting my team.
On the FTE roles being turned into Contract roles. Companies that used to do this used to hold the contract agencies to a standard of having a minimum level of benefits. Now companies have removed those standards and the contract agencies are taking advantage of it by paying the contract employees less and offering crap or no benefits. This is unsustainable.
If you're looking at the national debt and the stock market for indicators of how jobs will be this year, you're looking at a hill with a telescope. We need to look at how things are for people in the job market, with wages and job listings, and what recruiters and hiring managers are saying about their experiences with resumes and hiring. We need to get out of this bubble of thinking these super-high-level broad things have the most effect on whether we can find good jobs! The constants through the decades are corporations are getting more greedy, hiring more cheap foreigners, and replacing workers with automation. We need to focus on what is real in the scope that we're in, not outer space or at some galactic level that isn't the reality for us on the ground.
I think the economic lies of the last few years had already caught up to us by 2024, but hadn't quite bore out into the mass layoffs and recession, and I worry that's what we might get in 2025. Too many people are hanging on for dear life and their credit is running out, their debts are getting too large to pay off, and the companies they work for are decreasing in profitability, and all it takes is one domino to fall.
Personally, I would be completely happy with a hybrid setting. Already I work in a hybrid job and it's very much a work life balance for me. I enjoy it alot. Now remote work would be awesome, but I genuinely hope that is the middle ground companies agree on!
The best I advice I can give you after just getting back into the workforce after 6 months is. 1 have more than 6 months of "of crap" money laying around and 2 work your butt cheeks off to make every friend on the planet in your industry. It is the best, most consistent way to be able to recover from a layoff. Never burn any bridges no matter how bad you might not like someone. Blind applying SUCKS. I have 3 working engineering titles, 13 years of production experience and it felt like it didn't even matter and I was straight out of college again with no experience. If I was a religious man I'd pray for all of you struggling in the unemployment hell. I promise you, it's not you, the job market is completely broken and getting worse. Best wishes to all of you in the hunt. Stay relentless, because there is no other way to get through it but sheer grind.
@@ALifeAfterLayoff you have a great channel, and as a older person “ 58” OMG can’t believe I typed it.. I need to make sure I pay attention to everything that’s happening around me.
As my late grandfather forecast for my career years ago after I graduated from college, there will be many twists and turns (and opportunities), and AI is a very significant twist in one's career. I wonder if our wise elders saw something like AI coming.
I work in a clinical job for a non-profit - Our job market is great and wages have shot up. That is not good for society, it is great for my career and job security.
That's a sad reality. Even in what used to be high quality jobs, the salaries are lower. And that high quality network is only available to a few candidates unless you really spend resources on building your network. What I mean by that? You have to go to local chapters of associations, spend good time and some time money.
Your opinion on where the job market is heading is as good as my opinion on where the job market is heading. I still clicked on your video to hear your thoughts anyways. Lol
Your channel is quite helpful & I appreciate your realistic viewpoint/outlook focusing on what someone can do to adapt as opposed to spamming doom & gloom, negativity, click bait content.
Hello B. I love your blunt style because it again is the truth. I am using your tools, networking, branding, writing, targeted resume, etc because it is the truth in today's job market. It is whole new job world out there and continue to speak the truth. Thanks.
In 2023 I sent over 600 resumes, I don't even know the total number since I was using multiple websites, over 9 months unemployed. I've got lucky and managed to get a job exactly a year ago. However, now that I went through that even though I'm employed, I'm already working on separate projects and looking for ways to sell my work directly to companies instead of waiting for them to hire me. I'm not going through that again, no way.
My work is less at risk from technology than it is from organizational policy change that is collapsing and simplifying the work stream I manage. I specialize in understanding the current areas of complexity. It's a race to see if change over takes me before my target retirement date which is a few years out. Edit to add: My organization was an early adopter of wfh. We had hybrid schedules a decade before the pandemic made is widespread. Post pandemic wfh opportunities were expanded. In fact, plan to reduce our office space soon despite an increasing head count.
I don't know what is the situation with jobs in US but I want to say, as I am currently unemployed, in my country there are active job offers but number of candidates for them often exceeds 50-100, it doesn't matter if this is white or blue collar job, entry level or mid/senior level and you need to wait for at least 2-3 months before call from management, even for really basic job offer.
2nd wave of AI; Help remaining 90% do jobs better. 10% of jobs eliminated. 3rd wave of AI; Help remaining 80% do jobs better. 20% of jobs eliminated. 4th wave of AI; Help remaining 70% do jobs better. 30% of jobs eliminated. 5th wave of AI; Help remaining 60% do jobs better. 40% of jobs eliminated. See where this is going?
Honestly it’s not starting off with a very good year. Many retail stores are actually closing stores nationwide and cutting back which could reflect the hiring decisions of other companies and organizations.
I have been unemployed for 2 years and have applied to different jobs outside my skillset as well because I can’t get a job in marketing, I get rejected very fast. I have networked a ton, had my resume reviewed, and did mock interviews. I’m not sure what to do. I believe my only way is entrepreneurship at this point.
Idk what you mean "The very best employees will not tolerate contract positions". I make about 50% more than all of the perm employees at my S&P50 company. Now they are going to be doing a round of layoffs and I won't be a target since I'm a contractor. I also don't have to work overtime (ever) and I don't have to do on-call rotation for the overnight dev work like all the perm employees do. I also am not subject to RTO at all. Which one of us is laughing? (it's me)
I am glad to hear that you mentioned real estate as a career that people have been switching to, because I switched from GIS/Mapping and Data/MIS (all what I went to school for) to Real Estate Appraising which is separate from Real Estate Brokerage or selling, but nevertheless, compared to the problems with tech jobs that I saw before, I am much happier working in Real Estate Valuation since it sets me up for a better career and independence/control in my career that I did not get working in GIS and Data. I enjoy your videos and if I did not stumble upon this channel, maybe I would have not switched out of my old career in tech to my new career in real estate valuation which the old one is dwindling now.
I'm gonna need to respectfully disagree with you where AI is concerned. These "learning" programs are deeply problematic from both a moral and practical standpoint, and I think we're overdue for an immense public backlash against them. First, as is well documented at this point, "generative" AI is in fact regurgitative -- it runs off large datasets and essentially produces output based on a generalized synthesis of what it already "knows". Put in simpler terms, this means two things. AI output will never be exceptional, it will at best be a stable but mediocre imitation of the content its been fed on, and that's assuming it "understands" the data correctly which it very often doesn't (leading to a host of various errors, some quite egregious, which can lead in turn to major issues further down the line as AI is not built to identify and correct mistakes the way a human can). AI also requires so much sample data just to function that morally (and lawfully) sourcing it in time to bring the AI to market is often just simply not done -- as has been well documented, most (if not all) of these AIs get their datasets by "scraping" the Internet, a process which blindly pulls vast quantities of files... many of which are likely private and/or sensitive, and many of which may further be under intellectual property protections. It would honestly be challenging to find a major art or writing AI that isn't "trained" on data it shouldn't have, nor is it as simple as removing the files from the dataset -- once the AI "learns" on them, those files permanently shape the AI's program and generative outputs for as long as it exists. Second, and far less technically, is the growing awareness that the "problem" that techbros want AI to solve is, essentially, wages... and it's doing so in some extremely expensive ways. Yes, employers are 100% setting up to have AI take people's jobs -- they've basically admitted to it at this point, and a great many newly created jobs only exist so that a company's AI can train off an employee's output, so the intent here is blatantly transparent. What's less transparent is the cost of running AIs, which quite frankly eclipses the cost of maintaining a labor force if they were to be scaled equivalently. Some of the statistics about electricity usage per AI prompt, as well as water cooling consumption rates at AI-supporting data centers, is simply eye-watering... and that's before we get into the fact that Google is actively planning to build not one but SEVEN nuclear power plants SOLELY to power it's experimentation with AI. Seven. Nuclear. Power plants. All to simulate things that actual human beings (who can run off coffee and sandwiches) can do at a fraction of the cost, and with far more output accountability! AI is theft. AI is unpredictable and unreliable. AI is a black box of convoluted processes that even the software engineers who build it don't fully understand. AI is stealing jobs and destroying the environment. AI is driving up power costs for companies that use it. AI is largely only desired by out-of-touch CEOs and techbros, not the general public. Companies need to rethink jumping on the AI bandwagon, because it's heading towards a cliff in several major ways.
I agree with you. I use ChatGPT to assist me with some common tasks as a programmer. I am impressed about what kind of answers I get, and it sometimes helps me to unblock when I ask some complex questions. Still, it doesn't cut it. Even providing very specific constraints (e.g. how would you implement X if you are using this version of this programming language and this version of this framework and this version of the database), I get answers that need a lot of tweaking, that wouldn't work out of the box. And we are talking about small functions and chunks of code, no full blown applications. The idea that an inference engine, no matter how many iterations of the AI we would see in the future, could replace a programmer, or even a talented artist (I see no difference) is preposterous. If I mention programming is because programming offers an objective benchmark of what works and what not, whereas everything else is open for debate. And one of the reasons (and the very trivial at that) is that project managers and clients need to specify exactly what the requirements are. In my whole career I never seen that happening.
@ryanedgerton9664 stellar comment, love your writing style. Do you have a blog or something? Curious about other thoughts you have on the downsides of AI since its just plugged in every marketing sales funnel as a 'perk' (like every innovation in human history i bet)
@@theneonpython -- No blog, I'm afraid. I'm just hobbyist writer, but I deeply appreciate your response! As for AI being "plugged in" everywhere (seemingly with little if any real thought put into it), I just attribute that to bandwagon behavior / a reflection of how centralized the world economy has become. The richest people in the world want desperately to normalize this tech so that it can near-passively make them money, and one approach to that is the "exposure therapy" route where it just "magically" shows up everywhere and people eventually shrug and assume it's "just normal now". Even without direct orders to do so, a lot of companies will just copy their competition out of a fear of being left behind. The important thing is that we as individuals never forget how this tech works, what it's deeply subversive purpose is, and how innately hostile it is to anyone who isn't in the top 1%.
I don't know what will take place in 2025. However, with all the upheaval going on, I'm learning to bet on myself. I graduated from undergrad in 2008 right into the recession which taught me a lot of how these employers don't care about their employees. The employers and employees relationship is in the trash. My current employers informed us in 2023 that we were no longer to receive overtime unless in certain situation. I remember thinking to myself that is a red flag. At the time I had been with the company for about 8 years and thought to myself that odd. I'm starting to embrace social media more and working on creating my own channel and using AI to have a better understanding of how to use it since it important to know because it may definitely help me with employment. To be honest, I'm not surprised by with what you said in your video because the changes are happening and we have to learn how to navigated those changes.
I had an interaction to complete my job profile with an AI Recruiter. I don't know what the data looks like on the other end, but every response I was given was accurate.
Some average employees at my company are saying, "make me RTO". I think many employers don't have the courage to terminate, so they threaten weak punishments.
I am a nurse and last year I was working full time, budgeting groceries, unable to afford date nights, and missing time with my kids. Now I learned how to make money online. Now am a SAHM, homeschooling, and making profits every week.
Wow that's awesome investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now. especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
I had a feeling this year will be a tough year for the job market. I think it takes a lot more time to see this country gets back to itself. Maybe we need another year to see how things will go.
Last year I was working full time, budgeting groceries, unable to afford date nights, and missing time with my kids. Now I learned how to make money online. Now am a SAHM, homeschooling, and making profits every week.
Wow that's awesome, investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now. especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
You did not mention work visas being given willy nilly without the government thinking if the infrastructure can hold it. Too many devs are laidoff and companies are complaining skill gap. Thats BS. If you are going against someone offshore with 10 yrs of exp willing to accept shit pay company will go with that.
While in certain areas less regulation can be good, things like generative AI should be banned to be used by any registered business or social media platform. It is ruining not just job market but our entire society.
What are other lower barrier entry careers? I’m 43. And am currently looking for a job because I don’t have one. I’m Andrew. I live in Reston, Virginia.
I really think RTO policies are temporary until the job market bounces back. The only reason companies can get away with it is because they're oversaturated with high quality applicants. If the economy booms as predicted and job openings become plentiful, Remote work will become one of many perks used to attract talent.
Can you please shed light on the Job fit assessment tests. Not all jobs ask that its filled out but some do, like govt jobs. They're lengthy personality tests, career interests and thinking skills assessments. I doubt its in the job seekers interest to be fully honest on them, but more lean towards answering what they want to hear in order to have some shot at the job...There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on this unless I'm not looking in the right places.
People need to stop having some preconceived notion on what their career will be without wavering from that notion. College grads being too good to go do some manual labor and/or work a trade - even temporarily are completely screwing themselves. I have my Master’s and I saw the tech bubble bursting before it happened and I bailed. Went into truck driving and I haven’t been without a job for over a decade while being taken care of very well. Remote work is cool too - I’d love to get a remote job but people refusing to commute to a job at all are also only screwing themselves.
I'm in a fully remote accounting job the last 1.5 years. I am holding tight as long as I can. There is no plan to go into the office it's our culture and I am grateful for it. I did the commuted thing in bad winters for 28 years. I love being home. I constantly add value, stay positive in some stressful times, and be available whenever I can. I go into the closest office (1.5 hours away) couple days at quarter-end. I'm good with that.
90 minutes away? Thank goodness you don't have to go often! Hybrid/remote work is definitely a gift. I work a hybrid schedule and go in a couple times per week. Mind you, I could walk to my downtown office in about 30 minutes. So it's not the commute I mind. I just like being able to be at home, save the time before and after work, run the dishwasher, etc.
@@fdm2155 Exactly I'll take a day or two every 90 days with a 90 minute commute. It's all highway driving there. Only reason I go in is to count inventory and make sure no one takes my office space away. LOL. I love being home too to get laundry done etc on my breaks/lunches. Not commuting I get groceries first thing before I even sign on. Plus I can be there for my fur babies too, LOL.
Thanks so much for this!I like your points about thinking ahead and doing a deep dive into AI to get ahead in our fields. I also really like your point about the importance of more targeted networking.
My Corporation did our round of layoff in 2023 / 2024. We are 100% remote, and pay commissions based on successful projects, so anyone not already using AI to 10x their productivity will not even have a chance.
I think this round Ai is being used as a source of support (kind of like an employee) tagging along and learn and supporting some employees. Eventually, Ai will become such an expert in your fields it will take some of your jobs. Instead of 50 people working. Businesses will reduce it down to 5 and Ai will run the rest. My wife works for a government job and they will be implementing an Ai type software support for their field. I saw this coming since ChatGPT. Eventually they will reduce jobs as Ai become better and your job becomes more efficient.
Nvidia is putting agentic AI into a video game, PUBG. It acts as your teammate and can supposedly follow your voice commands on the fly. We'll see how that goes. AI so far has been overpromised and underdelivered.
You know it's bad when A Life After Layoff isn't talking about how awesome corporate life is. It's like Tokyo Rose saying that the Japanese need to take it down a notch.
AI and automation will continue to wash away jobs. UBI need to be discussed now, but society and the political system aren't ready to discuss. Forget about having a regular job ever again.
You've mentioned multiple revenue streams as a must in this day and age, but as someone with kids in school and activities and everything else in life, when and what am I supposed to do for multiple revenue streams?
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If central banks lower interest rates it's because they are worried about a weakening economy.
Lowering interest rates doesn't lead to job hiring straight away. This is basic economics . You have to go through recessionary cycle
Management isn't your friend, HR isn't your friend, and even some labor unions aren't your friend. They're all looking out for themselves.
Labor Unions are closer to your friend than management or HR ever will be. Are they perfect, no, but they're the best hope any employee has of being treated and paid fairly
@@gixxingthecommute3410 unfortunately if you yourself are in HR with no union, it's almost like you're double SOL.
Unions are literally your peers fighting on your side lol
Not in my experience.
They will TRY to defend you, but ultimately you will be seen as a tatle tale & one wrong move by you and you will be gone
Coworkers are like other players in squid game
TLDR: We’re still fucked
It's honestly hilarious that his investment folks think that reduced regulation leads to more investment. It'll probably move the stock market, but it won't lead companies to spend more on employment unless people are buying more.
@@factorfitness3713 And the people are jobless or getting too little pay for the cost of everything.
@@factorfitness3713 It does. Regulations destroy company profitability. If you make it easier for companies to operate profitably, they expand.
@@factorfitness3713 yep. JPM making moves today.
You voted for it. Give Elon and trump tax breaks while you the working man gets taxed more
I don’t know what the job market has in store for us in 2025, but I do know that companies will continue doing whatever they think is best for them, which doesn’t necessarily mean is the best for you. At this point, whatever’s left of loyalty between employers and employees will continue to erode, and you owe it to yourself and the people that depend on you to do what’s best for you, first and foremost.
There’s no amount of money that would ever convince me to go back to the office. Especially when I’m already doing the job of 3 people for the past 4 yrs. My New Year’s resolution for this year!? Have self worth, value and respect myself. Enough is enough!
I don't want to go back to minimum wage jobs I am so tired of it
Enough money is enough to leave the workplace? If you have the FU money, good. If you don't, then you're doomed.
Here's all 7: no jobs, ghosting, layoffs, scams, no jobs, ageism, layoff/replace cheaper
I've honestly thought about livestreaming myself playing video games at this point.
It seems like there wre a large number of performers in that space. If you can offer something that people want to see, go for it!
At the very least, you might be able to make some secondary income from something you enjoy doing anyway.
Don't forget to study new things though, especially AI!
Fr. I wouldn't be surprised if there are so many UA-camrs and streamers because of the dwindling job market.
someone has to stream to the unemployed 😂
This is why streaming boomed in the lockdowns @@Mingmingnation
Try it I don't see why not
You know the job market is bad when I got rejected for a job working at Burger King as a Crew Member
Damn, and that place already treats it's workers like garbage.
@@Jules279 And fast food is typically ALWAYS hiring.
Are you serious??
I got rejected from a hardware store so that does not surprise me.
@@Violent_Wolfen why they reject you ?? Did you interview?
In summary, 2025 = more contempt for the employee, more jobseekers having to do the hiring manager's job for them, more undeserved faith in the gravy train of AI.
Employers and their workers or job-seekers shouldn't be at war with each other, we should be working for each other. Workers generate good profits for companies, and those companies should generate good lives for their workers. Anything less is a race to the bottom.
I am pleasantly surprised the quality of content you put out. It is good stuff without the fluff.
Thank you!
You're skipping one of the most important issues: H1B and other worker replacement visas
He’s being broad. Do you honestly think h1b is some external force. It’s totally employer based and a source of of why they have the power that they do. Call your local congressman for caps on it. This could take a while though
H1B has been around since the 1950s, and the reason why the US is still #1 in science and technology, despite our schools placing low compared to the world. It is also capped at 65,000 per year. They don’t waste this on general laborers.
@@protrainingtipsit’s 85k.
h1b needs to be completely removed/reversed/stopped.
I watched the abuse of the H1 from day one. Theres no reason my IT dept (major bank) is 13% American on shore and 4% American overall. Thats men, women, black, white, in 13%. Its a disgrace.
The recruiter ghosting is bad. I try to remain nice, but recruiters should know better than to burn bridges by ghosting people they are working with for management positions that will eventually need them to fill out their teams. I keep two lists… my contacts, and a list of people that I will never give an opportunity to, due to blowing me off. Heck, I since I run IT, they may make the block list and their future attempts to email or calls into the company I work for will never get through. That list is real and I just added 2 last week.
On the flip side, recruiters that remain professional and get back to you (even when I did not get the job or next steps) are actually very appreciated and the way it should be.
Just gotta get used to it. It sucks and it’s unprofessional, but learn to just expect it. Treat them like fish (if you’ve ever been fishing). Lots of fish nibble on the line but few will bite the hook. Just answer and pursue as many opportunities recruiters present as you can. It’s a numbers game. If they ask you to jump through too many hoops, know when to back out and move on.
@ 100%. Everything is a sale and very few are genuinely nice or professional without a tangible gain for them.
I still have faith that there are awesome people out there though and are not pretending. Just too easy to spot the bad and can be hard to spot the good.
@@bostonbeanman6173 I feel you on this. Not uncommon at all to be working with a recruiter and then get completely ghosted. I really don’t know why they don’t take 30 seconds to write a short message following up. Especially if they’re a recruiter in the industry I work in. Don’t know why they want to burn bridges.
1 in 5 job postings now are fake, meant only for data collection or bolstering image to management or investors. Some are literally considered fraud by the employers. This needs to stop.
Do you know of any remote IT jobs that pay more than $20 an hour? I can't seem to find any that don't want a ridiculous amount of experience. I do have years of level 2 IT field service technician experience. I ran 7 Home Depot/Lowes sized businesses by myself with thousands of devices per location.
The job market continues to be bad, especially if you are over 55. I know several friends who were forced into retirement. One lost their house.
Nobody over 50 should be working. You should be retired. What are you doing with your life?
Would be interested to hear more about alternative late-career jobs (asking for a friend)
Employers have taken "a little" too far?! Come on, they didn't just take an inch, they took miles.
H1Bs and Offshoring will continue and pick up this year.
What is a H1B?
@@CherryBerryFashionVisa for overseas workers to come work in the US
Foreign worker basically
so? people on h1b is prolly paying more tax than most Americans and we all are living that benefit from that taxes
@@bun_bun17 LOL, amazing how backwards you have it. Companies save on salary and payroll taxes with H1Bs. This means LESS in tax. This just takes away jobs from Americans. So much for "America first".
My son in law cannot get a foothold after a good paying job with a major company. He's stuck with cyclical layoffs. He runs instacart on the side to try to stay afloat. It's incredibly discouraging.
Sorry to hear that but it is the new norm. We are in an economic depression. Layoffs will continue. Store closure will continue.
Yes, one of my nephews is very gun shy now. I think he's lost confidence in finding an office job after a couple of different roles led to layoffs within 18 months of starting. He's in his twenties.
He’s a broke loser and your daughter needs to divorce him now.
I would recommend networking as much as possible. But I’ve been in office jobs where everyone else kept their head down. Wouldn’t even respond to small talk. Like high school detention to the extreme. So it varies. I had to get out asap with those environments
Time to start looking at blue collar work, if he hasn't done so already
If they keep making it harder and harder to survive I think we're going to see more Luigis. History proves this.
How did that help anybody?
Your content was instrumental during my unemployment journey. I've since got a great job and lost interest in unemployment content. However, I still find your content relevant and valuable. Thanks for these annual updates.
It's still valuable content to stay on your yoes as you never know when you could be laid off
How long were you unemployed for ?
Yeah the job market seems to have gotten worse. I have almost 30 years of engineering experience and my phone used to ring all of the time from recruiters. Also used to get lots of emails. I haven't gotten that many in the past 6 months which is very unusual. I used to get at least a few per week. The whole process is broken and needs to be repaired ASAP.
Could be age discrimination?
Why hire Americans when trump and Elon will bring in millions of Indians. Miga
@@kaylove4507 Could be but I don't think so. It was never a problem before. I just don't think there are a lot of open positions right now so nothing to recruit for.
@@kaylove4507 Yeah, I wondered about that too. Wouldn't be surprised to find recruiters have a practice of avoiding people with 'too much' experience!
Cus they gonna have to pay you for all your knowledge and experience they don't want to do that. Even if you are willing to take a pay cut they fear you leaving and finding better. Bc better is out there!!! ❤️
My prediction:
- layoffs will continue
- GDP growth will slow
- possible recession by end of year
- increase of forced return to office
@derekrequiem4359 LMAO, you are sub 90 IQ. There has been a recession since 2022, bruh. Tell me you think like a Boomer without outright saying it.
@@derekrequiem4359 We're entering into a DEPRESSION ya dunce
Thanks!
I was part of the recent TEGNA lay offs. I got the news a few months ago but my last day was this past Friday. Your channel was really helpful while I was navigating the job market, applying for jobs, and interviewing. Glad to say I’ve accepted a new job (better than what I was doing) but I actually had an abundance of offers to consider. Just wanted to say thanks.
I'm going for the CEO jobs, stop applying down guys, apply up and get that cake
Ok I will
Cakes 🍑 🤤
Enjoy being jobless forever
A tip I've learned the hard way, having already been fired in 2025: don't get caught up in the job market and your company's financial performance and outlook IF your manager is a black belt narcissist looking for any reason to throw you out like a back-alley aborted fetus. Try to verify the professionalism of your manager before all else. It unfortunately feels like startups can be a breeding ground/enabling mechanism for egomaniacs. I'm not being melodramatic here, the way I was terminated was beyond the pale. There are gorier details, but don't want to get into it here.
I only recommend startups as a way to get your foot in the door and to get some experience! Always have a foot in the door and have an exit plan prepared.
Try to verify the professionalism of your manager before all else - It's an excellent advice. It's just I have no idea how to do it.
@@Fairpavel Agreed. Perhaps ask the manager how they got their start in management or why they like being a manager. That's my idea at least, but have not tried that in an interview setting before.
@@FairpavelI would suggest asking the average length of time that most of their team has stayed with them. Ask what they enjoy about their team's culture and if there are any opportunities regarding the work environment that they would like to further develop? Read between the lines as this could reveal some red flags.
I'm turning 67 soon, and reached full-retirement age on November 1, 2024. The rub is, I'm going to have to continue pushing my boulder into my 70s, or until I can't anymore, so it is what it is. My current job of one year tenure excluded, I can state unequivocally that all my other employers over these many years in the trenches have acted like street hoodlums, and managed their businesses like frat houses or county jails.
I learned (unfortunately, later in life), and after dying on several hills, and contending with abusive bosses and employers that would make canonized martyrs question their faith, how to spot problematic bosses and employers.
Simply trusting my gut, or the vibe I get, is one credible litmus test.
The other is the inflection of voices, and the verbiage they use. Case in point, I was listening to Dave Ramsey (I'm no fan necessarily) the other day. Some small business owner (construction company) was telling Ramsey that he keeps hiring and firing what he deems are inept employees who he asserted falsify their credentials during the hiring process. There was virtually no culpability with either this caller, and Ramsey putting some of the onus on him for making bad hires.
The one thing that stuck out (and quite literally cut to the bone for me) was the narcissistic sociopathic voice (think of interviews with Manson, Berkowitz, Dahmer, etc.) this guy had. Posturing aside, Ramsey and his pal even grimaced a few times during the call.
It's quite fashionable to not "judge" today, but it's a complete fool's errand to not show discernment with critical life decisions.
I've given up on work in my field at this point. I do everything suggested, get ghosted by recruiters DAILY and....I'm just tired, man. I think it's just best to own your own business at this point. No one wants to hire anymore. They don't give a shit if you have an internship, a degree, experience or ANYTHING. It is never enough. lol I wasted money on my degree. I'm sticking to petsitting, working as a barista and trying to get work voice acting.
Sorry to hear that. I hope you came to realization college is a a scam. Your not alone. UA-cam Peter Schiff College
@@user-lu6yg3vk9z Except there are fields where you legitimately need the course work. And you have jobs out here 'preferring' (really requiring) a four year degree for all sorts of work that absolutely does NOT need college level education. It has gotten crazy in the past 20 years or so. I do expect more employers to move away from this tendency but when they are flush with applicants than can easily inflate requirements and still have plenty of candidates.
Whats your degree in ?
@ Technical communication. I then took online courses in cybersecurity.
Company just had layoffs today which is surprising, way to start of month 1
2025 is already off to a less than steller start for me.
Some Senior managers at my two full-time jobs are no longer around due to various reasons.
Those Senior managers were able clarify policies made by lower managers that didn't make sense to me.
I find myself in a situation now, where I do need that clarification on something, without my usual resources available.
I will likely have a full head of grey hair by the end of the year from the stress.
I'm praying I can one day work for myself. But it's easier said than done.
10 seconds in, I was curious so I clicked on this video. I'm really surprised that no one has said this yet, especially as job seekers, but there's just no pattern. There's no way to beat the ATS, there's no way to know what your interviewer is thinking if you even get one, and there's no way your offer is guaranteed especially if you try to negotiate your salary or benefits after the fact. I've been unemployed now for 8 months, had to resort to filing lawsuits with former employers to make some money. There's no gig work apps where I live, and I can't even get a call back from Domino's. No one knows what is happening, no one knows how to fix this, no one knows when this will end. There. Is. No. Pattern.
I wish I could throw in some positivity, but adding on to what you just stated, it seems like nepotism is the law of the land. I'm still getting my things straight career wise and hearing what you are going through is absolutely terrible. Try to stay positive, Mr. Fender. As a Dean guy, I'm wishing you good fortune this year.
There are ATS scanners online where you can put your resume and a job posting and it will compare the two, checking to see if it will get past the ATS. Could be pretty helpful.
This is what happens when you vote Democrat. It only took 4 years for them to destroy our economy.
Got canned on Friday. Lack of production lack of business. Job market here is a joke.
Btw the way you slide into the sponsor was perfect!
do a video on your past 2024 predictions, and what you hit and missed
I have been laid off twice in the last 2 years. It is awful. I work in tech and it seems it is no longer stable as it used to be.
Your note about people going into realty was interesting. I have been questioning pivoting out of tech as a project manager (possibly look into construction), but a video on industries/jobs others have been pivoting to and maybe tips on how to do a career pivot would be incredibly helpful.
I feel like all the tips are learn AI and that is valuable but I fear there is an expiration date on that skill as well.
I work for a software development company. The top level managers have issued orders that everyone in the company become proficient in using AI. I already use it to write new software and debug existing software.
It’s a great year to start something small and begin eating away at the big guys’ market share. Take it to em
Im going to build my own business longterm... play the resume game in the meantime
AI agents will build your business for you. That means, AI agents will build the same business for everyone.
So yours and everyone else's business will be worthless lol
One of my previous supervisors would ask me about job growth and then stonewall me in the next breath when I asked her if my job there could go from PT to FT. 🙃
@@nicholasrosen6342 because the question may show you're not s good fit. They need a long term, part time hire and that's not what you're looking for
The question may show that you're not a good fit for the role. They are looking for a long term, part time hire. You're showing them that it's not what you truly want
Contract work is fine, if it pays more to help make up for the lack of other benefits. However, the pay has been terrible and you are lucky if they offer high deductable insurance, because there are no 401k matches or other traditional benefits.
@@jonjmorganshow I’m currently full, I often find myself wanting to take more time off, and I find that if I get laid off from this role, my next will will be a contract where I will only work for it certain time, to give me flexibility and travel more…
I understand that it takes a bit of setting up because you need a good emergency fund and little to no debt to manage, but I think it could be doable
It's in the nature of most companies to drive employee skills down to the lowest, cheapest level. Henry Ford did it with Ford Motor Company, Ray Crock did it with McDonalds, etc. That way, employees are easily replaceable and require minimal training or education. These are the jobs AI will come for first, and then continue to work it's way up the ladder- until the machines take over, like they did in movie "The Terminator".
Lmfao, no. AI is not nearly as useful as people think it is. True AI still doesn't even actually exist. It's just a really good imitator.
@@Frissdas1207 LOL, I actually agree with you. The first part of what I said was true, but I work in IT and have limited experience with it, and in most situations it's a ways off from completely from replacing people. We have a client that uses it for a general email box, where it tries to read the body of the an email to determine where it should be routed. It's wrong often, and even when right, it still needs to be maintained. So even something as simple as that, it can't completely replace a person. I also agree with you that the term AI is buzz word that is used in place of "automation" constantly now- for something to be considered AI, it needs to do a lot more than just that.
Not yet it isn't.
AI will probably replace knowledge workers. Anyone who has a job that requires them to be there in person and has survived automation will likely still have their job. AI doesn't produce quality work. My guess is that people producing unique, high-value work will see their job survive AI, but others will be replaced.
@@Frissdas1207 AI just replaced the payroll and accounts payable department at a local hospital. They now only have 2 accountants that are training the AI but it's my understanding they'll lose their jobs as well eventually. So it does actually exist and is already taking jobs.
The job market will be very bad for the long run to come. Plan conservatively.
Ill tell this to all the new highschool grads, im sure they will find this inspiring
@@brandonsepulveda4047might as well be honest with them!!!
My husband has been unemployed 6 months with no end in sight. I’m beyond hopeless.
I think you're pretty spot-on. I have seen the big shift to contractors reflected already. Basically, teams that used to have multiple full time perms in my industry are now one full timer and a set of contractors they can flex based on needs. Goodbye job security, although my industry has never had it, I've been lucky to make it to 4 years in any job without a layoff hitting my team.
You mention a lot about AI. What are your thoughts on IT jobs like help desk, cloud infrastructure, network engineering, etc. ?
There are still way more remote jobs now than 2019 and back. I’ve been remote since then and haven’t had a problem finding new remote work.
On the FTE roles being turned into Contract roles. Companies that used to do this used to hold the contract agencies to a standard of having a minimum level of benefits. Now companies have removed those standards and the contract agencies are taking advantage of it by paying the contract employees less and offering crap or no benefits. This is unsustainable.
Eventful job market in 2024 is one word for it.
My prediction for 2025 is that it's still and is going to be worse. Hope I'm proven wrong.
If you're looking at the national debt and the stock market for indicators of how jobs will be this year, you're looking at a hill with a telescope. We need to look at how things are for people in the job market, with wages and job listings, and what recruiters and hiring managers are saying about their experiences with resumes and hiring. We need to get out of this bubble of thinking these super-high-level broad things have the most effect on whether we can find good jobs! The constants through the decades are corporations are getting more greedy, hiring more cheap foreigners, and replacing workers with automation. We need to focus on what is real in the scope that we're in, not outer space or at some galactic level that isn't the reality for us on the ground.
I think the economic lies of the last few years had already caught up to us by 2024, but hadn't quite bore out into the mass layoffs and recession, and I worry that's what we might get in 2025. Too many people are hanging on for dear life and their credit is running out, their debts are getting too large to pay off, and the companies they work for are decreasing in profitability, and all it takes is one domino to fall.
Yep, I would rather make myself more competitive as an individual performer, than settle for less than what I have to offer in value.
Personally, I would be completely happy with a hybrid setting. Already I work in a hybrid job and it's very much a work life balance for me. I enjoy it alot. Now remote work would be awesome, but I genuinely hope that is the middle ground companies agree on!
Someone who is willing to admit when their predictions were wrong, you don’t see that often on UA-cam I like to see that
The best I advice I can give you after just getting back into the workforce after 6 months is. 1 have more than 6 months of "of crap" money laying around and 2 work your butt cheeks off to make every friend on the planet in your industry. It is the best, most consistent way to be able to recover from a layoff. Never burn any bridges no matter how bad you might not like someone. Blind applying SUCKS. I have 3 working engineering titles, 13 years of production experience and it felt like it didn't even matter and I was straight out of college again with no experience. If I was a religious man I'd pray for all of you struggling in the unemployment hell. I promise you, it's not you, the job market is completely broken and getting worse. Best wishes to all of you in the hunt. Stay relentless, because there is no other way to get through it but sheer grind.
I've been jobless for almost a year now. I've given up. I'm just living on my savings until I eventually die.
Just came across this channel and I”m glad a I did. Great Information
Thanks and welcome
@@ALifeAfterLayoff you have a great channel, and as a older person “ 58” OMG can’t believe I typed it.. I need to make sure I pay attention to everything that’s happening around me.
Got laid off before holidays. Worst time of year. Was due a call from agency today, never happened. Such disrespect for people.
As my late grandfather forecast for my career years ago after I graduated from college, there will be many twists and turns (and opportunities), and AI is a very significant twist in one's career. I wonder if our wise elders saw something like AI coming.
I work in a clinical job for a non-profit - Our job market is great and wages have shot up. That is not good for society, it is great for my career and job security.
Well good for you.... The rest of us can't find a job no matter what we do
The fact this dude admitted his 2024 predictions were a little off…I’ll always be subbed to him now. I can trust him to correct himself.
That's a sad reality. Even in what used to be high quality jobs, the salaries are lower. And that high quality network is only available to a few candidates unless you really spend resources on building your network. What I mean by that? You have to go to local chapters of associations, spend good time and some time money.
Things are going to be really interesting this year.
Glad I pressed start on making content.
Your opinion on where the job market is heading is as good as my opinion on where the job market is heading. I still clicked on your video to hear your thoughts anyways. Lol
I can’t even get a job dude
I’m gonna be homeless asf by the end of January.
I genuinely don’t know what else to do.
military
Your channel is quite helpful & I appreciate your realistic viewpoint/outlook focusing on what someone can do to adapt as opposed to spamming doom & gloom, negativity, click bait content.
Hello B. I love your blunt style because it again is the truth. I am using your tools, networking, branding, writing, targeted resume, etc because it is the truth in today's job market. It is whole new job world out there and continue to speak the truth. Thanks.
In 2023 I sent over 600 resumes, I don't even know the total number since I was using multiple websites, over 9 months unemployed. I've got lucky and managed to get a job exactly a year ago.
However, now that I went through that even though I'm employed, I'm already working on separate projects and looking for ways to sell my work directly to companies instead of waiting for them to hire me. I'm not going through that again, no way.
My work is less at risk from technology than it is from organizational policy change that is collapsing and simplifying the work stream I manage. I specialize in understanding the current areas of complexity. It's a race to see if change over takes me before my target retirement date which is a few years out.
Edit to add: My organization was an early adopter of wfh. We had hybrid schedules a decade before the pandemic made is widespread. Post pandemic wfh opportunities were expanded. In fact, plan to reduce our office space soon despite an increasing head count.
this is why I went for a government job due to no layoffs and pension. Private is too unstable now.
2025 prediction: the stone cold, indifferent AI robot corporate wall will become even more discriminatory, impenetrable, and insufferable.
I don't know what is the situation with jobs in US but I want to say, as I am currently unemployed, in my country there are active job offers but number of candidates for them often exceeds 50-100, it doesn't matter if this is white or blue collar job, entry level or mid/senior level and you need to wait for at least 2-3 months before call from management, even for really basic job offer.
2nd wave of AI; Help remaining 90% do jobs better. 10% of jobs eliminated.
3rd wave of AI; Help remaining 80% do jobs better. 20% of jobs eliminated.
4th wave of AI; Help remaining 70% do jobs better. 30% of jobs eliminated.
5th wave of AI; Help remaining 60% do jobs better. 40% of jobs eliminated.
See where this is going?
Honestly it’s not starting off with a very good year. Many retail stores are actually closing stores nationwide and cutting back which could reflect the hiring decisions of other companies and organizations.
Well, Biden’s handlers are still in charge, so we can’t expect anything big until he’s safely mumbling to his orderlies.
I have been unemployed for 2 years and have applied to different jobs outside my skillset as well because I can’t get a job in marketing, I get rejected very fast. I have networked a ton, had my resume reviewed, and did mock interviews. I’m not sure what to do. I believe my only way is entrepreneurship at this point.
Idk what you mean "The very best employees will not tolerate contract positions". I make about 50% more than all of the perm employees at my S&P50 company. Now they are going to be doing a round of layoffs and I won't be a target since I'm a contractor. I also don't have to work overtime (ever) and I don't have to do on-call rotation for the overnight dev work like all the perm employees do. I also am not subject to RTO at all. Which one of us is laughing? (it's me)
I am glad to hear that you mentioned real estate as a career that people have been switching to, because I switched from GIS/Mapping and Data/MIS (all what I went to school for) to Real Estate Appraising which is separate from Real Estate Brokerage or selling, but nevertheless, compared to the problems with tech jobs that I saw before, I am much happier working in Real Estate Valuation since it sets me up for a better career and independence/control in my career that I did not get working in GIS and Data. I enjoy your videos and if I did not stumble upon this channel, maybe I would have not switched out of my old career in tech to my new career in real estate valuation which the old one is dwindling now.
I'm gonna need to respectfully disagree with you where AI is concerned. These "learning" programs are deeply problematic from both a moral and practical standpoint, and I think we're overdue for an immense public backlash against them.
First, as is well documented at this point, "generative" AI is in fact regurgitative -- it runs off large datasets and essentially produces output based on a generalized synthesis of what it already "knows". Put in simpler terms, this means two things. AI output will never be exceptional, it will at best be a stable but mediocre imitation of the content its been fed on, and that's assuming it "understands" the data correctly which it very often doesn't (leading to a host of various errors, some quite egregious, which can lead in turn to major issues further down the line as AI is not built to identify and correct mistakes the way a human can). AI also requires so much sample data just to function that morally (and lawfully) sourcing it in time to bring the AI to market is often just simply not done -- as has been well documented, most (if not all) of these AIs get their datasets by "scraping" the Internet, a process which blindly pulls vast quantities of files... many of which are likely private and/or sensitive, and many of which may further be under intellectual property protections. It would honestly be challenging to find a major art or writing AI that isn't "trained" on data it shouldn't have, nor is it as simple as removing the files from the dataset -- once the AI "learns" on them, those files permanently shape the AI's program and generative outputs for as long as it exists.
Second, and far less technically, is the growing awareness that the "problem" that techbros want AI to solve is, essentially, wages... and it's doing so in some extremely expensive ways. Yes, employers are 100% setting up to have AI take people's jobs -- they've basically admitted to it at this point, and a great many newly created jobs only exist so that a company's AI can train off an employee's output, so the intent here is blatantly transparent. What's less transparent is the cost of running AIs, which quite frankly eclipses the cost of maintaining a labor force if they were to be scaled equivalently. Some of the statistics about electricity usage per AI prompt, as well as water cooling consumption rates at AI-supporting data centers, is simply eye-watering... and that's before we get into the fact that Google is actively planning to build not one but SEVEN nuclear power plants SOLELY to power it's experimentation with AI. Seven. Nuclear. Power plants. All to simulate things that actual human beings (who can run off coffee and sandwiches) can do at a fraction of the cost, and with far more output accountability!
AI is theft. AI is unpredictable and unreliable. AI is a black box of convoluted processes that even the software engineers who build it don't fully understand. AI is stealing jobs and destroying the environment. AI is driving up power costs for companies that use it. AI is largely only desired by out-of-touch CEOs and techbros, not the general public.
Companies need to rethink jumping on the AI bandwagon, because it's heading towards a cliff in several major ways.
I agree with you.
I use ChatGPT to assist me with some common tasks as a programmer. I am impressed about what kind of answers I get, and it sometimes helps me to unblock when I ask some complex questions.
Still, it doesn't cut it. Even providing very specific constraints (e.g. how would you implement X if you are using this version of this programming language and this version of this framework and this version of the database), I get answers that need a lot of tweaking, that wouldn't work out of the box. And we are talking about small functions and chunks of code, no full blown applications.
The idea that an inference engine, no matter how many iterations of the AI we would see in the future, could replace a programmer, or even a talented artist (I see no difference) is preposterous.
If I mention programming is because programming offers an objective benchmark of what works and what not, whereas everything else is open for debate.
And one of the reasons (and the very trivial at that) is that project managers and clients need to specify exactly what the requirements are. In my whole career I never seen that happening.
@ryanedgerton9664 stellar comment, love your writing style. Do you have a blog or something? Curious about other thoughts you have on the downsides of AI since its just plugged in every marketing sales funnel as a 'perk' (like every innovation in human history i bet)
@@theneonpython -- No blog, I'm afraid. I'm just hobbyist writer, but I deeply appreciate your response!
As for AI being "plugged in" everywhere (seemingly with little if any real thought put into it), I just attribute that to bandwagon behavior / a reflection of how centralized the world economy has become. The richest people in the world want desperately to normalize this tech so that it can near-passively make them money, and one approach to that is the "exposure therapy" route where it just "magically" shows up everywhere and people eventually shrug and assume it's "just normal now". Even without direct orders to do so, a lot of companies will just copy their competition out of a fear of being left behind. The important thing is that we as individuals never forget how this tech works, what it's deeply subversive purpose is, and how innately hostile it is to anyone who isn't in the top 1%.
I don't know what will take place in 2025. However, with all the upheaval going on, I'm learning to bet on myself. I graduated from undergrad in 2008 right into the recession which taught me a lot of how these employers don't care about their employees. The employers and employees relationship is in the trash. My current employers informed us in 2023 that we were no longer to receive overtime unless in certain situation. I remember thinking to myself that is a red flag. At the time I had been with the company for about 8 years and thought to myself that odd. I'm starting to embrace social media more and working on creating my own channel and using AI to have a better understanding of how to use it since it important to know because it may definitely help me with employment.
To be honest, I'm not surprised by with what you said in your video because the changes are happening and we have to learn how to navigated those changes.
I had an interaction to complete my job profile with an AI Recruiter. I don't know what the data looks like on the other end, but every response I was given was accurate.
Some average employees at my company are saying, "make me RTO". I think many employers don't have the courage to terminate, so they threaten weak punishments.
I am a nurse and last year I was working full time, budgeting groceries, unable to afford date nights, and missing time with my kids. Now I learned how to make money online. Now am a SAHM, homeschooling, and making profits every week.
Wow that's awesome investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now. especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
You are absolutely right 💯
Am looking for something to venture into on a short term basis, I really need to create an alternate source of income, what do you think I should do?
Cryptocurrency/stock investment, but you will need a professional guide on that.
Facebook 👇
I had a feeling this year will be a tough year for the job market. I think it takes a lot more time to see this country gets back to itself. Maybe we need another year to see how things will go.
Last year I was working full time, budgeting groceries, unable to afford date nights, and missing time with my kids. Now I learned how to make money online. Now am a SAHM, homeschooling, and making profits every week.
Wow that's awesome, investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now. especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. stocks, gold, silver, and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.
Am looking for something to venture into on a short term basis, I really need to create an alternate source of income, what do you think I should do?
Cryptocurrency/stock investment, but you will need a professional guide on that.
Facebook 👇
Amelia C. Sanders
You did not mention work visas being given willy nilly without the government thinking if the infrastructure can hold it. Too many devs are laidoff and companies are complaining skill gap. Thats BS. If you are going against someone offshore with 10 yrs of exp willing to accept shit pay company will go with that.
While in certain areas less regulation can be good, things like generative AI should be banned to be used by any registered business or social media platform. It is ruining not just job market but our entire society.
What are other lower barrier entry careers? I’m 43. And am currently looking for a job because I don’t have one. I’m Andrew. I live in Reston, Virginia.
That’s a good question. Any free resources that the host can offer will benefit a lot of people. Thanks
I really think RTO policies are temporary until the job market bounces back. The only reason companies can get away with it is because they're oversaturated with high quality applicants. If the economy booms as predicted and job openings become plentiful, Remote work will become one of many perks used to attract talent.
Can you please shed light on the Job fit assessment tests. Not all jobs ask that its filled out but some do, like govt jobs. They're lengthy personality tests, career interests and thinking skills assessments. I doubt its in the job seekers interest to be fully honest on them, but more lean towards answering what they want to hear in order to have some shot at the job...There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on this unless I'm not looking in the right places.
Always lie on them, they're just there to deny you a chance at an interview.
People need to stop having some preconceived notion on what their career will be without wavering from that notion. College grads being too good to go do some manual labor and/or work a trade - even temporarily are completely screwing themselves. I have my Master’s and I saw the tech bubble bursting before it happened and I bailed. Went into truck driving and I haven’t been without a job for over a decade while being taken care of very well. Remote work is cool too - I’d love to get a remote job but people refusing to commute to a job at all are also only screwing themselves.
I'm in a fully remote accounting job the last 1.5 years. I am holding tight as long as I can. There is no plan to go into the office it's our culture and I am grateful for it. I did the commuted thing in bad winters for 28 years. I love being home. I constantly add value, stay positive in some stressful times, and be available whenever I can. I go into the closest office (1.5 hours away) couple days at quarter-end. I'm good with that.
90 minutes away? Thank goodness you don't have to go often! Hybrid/remote work is definitely a gift. I work a hybrid schedule and go in a couple times per week. Mind you, I could walk to my downtown office in about 30 minutes. So it's not the commute I mind. I just like being able to be at home, save the time before and after work, run the dishwasher, etc.
@@fdm2155 Exactly I'll take a day or two every 90 days with a 90 minute commute. It's all highway driving there. Only reason I go in is to count inventory and make sure no one takes my office space away. LOL. I love being home too to get laundry done etc on my breaks/lunches. Not commuting I get groceries first thing before I even sign on. Plus I can be there for my fur babies too, LOL.
Take the contract job in fact, take that position and market it to six other companies. Live where you want to live.
Another great video, and yet so depressing.
Thanks so much for this!I like your points about thinking ahead and doing a deep dive into AI to get ahead in our fields. I also really like your point about the importance of more targeted networking.
With my current job, I was lucky enough when my then boss who hired me as he happened to know my previous boss.
I've 7 years of experience in hvac-R but still getting no interviews
My Corporation did our round of layoff in 2023 / 2024. We are 100% remote, and pay commissions based on successful projects, so anyone not already using AI to 10x their productivity will not even have a chance.
Sounds like your company will put itself out of business soon using only ai created work.
@@kenshinhimura9387 lol try reading again you totally missed my point. You are the type of person that I would have all ready fired.
I think this round Ai is being used as a source of support (kind of like an employee) tagging along and learn and supporting some employees. Eventually, Ai will become such an expert in your fields it will take some of your jobs. Instead of 50 people working. Businesses will reduce it down to 5 and Ai will run the rest. My wife works for a government job and they will be implementing an Ai type software support for their field. I saw this coming since ChatGPT. Eventually they will reduce jobs as Ai become better and your job becomes more efficient.
Nvidia is putting agentic AI into a video game, PUBG. It acts as your teammate and can supposedly follow your voice commands on the fly. We'll see how that goes. AI so far has been overpromised and underdelivered.
Is there still time for me to start doing infomercials?
You know it's bad when A Life After Layoff isn't talking about how awesome corporate life is. It's like Tokyo Rose saying that the Japanese need to take it down a notch.
I’m not in STEM- how can I get AI experience in the HR field? Does anyone have any resources/courses/LinkedIn course suggestions?
AI and automation will continue to wash away jobs. UBI need to be discussed now, but society and the political system aren't ready to discuss. Forget about having a regular job ever again.
@@whyc2094 I agree but I think UBI is going to come the moment AI will hit a critical mass in job loss.
@@Hungrykya12345 Possibly, and by then it will be too late.
You've mentioned multiple revenue streams as a must in this day and age, but as someone with kids in school and activities and everything else in life, when and what am I supposed to do for multiple revenue streams?