A soft landing doesn’t look like a victory lap; it looks like a tug-of-war. December added 50,000 jobs versus a 70,000 forecast, unemployment ticked down to 4.4, yet long-term joblessness and involuntary part-time work continue to weigh on households and hiring plans. Host Pete Newsome breaks down why the trend matters more than the miss, and how slower growth in 2025 stacks up against a much stronger 2024.

Beneath the headline rate, friction is building: more workers stuck unemployed for 27 weeks or longer, and a persistent gap in part-time work for economic reasons points to tighter screening and cautious employers. One bright spot stands out: wages rose 3.8% year over year while inflation sits near 2.7, creating real gains that smart teams can turn into retention by simplifying job requirements, hiring for potential, and accelerating onboarding and mobility.

On the ground, staffing pipelines are warming. We’re seeing more requisitions and faster movement, often an early signal before payroll data turns. If that momentum holds, the first half of 2026 could bring a modest pickup, especially for employers focused on measurable ROI and reskilling. For job seekers, the play is scarce skills and documented impact. For employers, it’s reducing friction and building pathways from part-time to full-time.

So what’s your read on the next quarter, cautious or confident?

Article:
1. BLS: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

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Hiring looked better in December, but don’t let the headlines fool you.

Layoffs eased, and jobs ticked up, yet the labor market is still stuck in neutral. Fewer job postings, softer starting pay, and cautious employer demand signal a slowdown beneath the surface. Host Pete Newsome unpacks why 2025 delivered historic layoffs, why the government led the cuts, and why policy, not AI, was the real driver behind most downsizing.

He also breaks down the signals that matter most right now: initial jobless claims hit their lowest level since April 2024, but continuing claims climbed, showing that job searches are taking longer. That tension is playing out across hiring funnels, with greater selectivity, slower decision-making, and a growing premium on proven, measurable impact. Whether you’re hiring or job hunting, we share practical strategies to navigate a market that rewards precision over volume.

Finally, Pete gets into worker confidence. Glassdoor’s Employee Confidence Index ended the year flat, but only after collapsing to a record low mid-year. Government employees were hit hardest, and mid-level workers saw the largest drop in confidence, challenging the idea that “safe” roles still exist.

With momentum fragile heading into the new year, is this a pause before recovery, or the new normal for hiring?

Articles:
1. Challenger, Gray & Christmas Year-End Report: https://www.challengergray.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Challenger-Report-December-2025.pdf
2. Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdoor-employee-confidence-index-december-2025/
3. U.S. Department of Labor Claims Report: https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf
4. Revelio Public Labor Statistics: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/revelio-public-labor-statistics-reports-71-000-us-jobs-added-in-december-302656478.html

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The headlines say hiring is back, but the data tells a more cautious story. December job numbers show a labor market that’s still moving, just not accelerating. ADP points to modest hiring gains, while the latest JOLTS report confirms fewer job openings and steady quits. Translation: the market isn’t collapsing, but momentum is fragile, especially in white-collar and discretionary roles.

In today's Breaking Job News, host Pete Newsome breaks down what’s actually holding firm right now. Education, healthcare, and leisure continue to carry job growth, while professional and business services pull back. Pay trends show job changers still earning more than stayers, though the gap is stabilizing. Regionally, the West cools while the South and Northeast add jobs, reshaping where opportunity lives.

Then he zooms out to LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise 2026, which reveals where hiring is accelerating despite the slowdown. AI dominates the list, from engineers and consultants to data and machine learning roles, but growth isn’t limited to tech. Healthcare operations, real estate and construction, sales, consulting, and founder-led roles are gaining traction, signaling demand for revenue, infrastructure, and flexibility.

Pete connects the dots on what this means for job seekers right now, from building AI literacy and proof-of-work portfolios to sharpening sales and value messaging in a tighter market.

So here’s the question: in a job market that’s cooling overall but heating up in specific roles, where should you be focusing your next move?

Articles:
1. ADP® National Employment Report: https://adpemploymentreport.com/
2. BLS JOLTS Report: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm
3. LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2026: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-jobs-rise-2026-25-fastest-growing-roles-us-linkedin-news-dlb1c/

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Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog