By: Chris Villanueva, CPRW, Founder & CEO of Let’s Eat, Grandma
Today, we’re diving into the current state of the job market. In this article, we’ll discuss current happenings and how you can stay ahead of your job search in 2025.
What’s Going on With the Market?
Let’s quickly reference the latest BLS report. In March, we saw 228,000 non-farm job additions.
Source: Adobe
March brought gains in healthcare, social assistance, and transportation. (Healthcare, no surprise there. It’s always a steady industry with ongoing demand).
On the downside, we saw a drop in government employment—specifically federal positions. March saw a 4,000 job loss in that sector, following an 11,000 loss in February. These cuts appear tied to recent federal budget decisions.
Unemployment held steady at 4.2%. Not bad. There’s talk that it may rise, but for now, things are pretty stable.
For context, January and February saw 111,000 and 117,000 new jobs, respectively. So March showed significant improvement.
But I’ll be honest—I was pretty disappointed with how things looked earlier in the year. Those Jan and Feb numbers were even revised downward by 48,000.
What About Tariffs?
Now let’s get into tariffs—and why they matter. For many, the impact is indirect—and it’s more about the broader economy and the psychological ripple effects they cause.
We’ve seen volatility in the stock market lately, especially in March and heading into April. For example, on a recent Friday—the Dow Jones dropped 5.5%, the largest dip since the height of the pandemic in June 2020.
JP Morgan’s chief economic advisor even predicted a 2025 recession. Their current estimate is that unemployment could rise to 5.3%. Whether that happens remains to be seen—but it reflects how shaky people are feeling right now.
And when employers feel uncertain, they’re less likely to take risks. Less innovation. Fewer big hiring pushes like we saw in 2021 and 2022. It’s not just companies feeling the pressure—Americans are, too. Financial outlooks recently dropped to a 12-year low, and job market confidence hit a slump, even lower than during peak pandemic uncertainty in April 2020.
No Matter What the Data Says, Stay Consistent.
So what does all this mean for you, the job seeker? I’ve been in a business serving job seekers for 11 years. I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs—and every year brings its own challenges. But this moment is just as much an opportunity as any.
If you’re actively or passively searching, now is the time to forge your path forward. I’m not saying quit your job tomorrow, but don’t let uncertainty—or chatter from coworkers or friends—rattle you. There are still plenty of opportunities out there.
Just look at March: 228,000 new jobs. You can’t predict whether a given month will be good or bad for the job market. You have to keep showing up, sending out applications, and taking action.
Don’t lose hope. These moments are temporary. One, two, or five years from now, you’ll look back and say, “That was a tough time, but I’m so glad I kept going.”
Consistency leads to breakthroughs.
This is the Time to Focus on Standing Out.
The market’s going to be more competitive. We’ve got displaced federal employees entering the private job market, and employers are more cautious. So standing out is non-negotiable.
That means going beyond a generic, AI-generated resume. It means preparing for interviews more thoroughly than you did last year. It means showing up—really showing up—with your best self and staying committed to improvement.
If you do that, I truly believe you’ll get to where you want to be.
And stop blaming the job market. It’s tough. I get it. But you can’t use that as your excuse. Keep forging ahead.
One Last Word of Advice: Networking for the Long Haul.
Treat your network like a long-term investment. Even if you’re not job hunting right now, keep tending your garden. Water it a little each week. I’ve been doing this in my backyard—literally—and it reminded me of how easy it is to let things go if you don’t take consistent action.
Your career is important. Your financial stability is important. So don’t let that garden get overrun by weeds. Keep building your relationships.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s episode. I hope it was short, impactful, and useful. Connect with me on LinkedIn—and share this episode with someone else. You’ll not only reinforce your own knowledge, but you’ll also be helping someone in your network.
We at Let’s Eat, Grandma would love to hear from you. If you need resume or LinkedIn help, reach out to Let’s Eat, Grandma today.