A college degree used to be the safety net. Now it might be the risk.

Today’s episode breaks down a new warning about the future of white-collar work and why many professionals may be unprepared for what’s coming next. Host Pete Newsome unpacks a report showing college graduates now make up a record share of the unemployed and what happens if job loss becomes structural instead of cyclical.

Then Pete connects it to real-time hiring data. Job searches surged 31% in January, but postings barely moved. That leaves more candidates competing for the same roles in what economists call a low-hire, low-fire market. Layoffs remain historically low, yet workers who lose jobs are taking much longer to land another one.

Finally, he explains why the weekly unemployment claims report looks healthy on the surface but tells a different story underneath: companies aren’t cutting aggressively, they’re just not replacing people. Many teams are quietly asking the same question: Can AI handle the work instead?

The result is a slower, tighter job market where switching roles carries more risk than it used to.

Are we heading toward a true white-collar slowdown, or just a temporary pause before hiring rebounds? Let me know in the comments what you’re seeing where you work.

Articles:
1. Annie Lowrey Article: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/ai-white-collar-jobs/686031/
2. February 2026 US Labor Market Update: https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/02/19/february-2026-labor-market-update-new-year-same-resolutions/
3. Department of Labor Weekly UI Report: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases

📽️ WATCH TODAY'S EPISODE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/YglagtxTQ_Q

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