The Week in Jobs

In today's work-related headlines, Pete Newsome from 4 Corner Resources shares the results of a new Stanford study that proves AI is hurting young workers, a tech company that's paying junior AI staff $1,000,000, why workers have FOBO (fear of becoming obsolete), and LinkedIn's claim that professional networks are more trusted than AI and search engines. Also: find out where the word "salary" comes from!

News Articles:
1. https://digitaleconomy.stanford.edu/publications/canaries-in-the-coal-mine/
2. https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-jobs-entry-level-salary-ab2a11c0?mod=hp_lead_pos9
3. https://hrdailyadvisor.com/2025/08/26/the-rise-of-fobo-why-workers-are-eyeing-ai-proof-careers/
4. https://news.linkedin.com/en-us/2025/networks--not-ai-or-search--are-the--1-trusted-source-amid-infor

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

The workplace keeps getting weirder. From quiet cracking to employees refusing to leave after being fired, plus troubling new data on Gen Z men in the job market, today’s trends reveal a workplace in flux.

In this video, Pete Newsome breaks down the latest headlines you need to know:
1. Quiet Cracking → A "new" workplace trend reshaping employee engagement
2. Imposter Syndrome → How workers at every level can overcome it
3. A “Meh” Job Market → More risks for the U.S. economy
4. Bad News for Gen Z Men → Higher jobless rates and college degrees not paying off

👉 Whether you’re an employer, job seeker, or simply trying to make sense of today’s career landscape, this is your go-to breakdown of all the latest workplace trends.

News Articles: 
1. Quiet Cracking: https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/quiet-cracking-is-a-new-workplace-phenomenon/496305
2. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/25/work-advice-overcoming-imposter-syndrome/
3. Risk for the US Job Market: https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/rising-risk-for-the-u-s-economy-a-job-market-that-is-just-meh-ca37eac1
4. High Unemployment Rate for Gen Z Men: https://fortune.com/2025/08/25/gen-zers-neets-jobless-men-unemployed-higher-rates-women-healthcare-coding-ai/

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👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Welcome to the latest job market news, where we cut through the noise to make sense of today’s economic signals. 

To start, state unemployment figures reveal a sharp divide: South Dakota boasts a low unemployment rate of 1.9%, while DC struggles at 6% and California at 5.5%. However, significant revisions are looming, with Goldman Sachs projecting that up to 950,000 jobs could be removed from official counts in the next BLS report.

However, job postings tell a different story: while openings are down 1% from last year, there are still 7.5 million available positions, well above pre-pandemic levels. Inflation and wages, however, remain out of sync, with prices up 22.7% since 2021 and wages trailing slightly behind at 21.5%. Only a handful of lower-wage industries, such as retail and hospitality, have managed to outpace inflation.

And then there’s AI: some executives frame it as a driver of layoffs, while others view it as a productivity tool that creates new opportunities. The reality is far more nuanced.

News Articles:
1. State Employment and Unemployment BLS data
2. The Kobeissi Letter X post
3. Online Labor Demand Decreased in July
4. Is AI The Scapegoat Employers Use To Explain Technology Layoffs?
5. Wages are outpacing pandemic-era inflation in these 4 industries

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👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Welcome back to your go-to source for the latest job market news, where we break down the trends shaping work right now. 

The job market is shifting rapidly as AI reshapes how companies approach work. Duolingo’s CEO, once an alarmist about “robots are coming,” now insists that AI won’t mean layoffs but rather a rethinking of roles to boost productivity. His claim that engineers will guide AI instead of being replaced raises a bigger question: are workers training their own replacements, just as jobs once moved offshore?

Additionally, we discuss how MIT research provides some reassurance that AI is initially targeting outsourced jobs, rather than U.S. workers. Only about 3% of roles are affected today, though projections warn that up to 27% could eventually change. At the same time, we’re seeing what CNBC calls the “Great Stay”: employees clinging to jobs as optimism sinks and more CEOs eye cuts instead of hiring.

Meanwhile, Forbes highlights quirky economic signals, from payroll data to the “Men’s Underwear Index”, while California struggles with the nation’s highest unemployment at 5.5%. 

And as career paths evolve, it’s worth remembering that job hunting has always adapted, ever since Leonardo da Vinci drafted the first modern resume back in 1482.

News Articles:
1. Duolingo's CEO says he doesn't plan to lay off full-timers because of AI — but their jobs will change
2. AI is already displacing these jobs
3. ‘Job hugging’ has replaced job-hopping, consultants say
4. Forget BLS. Here’s How To Take The Economy’s Temperature Without Using Government Data
5. California unemployment rises to 5.5%, worst in the U.S., as tech falters: ‘It’s brutal out there’

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👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

In this latest job market news episode, we’re tackling the trends, shifts, and surprises shaping the world of work right now. The solution to labor shortages isn’t complicated; it’s higher pay. Yet when Chicago Fed President Austin Goolsbee recently addressed hiring challenges, that simple fix didn’t make the cut.

We’ll also explore ZipRecruiter’s new venture, Breakroom, an employer review platform that sparks questions about trust, transparency, and how companies can protect their reputations.

Plus, we’ll unpack Goldman Sachs’ surprisingly optimistic prediction that AI will cause only a brief 6–7% unemployment bump during the transition, an outlook that might be dangerously understated given AI’s unprecedented capabilities.

And for remote workers, the laptop-friendly coffee shop is disappearing as more cafés prioritize table turnover over “work from anywhere” culture.

Tune in for fresh, practical insights into the evolving job market, perfect for both employers and job seekers navigating these changes.

News Articles:

1. Chicago Fed president wants to see a ‘few months of data’ on inflation to gauge economy’s health
2. Breakroom
3. My Cafe Dumped Me for Doing Work There
4. Employers cut recruitment costs amid recession fears
5. How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce?

🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/

👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

In this episode of the Hire Calling Podcast, host Pete Newsome breaks down the latest workplace trends you need to know now. 

The job market is sending mixed signals; New York City added fewer than 1,000 private sector jobs in early 2025, its weakest growth in over two decades. At the same time, “Coldplaygate” has sparked a fresh conversation about office romances, with nearly half of Gen Z having experienced one, as in-person work makes authentic connections more common.

Meanwhile, “AI Theater” is emerging, with some workers faking AI skills to keep up appearances while true AI literacy becomes increasingly valuable. Adding to the complexity, the participation of working mothers has fallen to a three-year low, raising concerns about the future of workplace flexibility.

What shifts are you seeing in your industry? Subscribe to stay ahead of the trends shaping work.

News Articles:
1. New York City Companies All but Stopped Hiring in First Half of the Year
2. Mothers are leaving the workforce, erasing pandemic gains
3. ‘AI theater’ emerges as workplace pressure grows
4. Ranked: The Most Important Job Skills in 2025

🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/

👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Recruiting has always been a race between speed and quality. But what if you could have both?

In this episode, we’re joined by David Paffenholz, co-founder of Juicebox AI, to explore how AI is transforming talent sourcing as we know it. Born out of his frustration with traditional recruiting, Juicebox lets you search through 800 million profiles in minutes, surfacing candidates traditional keyword matching would miss entirely.

David breaks down how Juicebox uses large language models (like ChatGPT) to go beyond keywords and actually understand candidates' context, skills, and potential. We dive into the platform’s “Juicebox agent,” a sourcing assistant that never sleeps, soon able to launch searches automatically based on your ATS activity.

We also discuss market trends, including the BLS's job count correction, return-to-office dynamics, and how AI tools like Juicebox can provide staffing firms with a competitive edge without compromising on quality.

If you’re ready to spend less time sourcing and more time hiring, this is the episode for you.

🎧 Try Juicebox for free or book a demo at juiceboxai.com

Additional Resources:

1. Innovative Sourcing Techniques for Recruiters
2. Can You Trust AI to Handle Recruitment?
3. How Is Artificial Intelligence Changing the Recruiting Process?

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👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

👋 FOLLOW DAVID PAFFENHOLZ ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-paffenholz/

What happens when life gives you the push you’ve been avoiding? For Julia Arpag, getting laid off just five weeks after giving birth wasn’t a setback; it was the spark that launched her recruiting agency, Aligned Recruitment. In this inspiring episode, Julia shares how losing her “stable” W-2 job opened her eyes to the power of owning your career path.

With roots in therapy and a passion for meaningful connections, Julia reveals how she has built a thriving business by leading with empathy, curiosity, and authenticity, proving that recruitment doesn’t have to be transactional. She also challenges the hustle-at-all-costs startup myth, showing how it’s possible to grow a business and design a life you love.

From navigating motherhood to embracing AI in recruiting, Julia offers hard-won wisdom and a rallying cry for anyone contemplating entrepreneurship: "If you're determined to learn, no one can stop you."

Additional Resources:

• Aligned Recruitment
• Recruiting Trends for 2025
• Can You Trust AI to Handle Recruitment?
• The Benefits of Working With a Staffing Agency

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👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

👋 FOLLOW JULIA ARPAG ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-arpag/

Hiring the right people has never been more critical, or more challenging. If your team is stretched thin, facing aggressive hiring deadlines, or searching for niche talent in a competitive market, a staffing agency could be your best-kept secret.

In this episode, we break down how the right partner can act as an extension of your team, handling everything from sourcing to screening to onboarding. You'll learn when it makes sense to bring in outside help, the difference between contract, direct hire, and contract-to-hire models, and how a great staffing partner can speed up hiring while raising the bar on candidate quality.

Whether you're building a team from scratch or just trying to keep up with demand, this episode will help you rethink what's possible when you stop hiring alone.

Additional Resources:

1. The Benefits of Working With a Staffing Agency
2. Staffing Services
3. Is Your Business Ready for Professional Staffing Services?
4. Advantages of Hiring a Third-Party Small Business Recruiter

🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/

👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

Most recruiters waste time chasing leads that will never convert. Patrick Barbour decided to fix that with a new recruitment automation tool.

In this episode, we dive into the story behind RecStack, an AI-powered business development platform built specifically for staffing firms. Patrick, a former oil and gas recruiter, shares how a single insight changed everything: at any given time, only 3–5% of companies are actively looking for recruiting support. The rest? Wasted outreach.

RecStack flips the script by using AI to track real-time sales triggers, like funding rounds, leadership changes, and key departures, so you only engage with companies ready to hire. It doesn’t just identify targets; it researches them, enriches contact data, and crafts personalized outreach that sounds like you wrote it yourself.

Patrick explains why this shift isn’t about replacing recruiters, but freeing up time to do more. Automation handles the grunt work. You build the relationships.

Whether you're a solo recruiter or scaling an agency, this episode reveals how top firms are already using automation to win faster, work smarter, and never cold call a dead lead again.

Additional Resources:

• RecStack.ai
• What Is Recruitment Automation and How Can You Use It to Hire Smarter?
• Can You Trust AI to Handle Recruitment?
• Trending Recruiting Technology: Must-Have Tools

🧠 WANT TO LEARN MORE? Be sure to subscribe and check out 4 Corner Resources at https://www.4cornerresources.com/

👋 FOLLOW PETE NEWSOME ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petenewsome/
Blog Articles: https://www.4cornerresources.com/blog/

👋 FOLLOW PATRICK BARBOUR ONLINE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-barbour-082a461a7/