The job market in 2026 is frozen: Employers have been slow to hire, and people with jobs are staying put. It’s taking longer to find jobs than it did in previous years; a quarter of unemployed Americans have been looking for six months or more, and the American work force is shrinking.
While recent graduates are struggling to find work, they’re not the only ones. I want to hear from readers of all ages and at various stages of career development and transition, looking for jobs in a variety of fields, including service workers and manual laborers. Maybe you were let go from a big tech company because of A.I.-related downsizing, or you recently retired from the military and are trying to start your next chapter in the civilian work force. Perhaps changes to your company’s policies (work from home policy, child care benefits) made it impossible for you to continue working that job.
Tell me about your experiences below. I may contact you for more information to feature in a series about looking for employment. Times Opinion will not publish your personal information without contacting you first.
