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I was reading the latest Employment Situation release from the BLS this week, and it reinforced something I’ve been seeing across teams and clients: the labor market is still moving, but it’s doing so with more “friction” than the headline numbers suggest. What stood out to me is how easy it is to over-index on a single figure, one month of job gains, one shift in the unemployment rate, one industry’s momentum, you miss the more operational question: how stable is demand for

You’re not alone — and the reason may surprise you. Most job seekers assume that submitting more applications = more interview opportunities. But the reality is: Less than 3% of online applicants ever hear back. Why? Because before your resume even reaches a recruiter, it often goes through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) designed to filter candidates based on keywords, formatting, and strict criteria. That means: • Incomplete applications get rejected automatically • Resu

I was reading Anthropic’s piece on labor market impacts of AI and found the most useful contribution wasn’t another “AI will take jobs” headline—it was a better way to measure what’s actually happening. Their concept of “observed exposure” resonated with me: not just what LLMs could do in theory, but what people are using them for at work—weighted toward uses that automate work rather than simply assist it. That’s the kind of market information businesses need, because capabi

I was reading a recent piece on recruitment statistics, and it reinforced something I’ve seen repeatedly: hiring is rarely lost at the offer stage—it’s lost in the experience. One data point that stopped me: an overwhelming share of candidates abandon applications before they ever submit them. When the process feels unclear, slow, or repetitive, people simply opt out—especially strong candidates with options. A few other takeaways I’m reflecting on: - Job seekers want clarity