People open to rough work amid rough job market

Employment options that could be featured in Dirty Jobs are seeing a surge in applications amid a hiring slowdown. Bloomberg reported yesterday that job seekers are jostling for what are typically high-turnover roles that require physical and mental toughness, while not always paying well.

For example:

• Applications to the Georgia Department of Corrections were up 40% in the last three months compared to the same period last year.
• The US military met its recruiting goals ahead of schedule this summer, after previously struggling to attract enlistees. Analysts say the recruitment rebound might be due to fewer alternative work options and pay raises.
• Waste management recruiting firm HireQuest said that i​​its unit that staffs recycling and garbage facilities experienced a 50% surge in applications over the past two years, which the company attributes to higher interest and fewer vacancies.

It happens when cubicle gigs are scarce

Unlike people rewatching Sex and the City, the increased allure of unglamorous work can actually indicate economic challenges. While the economy was projected to grow at a solid clip of 3.9% in Q3, layoffs have accelerated and hiring has slowed for office workers—prompting economist to argue over how much AI is to blame.

While private sector hiring recovered slightly last month, per data from payroll firm ADP, most onboarding occurred in non-office sectors like healthcare and construction.

And the road ahead looks bumpy for people early in their careers, as employers are favoring workers with a few years of experience. Companies are more pessimistic about the upcoming spring college grad hiring season than they have been since the pandemic, according to a recent National Association of Colleges and Employers survey.

Looking ahead…there’ll be a wider-angle snapshot of the recent state of the job market available when the reopened government releases September jobs data on Thursday, after it was delayed due to the shutdown. But we’ll have to wait until next month for more current hiring stats.—SK