Job Market Pessimism Surges Among Americans

0:00It's March 24. From your city to your ears, this is Canada News Today, powered by AI. Americans are growing more pessimistic about the job market, even with unemployment staying low. A recent Gallup survey found just 28% of workers think it's a good time to find a quality job, while 72% say it's a bad time. That's a big drop from mid-2022, when 70% fell positive. The outlook flipped quickly, with nearly half still optimistic as late as late 2024. This Gallup poll wrapped up in the final three months of 2025. Before recent spikes in oil prices from global tensions started, hitting wallets harder. College graduates feel it the most, with only 19% seeing good opportunities compared to 35% of those without degrees. Younger workers especially struggle in this low higher, low fire environment, where companies hold on to staff but aren't bringing on many new hires. Government data backs this up, showing the hiring rate hit 3.2% last November, the lowest

1:04since March 2013, when unemployment tops 7.5%. Now there are 7.4 million unemployed people chasing 6.9 million openings, reversing post-pandemic trends. These views match broader gloom and surveys, like the conference board's consumer confidence, covering near-pandemic lows and signaling caution, despite some solid economic numbers.