According to the latest research from LinkedIn, more than half (58%) of workers globally plan to seek new jobs this year. On LinkedIn in the US, the number of applicants for each open position has increased from 1.5 people in 2022 to 2.5 people in the fall of 2024.
CNBC Make It reported that Bert Bean, CEO of Insight Global, a human resources company, stated that job seekers may see fewer job openings and more intense competition than in previous years, but the job search process should be much easier than in 2024.
The Wall Street Journal reported that after uncertainties arose last year due to political, artificial intelligence, and inflation issues, company executives are planning to ramp up hiring efforts.
Bean mentioned that his company plans to increase its recruitment numbers this year to double that of 2024.
According to a recent survey by consulting firm Teneo of over 300 CEOs of publicly listed companies, over 75% of CEOs expect the global economy to improve in the first half of this year, partly because they anticipate tax cuts and reduced regulations under the Trump administration.
Human resources and consulting firm Robert Half stated that nearly two-thirds of US employers intend to hire for permanent positions in the next six months. This marks a significant increase compared to the midterm of 2024 when only half of the companies had similar hiring plans.
While hiring is expected to pick up in 2025, some industries offer better prospects for job seekers. Bean encourages job seekers to target positions in the healthcare, engineering, finance, as well as oil and gas sectors.
Employers in these fields are increasing their workforce for various reasons.
According to a recent study by risk management consulting firm DNV, executives in the oil and gas industry are the most optimistic about industry growth in over five years, largely due to President Trump’s commitment to expanding US oil and gas exports.
Healthcare employers are recruiting staff for different reasons. Bean explained that since the outbreak of the pandemic, the field has had a “strong and sustained demand for talent,” partly due to high fatigue and turnover rates among healthcare workers.
Additionally, facing an aging population and a range of highly infectious diseases, “health service providers, such as large hospital systems, are aggressively recruiting talent with various skills, especially nurses, as the US is facing a shortage of nurses,” noted Bean.
Bean added that technology and financial companies will ramp up hiring in 2025 for a simple reason: to offset the impact of layoffs and conservative hiring in these two industries in 2023 and 2024.
“The threat of an economic downturn has frightened everyone, but the recession has not arrived,” said Bean.