54% of Job Seekers Expect a Difficult Search Amid Pay, Competition and Job Worries
Finding a job feels difficult for many Americans actively looking for work, according to a new Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey, especially when the right role must match their qualifications, pay needs and long-term goals. Forty-one percent of U.S. job seekers say they are actively looking for a new job, with 82% focused on full-time positions. Both figures are unchanged from the fall of 2025. Still, more than half of job seekers (54%) say it will be difficult to find a job in the
Employers Plan to Hire in Second Half of 2026, but Nearly Half Can’t Fill Open Roles
Employers are heading into the second half of 2026 with plans to hire, but many are still struggling to find the workers they need. A new Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey found 84% of U.S. hiring managers feel positive about their company’s hiring outlook for the remainder of 2026, nearly unchanged from 85% in the fall of 2025. Employers most commonly describe their outlook as optimistic (54%), confident (52%) and hopeful (49%). That positivity is translating into hiring plans, though
