06.23.26
The job market is tougher than jerky
According to a recent Stanford Digital Economy Lab study, 90% of companies are using AI to screen applicants. This is creating an algorithmic monoculture, with multiple companies using the same algorithms, creating their own biases. Applying for jobs has never felt more demoralizing, but at least now we know why.
Rising costs, political uncertainties, and the push towards artificial intelligence have made employers more risk-averse when it comes to hiring. In 2025, the average new hire was 42 years old, and the share of workers under the age of 25 was around 8.8% (down from 14.9% in 2022). Skills-based hiring has become the focus, with more companies seeking workers with proven experience with organizational and team leadership capabilities.
Teens are not working summer jobs anymore. Between extracurricular activities, college prep, and simply just being a teenager, there’s not enough time for many to dedicate to summer employment. Only ⅓ of teens sought out summer work, down from 50% in previous years, according to federal data. Consider it the ripple effect of the economy.
The idea of mole people, aka human beings who live in the sewers, isn’t a new concept for New Yorkers. But the community has returned to collective conversation, and it’s all thanks to new footage: recent security recordings showed groups of people in Brooklyn and Queens emerging from maintenance holes, sometimes equipped with headlamps and protective gear. Add this to the list of “what’s old is new again” concepts of 2026.
Most think they’re good listeners, but many people have started to mute their listening cues over time, causing both the speaker and the listener to lose connection on what’s being communicated. Not all is lost: improving your listening skills is fairly simple and works both in person and over video. Signaling through your face and body is an easy way to show active listening, along with listening as if this is brand new information to you (even if it’s not). Listening at the end of the day is work and requires energy to be efficient, but is worth it for all parties involved.