---
title: 2023 Q2 State of Hiring Snapshot
description: These are your 2023 Q2 hiring insights.
---

[HiringThing Blog](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog)

# [2023 Q2 State of Hiring Snapshot](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot)

 Written by [Pat Brothwell](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/author/pat-brothwell) | July 7, 2023

It’s always good to take a second to slow down, look around, and see where the hiring landscape is at any given moment. It’s something we encourage every business to do from time to time. However, if you find yourself too busy or in need of guidance, fear not, for here at HiringThing, we like to publicly assess hiring each quarter and see what insights we glean. This post is our 2023 Q2 hiring snapshot, with a [look back at Q1 2023](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-2023-recap) included for context.

In this Q2 hiring snapshot, we’ll look at:

- [**Hiring in the Headlines:**](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Hiring-in-the-headlines)What trends and insights are dominating headlines
- [**Looking Back at Q1:**](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-2023-recap) The headlines that defined the start of 2023
- [Hiring Data](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-Hiring-by-the-charts)**[:](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-Hiring-by-the-charts)** What can data tell us about today’s hiring
- [**Businesses Can Meet Today’s Hiring Challenges Head On**:](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Advice-for-Businesses) Some practical tips to keep hiring competitive!

## Q2 Hiring in the Headlines

*Editor’s Note: Keep in mind as we go through Q2 hiring headlines that newspapers and magazines are a business, and for better or worse, clickbait sells. Things are often not as dire or transcendent as a headline suggests.* 

### The Bureau of Labor Statistics Numbers

For a refresher on how the year began, see our [look back at Q1 2023](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-2023-recap) below.

The unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.7% in May, and unemployed persons rose by 440,000 to 6.1 million. The unemployment rate has ranged from 3.4% to 3.7% since March 2022. [May’s numbers](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf) show that all in all, things have been more or less steady. 

In[June](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm), little changed, with the unemployment rate being 3.6% and the number of unemployed persons being approximately 6 million persons. However, it was announced that the labor force participation rate for people aged 25-54 [was the highest i](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/labor-force-participation-rate-for-people-ages-25-to-54-in-may-2023-highest-since-january-2007.htm)n May 2023 since January of 2007.

People are hiring too! ADP [released a report](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/06/adp-jobs-report-private-sector-added-497000-workers-in-june.html) just before the BLS released their June numbers, sharing that approximately 497,000 new jobs were created in June, the biggest monthly rise in open jobs since July 2022. From an industry standpoint, leisure and [hospitality](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/hospitality-recruiting-challenge-solutions) led with 232,000 new hires, 97,000 in construction, and 90,000 in transportation. 

### "Quiet Hiring" Arrives on the Scene

In our [Q1 look back](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Q1-2023-recap), we surmised that “quiet quitting” was never really a thing, but that doesn’t mean the publications responsible for headlines and buzzwords will stop trying to make [“quiet hiring”](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/04/18/quiet-hiring-a-new-workplace-trend-for-companies/?sh=2622cfcd2f32) a thing. The difference? We see some value here. 

With economic uncertainty all around us and a competitive job market, many organizations are putting more of an emphasis on hiring internally, which makes a lot of sense for our current state. Internal hiring and promotion rewards outstanding employees, which keeps them engaged and helps with retention.

### AI is Transforming Hiring

SHRM has covered how, by and large, HR is [all in on AI](https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/technology/Pages/HR-Is-Embracing-ChatGPT-But-Still-Wary-of-Risks.aspx) to help streamline and strengthen hiring. However, a disconnect exists between those hiring and those looking for jobs. Pew Research found that [62% of people](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/04/20/ai-in-hiring-and-evaluating-workers-what-americans-think/) think AI will significantly impact hiring, but only 16% of job seekers feel like they’ll be more helped than hurt by AI advances. 

### Workplace Changes Battle the Status Quo

A recent study on what [remote work can do to our bodies](https://nypost.com/2023/06/16/3d-model-reveals-what-remote-work-could-do-to-our-bodies/) made us roll our collective eyes. This “model” shows a remote worker with hunched back, sunken eyes, and a generally unwell demeanor. It’s in stark contrast to our fully remote team, many of whom use the extra time they have from working remotely to rock climb, hike, practice yoga, and travel. 

It’s worth noting that this particular study was conducted by a furniture company, no doubt wanting to sell some ergonomic desk chairs, but it was widely picked up and covered. We’ve noticed a spate of headlines challenging many people-centric workplace changes spurned on by the pandemic. It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out, as a sort of old vs. new guard tete-a-tete seems to be happening. We like this Bloomberg headline much more: [Pay Remote Workers Less? Companies Should Think Twice](https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-06-13/pay-remote-workers-less-companies-should-think-twice#xj4y7vzkg).

### Job Hunting is Frustrating Job Seekers

Along the same lines, many companies prioritized the job [candidate experience](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/revolutionizing-candidate-experience) during post-pandemic hiring challenges when job seekers had the power by making it quicker, easier, and strength-based. Now that companies are playing it a bit safer with recession fears, some seem to be falling back into old habits. We’re seeing this being covered in workplace content, such as this Time piece titled [Why Looking for a Job is Getting More Miserable](https://time.com/6287012/why-finding-job-is-difficult/). 

## Looking Back: Q1 2023 Hiring Headlines

To put Q2 in context, here is how the year started. These were the hiring headlines and trends that defined the first quarter of 2023.

### The "Great Resignation" Morphs Into "The Great Rebalance"

In 2022, the “Great Resignation” gave way to the “Great Reshuffle.” Many predicted 2023 would be the “Great Rebalancing,” as quoted by a Forbes article titled [Outlook for 2023: The Great Rebalance.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidmorel/2022/11/21/outlook-for-2023-the-great-rebalance/?sh=61077a695b87) Contributor David Morel writes, “The post-pandemic frenzy, when people quit on a whim, and there were two job openings for every person unemployed, is no more. That was a one-off. In 2023, less job hopping and fewer counteroffers are likely as the demand for talent and the supply of candidates evens out.”

*Editor’s Note: According to FRED data, in January 2023, there were 10.8 million job openings and 5.9 million unemployed persons, so nearly two job openings for every unemployed person wasn’t necessarily in the rearview just yet.*

### The Bureau of Labor Statistics Releases 2022 and Q1 Numbers

Supply and demand may be evening out, but making career changes will still be happening, and something employers must strategize around. Roughly 4 million people quit their jobs each month in 2022, a number expected to decrease in 2023. While the employment participation rate is steeply increasing, it remains to be seen if all of the individuals who have quit their jobs will return to the workforce. However, things are looking up as [employment rose](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf) by 311,000 in February 2023.

### SHRM Suggests We Brace for Challenges

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) [reported that](https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/recruiters-brace-for-challenging-year-2023.aspx) employers should still be cautious regarding rebalancing and suggested 2023 may still be challenging. SHRM proposed giving flexibility to both job candidates and employees, that employers rely more heavily on internal mobility, and recommended a skills-based approach to hiring—“putting more emphasis on candidates' competencies and less on traditional criteria such as college degrees and work experience.”

### "Quiet Quitting" is Done...If It Was Even Accurate, to Begin With

“Quiet Quitting” had a moment in 2022. When it comes down to it, this wasn’t as big a phenomenon as the media made it seem, as evidenced by The Atlantic article titled [Quiet Quitting is a Fake Trend](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/09/quiet-quitting-trend-employee-disengagement/671436/). Quiet quitting had more to do with more people creating healthy boundaries that establish a work/life balance than it did with slacking off at work, which still has implications for employers—you can [no longer expect top-tier employees or job candidates to work “above and beyond” their salaries or hours without increased pay or incentivization.](https://www.hiringthing.com/what-do-job-candidates-want)

### The World Economic Forum Releases Its Top Work Buzzwords of 2023

Instead of “Quiet Quitting,” what about “Quiet Hiring?” Or “Rage Applying.” The World Economic Forum released the [top workplace buzzwords of 2023](https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/top-workplace-buzzwords-2023-experts/). While some of these new terms have about as much real depth as “Quiet Quitting,” some, like “Boomerang Employees“ or “Copycat Layoffs,” have merit.

### Gartner Identifies Top HR Investments of 2023

When it comes to HR investing, [Gartner identified](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/03-06-2023-gartner-identifies-top-four-hr-investment-trends-for-2023) the top expenditures of 2023 as being HR tech, staffing, recruiting, total rewards (supporting employees not just financially, but physical and mental wellbeing), and learning and development. “HR leaders continue to face persistent high inflation, intense competition for talent, and global supply constraints,” said Gartner HR practice director Seyda Berger-Böcker. “Instead of opting for simple cost-cutting measures, leading organizations are focusing on growth and determining which investments will drive competitive advantage in the year ahead.”

[Back to Top](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Top-of-Page)

## Q2 Hiring by the Charts

Let’s look at the data obtained from the U.S. [Bureau of Labor Statistics](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/counting-on-uncertainty-the-state-of-u.s.-job-market-data-in-2025) and handily tracked and charted by the Federal Reserve of St. Louis’ [Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/).

### Labor Force Participation Remains Steady

While the workforce participation rate isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels, it’s more or less been steady for about a year now. We’ve fully acclimated to this new normal. People who want to work are working. Those who don’t aren’t. It’s up to employers to engage and retain the working population in meaningful ways. 

### Hiring Steadily Declines

While this was a hiring boom last year, businesses are being more strategic now with hires due to economic concerns. Hiring isn’t doing any drastic tumbles but has been slowly and steadily declining this year. Companies looking for employment should use that to their advantage. 

*\*Editor's Note: This has been a downward trend, but June's numbers jumped up. We'll keep a close note of what happens in July/Q3.*

### Quitting is Down, Layoffs are Steady

The big tech layoffs that dominated the news cycle at the end of last year were significantly lower than the beginning of the year, as companies wait to see what the economy brings. And speaking of economic uncertainty, quitting has certainly dropped for now. 

### Job Postings on Indeed Continue Falling

There has been a steady decline in employees posting jobs on Indeed—FRED tracks Indeed since it’s the world’s most popular [job board](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/seven-step-to-selecting-the-right-job-board) since 2021. While Indeed is the most popular job board, and this does mirror hiring trends, this could also mean more people are taking advantage of other job boards (including niche job boards that specialize in specific industries), as well as advertising on social media (or as suggested above, doing more internal hiring). 

[Back to Top](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Top-of-Page) 

## How Businesses Can Meet Our Current Hiring Challenges

### Prioritize the Candidate Experience

Probably the biggest advice we can give you after combing through Q2 data and trends is to prioritize the candidate experience. Keep your hiring people-centric and make your hiring process as simple and efficient as possible. Doing this will ensure you get more candidates finishing your applications, and will strengthen your [employer brand](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/improve-employer-brand-recruit-top-talent), which in turn, helps increase your applicant traffic. 

### Hire With a Growth Mentality in Mind

The “Quiet Hiring” trend is a nice reminder to hire with a growth mentality. What does that mean? Hire for potential. Think about what a candidate could bring to your organization in the future, not just tomorrow. Hiring with a growth mindset in mind means you can more likely promote from within, strengthening your organization and making room for future superstar hires. 

### Great Talent is Hired Fast

This was a key takeaway in Q1 as well, and it remains critical, especially considering how many employers are starting to slide regarding candidate experience—[today’s job candidates want a fast hire](https://www.hiringthing.com/what-do-job-candidates-want)!

Slow, tedious hiring processes are detrimental to a strong hiring strategy. Did you know 92% of job candidates who apply to jobs online don’t finish their application due to length or complexity? We have a guide for shortening the application and [ensuring candidates complete them](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/how-to-ensure-job-candidates-complete-your-job-applications). 

### Approach AI With a Partner Mindset—Keep Hiring Human

Here at HiringThing, we’re approaching AI as a strategic partner, not something that will take our jobs or do all our work for us. Adopting and telegraphing that mindset to potential hires can help set you up for success. 

We love this passage from a Harvard Business Review article titled [AI Should Augment Human Intelligence, Not Replace It:](https://hbr.org/2021/03/ai-should-augment-human-intelligence-not-replace-it) 

The question of whether AI will replace human workers assumes that AI and humans have the same qualities and abilities — but, in reality, they don’t. AI-based machines are fast, more accurate, and consistently rational, but they aren’t intuitive, emotional, or culturally sensitive. And, it’s exactly these abilities that humans possess and make us effective.

As the article's title suggests, AI should augment our experience, not replace it. Read more about our approach to hiring AI in our blog [HiringThing Wants to Keep Your Hiring Human.](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/providing-recruiting-solutions-at-prismhr-live)

### Growth Opportunity Will Be Limited by the Ability to Find Talent

Employers must work hard to attract and retain employees. What do your ideal employees want, and how can you provide them that? Check out [The HiringThing Guide to Increasing Your Applicant Traffic](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/increase-applicant-traffic) for insights into how to create and utilize candidate personas (along with a host of other hiring best practices).

### Recruiting Technology Can Help You and Your Clients Succeed

[68% of recruiting professionals](https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/future-of-recruiting) say that investing in new recruiting technology is the best way to improve recruiting performance over the next five years.

### SMBs Are Being Hit Hard by Labor Shortages

If you’re a platform that serves small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), helping them achieve their recruitment goals is a major value-add. A private label applicant tracking system, hiring software you can present as your own proprietary recruiting solution, empowers the SMBs you serve. Learn more about the benefits of a [private label ATS](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/private-label-applicant-tracking-system).

[Back to Top](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot?hs_amp=true#Top-of-Page)

### About HiringThing

[HiringThing is a modern recruiting and employee onboarding platform](https://hiringthing.com/) as a service that creates seamless talent experiences. Our white label solutions and open API enable technology and service providers to offer hiring and onboarding to their clients. Approachable and adaptable, the platform empowers anyone, anywhere to build their dream team.

[View full post](https://www.hiringthing.com/blog/2023-q2-state-of-hiring-snapshot)

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