The ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Index grew by 2.9 points in the first quarter of 2026, landing at 99.8 – the highest it’s been since 2022. The Expectations Index took a large leap forward, with job seekers having much more positive expectations about the market than in the past several quarters, a positive sign as the labor market shows early signals of a turnaround.

The ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Index grew by 2.9 points in the first quarter of 2026, landing at 99.8 – the highest it’s been since 2022. The Expectations Index took a large leap forward, with job seekers having much more positive expectations about the market than in the past several quarters, a positive sign as the labor market shows early signals of a turnaround.