ZipRecruiter’s New Hire Survey 2026 Q2
The ZipRecruiter Q2 2026 New Hire Survey indicates that the workforce is navigating a slower labor market with careful consideration and intention. While the rapid job-hopping trend observed in the post-pandemic era has stabilized, newly hired workers continue to make strategic moves to enhance their daily work lives. The modern job search requires significant effort, endurance, and time; however, for candidates who are willing to invest that effort, the market is delivering positive results. On average, new hires submitted 16 applications, spent 5 weeks searching, and completed 5 interviews to secure 2 job offers before starting their new positions.
More than a Third of Workers Have a Second Source of Income
More than a third of U.S. workers (35%) currently have a side hustle or hold multiple jobs, according to a recent ZipRecruiter survey, and the practice now cuts across nearly every corner of American working life.
Younger workers are nearly twice as likely as those over 45 to have supplemental income. Veterans, union members, and high earners are all above average as well. But the motivations are far from one-size-fits-all. A side hustle can be a lifeline for those stretched by rising costs, an on-ramp for first-time job seekers facing barriers to traditional employment, or a ladder for those trying to move up faster. Understanding who has one, and why, reveals a workforce that is more financially creative and more financially pressured than employment figures alone suggest.
ZipRecruiter’s New Hire Survey 2025 Q4
As 2025 ends, ZipRecruiter’s Q4 New Hire Survey showsjob seekers are accepting a new job faster, even when it isn't their dream job, and in this slow hire environment they aren't regretting their speedy decision after the fact. Fast-paced job-hopping has been replaced by the cautious decision-making of job-hugging as stability beats rapid advancement. Though wage pressures have mounted and "dream jobs" are harder to come by, most new hires report satisfaction with their choices and are settling into roles with clear eyes and longer-term commitments.
Job Switchers Accept Smaller Pay Increases to Take Remote Roles
Workers in remote jobs generally earn more than those who work in the office, and get bigger raises, according to ZipRecruiter surveys of thousands of job seekers and newly hired workers conducted over the past year.
The Best (and Worst) Metro Areas for Jobs in 2023
Employment expanded in the vast majority of metropolitan areas in the U.S. in 2023, with only 8% shedding jobs. That’s according to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.