Jen Hubley Luckwaldt

The Top 5 Job Search Sites, According to the Data Job sites are less effective on-ramps to employment than they used to be, but they can be part of a successful job search strategy.

Some job sites are better than others, according to data from Huntr.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/the-top-5-...

The (Pretty Grim) Job Search Advice We Need to Give You Right Now But also: some good news about those scary, long-term predictions around AI taking everyone's job.

As @alisondoyle.bsky.social recently noted, this job market feels a lot like the Great Recession — but without the long-term unemployment benefits that cushioned the blow for mid-aughts workers.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/the-pretty...

Are You Applying to Ghost Jobs? There are plenty of listings on job sites. So why is everyone we know having an impossible time getting hired?

If you go by the number of listings on job sites and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings are seemingly plentiful. So why is everyone we know having an impossible time getting hired?
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/are-you-ap...

Jobs Report: Revisions Show 403,000 Fewer Jobs in 2025 Than Originally Reported The monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 130,000 jobs added in January, nearly double economists’ expectations. Dig deeper, however, and you’ll see the uneven and stagnant job...

Not a typo, unfortunately.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/jobs-repor...

Meet My Emotional Support Rabbit OK, technically, she’s my daughter’s pet.

I have a new theory about how love works, thanks to this silly bunny.
oldmomthings.substack.com/p/meet-my-em...

Is AI Really to Blame for All These Layoffs? If you’ve skimmed the headlines lately, you might assume that recent layoffs are due to companies deploying AI. But there may be more to the story.

If you’ve skimmed the headlines lately, you might assume that these cuts are due to companies deploying AI technology in order to cut labor costs. But there may be more to the story.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/is-ai-real...

Here’s How Long It Takes to Get a Job Now Huntr released its Annual Job Search Trends Report last week, and the numbers confirm what many job seekers have been saying: getting hired really is taking longer than it used to.

open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...

a) wow it's a while since I've heard a full on protest song, good work
b) you do have to wonder if "Bruce Springsteen wrote a song calling you, personally, a twat" might get through to ICE lackeys and Trump cultists where other stuff doesn't.

The 5 Best Ways to Get Hired in January and February If you’re seeing more job openings right now, you’re not alone.

The January hiring boost is real — even in this extremely weird job market.

We just published a new Job Hopper post with practical advice for getting hired right now ... with a sprinkle of job-search luck ✨

Read here: thejobhopper.substack.com/p/the-5-best...

I seriously thought this was fake at first.

I Accidentally Got a Full-Time Job Using Our Own Advice. Here’s What Happened. Last week, I started a new job. You'll never guess how I got it. (You'll probably guess right away.)

There's a hefty amount of luck involved in getting a job in this market. But there are a few things you can do to boost your odds of success.

open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...

boy that gyre sure keeps getting wider

Jobs Report: Payrolls Added Only 49,000 Jobs per Month on Average in 2025 When retail trade sheds jobs in December, you know the job market is in trouble.

YIKES.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/jobs-repor...

The Best (and Worst) Excuses for Calling Out of Work Everyone needs a day off from work now and then.

V. important info for the week of Mondays that lies ahead.
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/the-best-a...

I like it!

Painting of sunlight on the ocean and one particular wave in the middle of a bright streak of sunlight on the water showing the sunlight shining through the wave itself as it rises

Wave in Backlight — Peter Witt
oil on canvas
80 x 80 cm

KEEPER.

I love to be told that feminism has failed women by women whose careers and ability to flourish in public life, let alone have a credit card, only exist because of feminism

in the pit

This entire weekend

Is It Worth Looking for a New Job in December? December is a weird time for job searching. But you can find jobs at the end of the year. Here's how.

thejobhopper.substack.com/p/is-it-wort...

Photo of a magic 8 ball with a 'goatse' version of the OpenAI logo and the words ChatGPT on it, next to a white box that says "ChatGPT offline version". Inset are photos of the 8-ball responses such as "That's a great question", "You're 1000% right" and "Too many requests try again later" and then another photo from the back of the box of a holographic authenticity sticker that says FAKE.

After much research and development I have made an offline version of ChatGPT.

Now you can save water and electricity while navel-gazing, and carry one of the world's most powerfully annoying AI chatbots in your pocket.

Free Tools for Job Seekers and Career Changers You don’t necessarily need to pay for help when you’re looking for a job. Some of the best job search tools are 100% free.

Cyber Monday is ridiculous at the best of times. If you're unemployed, it's especially grotesque. So @alisondoyle.bsky.social and I wrote about job search tools that are totally free (in our newsletter, which is also free):
thejobhopper.substack.com/p/free-tools...

You Don't Need to Be Grateful Gratitude is good for you. Fine. But you know what isn't good for you? Being told to be grateful when life is hard.

Gratitude is good for you. Fine. But you know what isn’t good for you? Being told to be grateful all the time when life is hard.
open.substack.com/pub/oldmomth...

What to Do if You Can’t Afford Health Insurance Health insurance is about to get impossibly expensive for a lot of people, unless something changes pretty quickly. Here's how to plan for the worst.

I cannot believe this is a thing we had to write in 2025, but here we are.
open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...

Jobs Report: Ice-Cold September Data Doesn't Tell Today's Story The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its September jobs report this morning, following a delay due to a record-breaking government shutdown.

If you squint at this data, you can see the story that will likely become clearer when the partial October data comes out. But if you're unemployed, you don't need a government report to tell you that it's rough out there right now.

thejobhopper.substack.com/p/jobs-repor...

The Amazon Toy Catalog at the End of the World It’s very weird helping your child make a Christmas list when the economy is burning to the ground.

The Amazon Toy Catalog at the End of the World
open.substack.com/pub/oldmomth...

What to Do If You Lose Your Job Losing your job is a traumatic experience. What you do next can make the situation more bearable and set you up for success.

What to Do If You Lose Your Job
open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...

What Successful Job Seekers Are Doing Differently, According to the Data This is the worst job market we've ever seen. Here's what candidates are doing to beat the system and get hired.

What Successful Job Seekers Are Doing Differently, According to the Data
open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...

The ADP Report Shows Job Growth Last Month. Don’t Celebrate Yet. We don’t need federal jobs data from the Labor Department to tell us the state of the job market.

The ADP Report Shows Job Growth Last Month. Don’t Celebrate Yet.
open.substack.com/pub/thejobho...