While September is back-to-school season for students, it’s typically back-to-hiring season for employers. Called the September Surge, it’s the time of year when companies recruit new employees to ramp up for the fourth quarter and use up any remaining staffing-budget dollars.
This year, however, experts say the surge isn’t as strong as in the past. August’s labor market numbers fell 18,000 new jobs short of Morningstar economist projections. What’s more, entry-level positions may be harder to find for those just embarking on their careers, according to Arran Stewart, cofounder and chief visionary officer of the job search website Job.com.
“In some junior-white-collar roles, [there appear] to be three to four times more applicants than jobs available right now, resulting in much higher application numbers and competition,” he says.
“Companies have put the brakes on hiring young people out of college,” says Tom Gimbel, founder of LaSalle Network and vice chairman of American Staffing Association, “which is somewhat cause for concern. That tends to be a warning sign because [new graduates] are usually the cheapest labor. I don’t think 2025 is going to be a stellar year.”
