It's a high-anxiety moment for entry-level workers — a report from Glassdoor out Tuesday morning shows they have record-low confidence in their employers.
The hiring market has slowed considerably from a few years ago, and that's especially troubling for those at the start of their careers.
The share of entry-level workers who said they were feeling positive about their employers' business prospects fell to 43.4% in May, the lowest level since Glassdoor, a workplace review platform, began tracking it in 2016.
- Overall, employee confidence is also at a record low.
The swirling economic uncertainty around tariffs is driving part of this, but for entry-level workers, the anxiety is more personal.
- They are nervous after living through a lot of workplace upheaval, says Glassdoor lead economist Daniel Zhao.
- "A very common refrain you'll hear is somebody saying, 'Oh, my company has gone through two layoffs in the last two years, and I'm uncertain about when the next one is coming.'"
Entry-level employees have jobs, and thus a leg up on their unemployed peers coming out of college.
- Still, that doesn't mean all is well.
- "Just because you have a job doesn't necessarily mean you are happy in your job, or you think that your business, your employer, has good prospects for the future," Zhao says.
Entry-level work is also increasingly threatened by the advancement of AI, as Axios recently reported.
A lot of workers are currently feeling stuck in their roles, as the labor market grinds slower.
- That's especially problematic for entry-level workers, because these are the folks most likely to job hop and benefit from switching — in terms of finding a job that's the right fit and increasing earnings.
- A lot of salary growth happens in the first 10 years of your career, before it flattens out, says Zhao.
The job market is pretty meh for a lot of people, especially those just starting out.
Priya Rathod, a career trends expert at Indeed, told MarketWatch, “I really encourage people to prepare rather than panic, or sit in that unhappiness. Think about what you can do to improve things for yourself.”
Job experts shared these tips on what actions people can take if they are extremely worried that they will be laid off:
1. Have a layoff plan
Have a plan in place in case you are laid off, whether that means building up an emergency fund, getting your resume updated now, or deepening connections with your network, Zhao said.
In light of the economic uncertainty that has come to define 2025, financial planners are recommending people have enough emergency savings to cover at least six months of expenses this year, as the average length of unemployment has increased to more than five months.
Workers who haven’t been in the job market for a while can also proactively identify companies and industries that are still hiring people with their skill set, so they know where to focus their search if they do lose their jobs, rather than starting from scratch during what may be an emotionally difficult period of joblessness. Though hiring has slowed in some areas, others are still thirsty for new workers.
“Generally speaking, acyclical industries like healthcare can be a good place to look for job seekers prioritizing job security,” Zhao added. “Even if you aren’t a medical professional, healthcare providers need workers in a variety of roles like IT, marketing and more.”
2. Upskill
As an estimated 70% of job skills will evolve by 2030, “knowing which skills are in demand can help people looking to land a new job this year to stand out to hiring managers, 50% of whom explicitly use skills to find qualified candidates,” according to a statement from job site LinkedIn.
If you’re preparing for a move within your company or even to a different industry, understanding the specific skill gaps you need to bridge is critical, including any certifications that would make you a stronger candidate, Rathod said.
If you’re not sure where to start, LinkedIn publishes reports about jobs on the rise. The top three for 2025 were: AI engineer, AI consultant, and physical therapist. The top skills on the rise this year included AI literacy, conflict mitigation and process optimization, according to LinkedIn.
Some companies have free training resources; others that are not able to offer large raises right now may offer financial support for learning instead, Rathod said. If you’re employed, “Tap into what your company is giving you access to right now to see what courses you can take through your company, what kind of tuition reimbursement they’re open to, or what kind of learning stipends they’re open to.”
3. Take care of your network
The word “networking” may feel “icky” to some who go on to neglect this critical career-building skill, Rathod said, but it can really just mean staying in touch with people, including when you are still employed. Don’t think of it as extracting or taking from them when you need help, but also remember to offer your help and knowledge too. This can be as simple as maintaining a presence on social media where you share information that you find useful and interesting, which keeps you on people’s radars, she said.
“When you keep your network really strong and robust, people are going to come to you with opportunities,” said Rathod.