The Job Market Is Frozen
That was the recent headline of an Atlantic article. It reflects the baffling frustration many job seekers are feeling right now.
“Six months. Five-hundred-seventy-six applications. Twenty-nine responses. Four interviews. And still, no job.”
Already in 2025, we are seeing a flurry of firings and layoffs happening across the corporate world and now in the U.S. federal government, too. This means that an estimated 200K displaced workers will enter the job market and compete for scarce jobs.
How scarce?
Well, the pace of hiring has slowed to levels last seen shortly after the Great Recession. Also, voluntary quitting to find a new job has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. People are worried, so they’re staying put (if they can). Employers are concerned about the economy, so they aren’t hiring. The job market is frozen.
And now, with the recent tariffs, the stock market tanked, consumer confidence is falling as threats of inflation rise, and some are whispering the word “recession.” All of this is influencing my outlook for job searchers.
The layoffs and firings will continue in the U.S. this year.
More job seekers will enter the market to compete with you.
Fewer jobs will be available in the U.S. because companies are freezing hiring.
Even if you do land a U.S. job, you may get laid off soon after.
The political and economic turmoil will continue to damage our economy.
My recommendation
If you need a new job and can work remotely (or with some travel), I highly encourage you to seek employment with a company based outside the U.S.
A few people misunderstood my recommendation when I suggested this recently in a Substack note. They assumed that employment with a non-U.S. company would always require moving to a new country.
Yes, that could be a requirement, and some people don’t mind it at all (e.g., a few of my clients and friends have relocated to other countries over the past few years). However, I also have clients and colleagues who work for international companies and still live in the U.S.
Let me give you a few examples:
Atlassian has its global HQ in Sydney, Australia. But, several friends of mine worked for them in their San Francisco office.
IKEA was founded in Sweden and is incorporated and headquartered in the Netherlands. They’re always hiring in their U.S. locations.
Rakuten is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, but it also has offices in San Mateo and San Francisco, California.
1Password is based in Toronto, Canada, but they hire for remote positions, too (U.S. or Canada).
Located in Virginia Beach, VA, STIHL Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of the global STIHL Group, founded in Germany.
Finally, here are some top German companies doing business in the U.S. You can search for similar companies from any country you find interesting.
Why international?
Why do I recommend these companies headquartered outside of the U.S.?
They have diversified global teams that aren’t trapped in our local political turmoil.
They have global revenue sources that aren’t tied 100% to the U.S. economy.
They are not under the complete control of the U.S. federal government, and we’ve seen what happens when American companies bend the knee.
International companies are seeking and appreciate U.S. talent. The number of American workers hired by international companies grew 62% in 2023.
My hope is these companies will be more willing to hire new employees than U.S. companies seem to be right now. Also, working for an international company opens up opportunities that could be interesting for you later.
For example, a friend worked for an international company in one of their U.S. locations for many years. Then, they asked to be relocated to one of their offices in another country. Now, they live there permanently and have never been happier.
Here are some resources to help you find a job with an international company.
U.S. workers are getting scooped up by international companies hiring remote roles
RemoteJob.io (look for non-U.S. employers)
Of course, your income taxes get a little more complicated when you have income from non-U.S. sources. So, check out this overview of U.S. taxes on foreign income for individuals. I also recommend talking with your accountant to ensure you appropriately handle reporting and tax payments. Working for an international company set up to hire in the U.S. (e.g., it has an incorporated presence here) means they should be handling reporting for you, but it’s wise to verify.
Additional complexity is never fun. But being out of work for a long time is even worse. So, if you are struggling to land a new job with a U.S. company in this crazy job market, consider opportunities beyond our borders.
📖 Get your free chapter from the book I’ve been writing for the last few years, Becoming Invincible in Life: A Guide to Reclaiming Your Power, Freedom, and Future. I’m in the editing phase right now, so I’ll hopefully be able to publish it later this year!
I’m Larry Cornett, a Freedom Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become invincible, and create new opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate!
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