The Jobs Report is Back and the Private Sector is Telling the Real Story
After months of delayed and disrupted reporting, the latest numbers finally give us a clear picture of what really happened in the labor market this fall. Here’s what they say:
A Six-Week Delay: September’s Data Arrived Late
The September jobs report, which was supposed to be released in early October, was delayed more than six weeks due to the government shutdown and didn’t come out until Thursday, November 20. That report surprised many showing 119,000 jobs in September, exceeding expectations and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.4% largely due to the number of available workers in the job market growing — not layoffs.
October Report Canceled, Then Partially Recovered
The October jobs report was fully canceled, as the shutdown halted all regular data collection; however, the Bureau of Labor Statistics was able to recover partial employer survey responses to include in the slightly overdue November jobs report, released on December 16.
That combined report showed the U.S. economy lost 105,000 jobs in October, followed by a gain of 64,000 jobs added in November (higher than the 50,000 expected) and while the overall numbers appear soft, the details tell a different story because the private sector is still hiring, but the public sector is dragging the numbers down.
Private Sector Hiring Continues as the Government Gets Lean
Over the past two months, private employment rose by 121,000 jobs, while total government employment across all levels fell by 162,000. Most of those losses came from the federal government, which has cut 168,000 jobs since September, bringing federal employment to its lowest level in over a decade.
Meanwhile, unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, still historically low, but the highest it’s been in 4 years. Again, due to more people re-entering the labor force, not a collapse in hiring, signaling renewed confidence in the market. Additionally, wage growth is still strong, reported to be at 4.2% and continuing to outpacing inflation.
The Bottom Line: Clarity Has Returned
Overall, with the reporting back online, the outlook is positive for private companies. Wage growth is strong. Private hiring is expanding more as the public sector contracts. More people are entering the workforce. And we finally have visibility again after months of disruption.
While the data may not answer every question, it gives leaders something solid to work from again and that clarity alone is a major win for the end of an unpredictable year.
Temporary Hiring is Up and Down
Temporary and contract staffing through agencies is up this fall, outperforming permanent hiring as companies work to stay agile in an unpredictable market. With tight budgets and limited economic reporting during the recent data blackout, many leaders are keeping long-term headcounts lean while leaning on flexible staffing solutions.
The American Staffing Association’s year-over-year weekly index supports this, showing staffing jobs were about 4.7% higher in mid-November than the same week last year, based on the number of workers actively on assignment through agencies.
At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest report shows employment in temporary help services is down on a broader, seasonally adjusted basis. That reflects longer-term trends, not week-to-week demand.
Overall, the reality this month is that both can be true. Temp hiring isn’t universally up or down. It’s situational. What matters more than the headline is where demand is showing up, which industries are still moving projects forward, and how companies are using temporary and contract talent to keep work moving without adding permanent overhead.
Industry Insights: December 2025
Real-time hiring conditions across the industries we support every day.
Administrative & Office Support
Demand remains steady for higher-level admin, EA and office manager positions in hybrid settings with roles taking on a more operative, project coordination or customer experience scope than traditional “front desk” work. Entry-level support is facing a tougher market as AI tools continue to absorb basic scheduling, data entry and low complexity tasks.
Accounting & Finance
Firms are still competing hard for strong to midlevel talent, with public data showing that tax and accounting roles are among the hottest seasonal and early-career paths right now. The need for cleaner reporting, tighter controls and fewer surprises has solid accountants, auditors and tax professionals commanding a higher value.
Construction, Engineering & Manufacturing
Construction is busy and moving quickly, with most firms eager to see candidates and move qualified people through the process. Demand is strong across infrastructure, specialized trades, and field leadership roles and industry groups report that more than 85% of contractors are still struggling to find skilled labor going into year-end. Manufacturing is on the slower end, but construction and engineering remain active enough that strong technical candidates are off the market fast.
Sales
Real sales talent is harder to find as companies are now hiring more selectively with stronger expectations for immediate ROI from each salesperson. Scripted enterprise sales techniques are losing effectiveness in the market with decision makers drowning in automated outreach and recycled messaging, which has brought genuine charisma back into the equation. Authenticity, relationship-building, deep product/industry knowledge and a consultative approach is becoming the new baseline for strong hires, especially in enterprise and mid-market B2B.
Legal
Demand remains high for strong to mid-level litigators and specialists in privacy, compliance and investigations because those areas are carrying the highest billable demand. Litigation and regulatory practices continue to rank among the most active hiring areas in Q4, and in-house teams are moving quickly on mid-level corporate counsel, compliance counsel and attorneys who can handle regulatory or data-driven matters without a learning curve. Legal ops and tech-forward roles are becoming part of the core team, and more leaders are asking for attorneys who are comfortable with AI, structured workflows and the pace that comes with modern legal work.
Technology
Tech hiring remains focused on candidates with strong depth in AI, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and DevOps. Cybersecurity alone is carrying more than 450,000 open roles nationally, which is keeping demand elevated for security-focused candidates even in a softer tech market. The strongest technical candidates are moving quickly, and most teams are finding that the real challenge is recognizing the right fit early before they are off the market. Clarity around role requirements and a streamlined interview process are proving essential for securing specialized talent, while broader generalist profiles are seeing less demand.
Wealth Management
Firms are hiring selectively for advisors, planners and compliance candidates, with most searches happening through targeted outreach rather than broad postings. Demand remains steady as teams continue to plan for succession, supported by industry studies showing a growing share of advisors nearing retirement and a projected multi-year advisor shortage. Leaders are prioritizing candidates who can manage complex portfolios, navigate modern planning tools and uphold rising regulatory expectations.
What This Means for Employers
With reporting disruptions behind us and private-sector hiring still moving, many employers are leaning on temporary and contract talent to stay productive without locking themselves into long-term headcount. That flexibility makes sense in a market where demand varies by industry and clarity has only recently returned.
With temporary employment on the rise, some companies attempt to manage it internally on their own. But they often underestimate what’s actually involved and end up missing out on the core benefits of working with a firm.
Hiring contingent talent isn’t as simple as bringing someone in for a few weeks. If you’re still the employer of record, you’re taking on the same responsibilities you would with a full-time hire — payroll, compliance, onboarding, insurance, engagement, performance management — without the long-term return to make that effort worthwhile.
To get the full value of temporary hiring, which includes access to the right talent, then it needs to be structure properly with someone else to handling the employment side of it otherwise, it becomes just as complicated and time consuming as a direct-hire, without the long-term payoff. That’s not strategic. That’s just expensive.
When you work with Boutique Recruiting, we become the employer of record and manage every part of the employment process so your team doesn’t have to. You get fast access to our exclusive network of pre-vetted, high-quality professionals — without the administrative burden or risk.
Whether you need someone next week or want to test the waters before making a full-time hire, we give you the speed, structure, and support to move forward with confidence. You stay focused on results while we handle payroll, compliance, onboarding, and everything in between.
That’s how temporary hiring should work. It should be low-commitment and fully managed externally so your business can take full advantage of the flexibility that exists in today’s market with the clarity and confidence you need.
Request Candidates now to access our private network of top performers, ready to work or Schedule a Strategy Call to create a plan for your 2026 hiring goals.