Latest Release: 2025 Q1

The ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Survey

The ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Survey is a nationally representative quarterly survey of U.S. job seekers that measures how optimistic or pessimistic they are about their ability to land their preferred jobs. Increased confidence is typically an indicator of future increases in employee turnover, wage growth, and labor force participation.

Data Spotlight

⇩ 5.3

Expectations Index

Job seeker optimism about the medium-term labor market held steady.

⇧ 0.4

Preparedness Index

Job seekers’ confidence in navigating the job search process edged lower.

⇩ 2.2

Financial Wellbeing Index

Self-reported financial well-being declined, partially wiping out the gains seen last quarter.

⇩ 2.8

Present Situation Index

Job seekers’ assessments of current labor market conditions dropped sharply.

U.S. Job Seeker Confidence

The ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Index fell 3.6 points in the first quarter of 2025, landing at 92.5—erasing the gains made in late 2024 and returning close to its lowest level on record. The decline hit some groups harder than others: it was nearly twice as steep among women as men, more than twice as steep among Asian job seekers as white job seekers, and nearly four times as steep among Hispanics as whites. The decline was sharpest in the western region of the country, where labor market conditions have weakened in recent months. All but one of the subindexes declined, with the largest drop seen in job seekers’ assessments of current labor market conditions.

The one bright spot: expectations for the medium-term outlook ticked up slightly, suggesting that while job seekers are struggling now, many still see a path to better opportunities ahead.

“Job seekers are facing real challenges, but many still see a path to better opportunities ahead. While confidence has slipped, expectations for the future are holding firm.”

— Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter Chief Economist

Reversing Course

Job seekers are growing more discouraged. After a brief improvement at the end of last year, sentiment deteriorated in the first quarter, with a record-low 13% of job seekers describing their search as going well and a record-high 41% expressing pessimism about job availability. The share of job seekers reporting zero job offers surged to 61%, the highest level since tracking began.

Longer job searches are taking a financial toll. Nearly one in four job seekers (23%) now report experiencing serious financial difficulties, up from 14% in 2022. As unemployment durations stretch and savings dwindle, financial stress is mounting, reversing the tentative stabilization seen last quarter.







Women Are Less Optimistic About Jobs, Pay, and the Economy

Women are feeling the strain of a cooling labor market more than men. They are less optimistic about the economic outlook, more financially stressed, and more skeptical about their job prospects in the year ahead.

More Financial Strain, Less Wage Growth

Women are far more likely than men to say they are falling behind financially. 40% of women report having less disposable income than they did six months ago, compared to 28% of men. Meanwhile, just 7% of women say their budgets have improved due to lower inflation and Federal Reserve rate cuts, compared to 13% of men.

Even among those currently employed, women are less likely to perceive meaningful pay gains. Since before the pandemic, 19% of men say their inflation-adjusted pay has increased by 10% or more, while only 15% of women report the same. Instead, 43% of women say their pay has stayed about the same, compared to 35% of men.

Widening Economic Pessimism

The financial squeeze is shaping women’s views on the economy. Nearly 40% of women feel pessimistic about the economy’s trajectory over the next six months, compared to 32% of men. Just 32% of women describe themselves as optimistic, versus 48% of men.

A Growing Gender Divide in Job Market Sentiment

These findings underscore a widening gender gap in job market confidence. While many men see opportunity on the horizon, women are more likely to feel stuck, financially strained, and uncertain about the future.

“Challenge begets transformation. We will likely see a surge in women supporting women in the workplace, more female-owned businesses, and active mentorship- resulting in more women in leadership positions.”

— Sam DeMase, ZipRecruiter Career Expert

Spotlight on Government Workers

Government workers are the least confident job seekers in the labor market right now. In Q1 2025, they recorded the lowest overall job seeker confidence index score of any industry, ranking worst or second-worst on every subindex. Their assessment of current job market conditions is the most negative of any group. They have the worst expectations for future job prospects, the weakest sense of financial well-being, and the second-worst level of confidence in their job search preparedness.

Feeling Insecure, But Finding Success

Yet, despite this widespread unease, government job seekers stand out in another way: They are the most likely to say their job search is going well. Thirty-two percent of government workers describe their job search positively—more than double the overall average of 13%. They report the highest levels of job search satisfaction and are more likely than job seekers in most other sectors to say they have been recruited for a new role. Thirty-one percent of government job seekers say a company has reached out to them about an opportunity, compared to 26% overall.

The disconnect is striking: Government job seekers feel worse about the economy and job market than any other group, yet they also report better-than-average job search outcomes. While federal workforce cuts may be pushing government workers into the job market reluctantly, our survey suggests that their experience and credentials make them attractive candidates to private-sector employers.

The Survey

The quarterly ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Survey is based on an online sample and conducted for ZipRecruiter by Qualtrics. It is administered to 1,500+ job seekers between the 10th and 16th of the second month of each quarter and weighted to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Respondents may be employed, unemployed, or not currently in the labor force, but they must reside in the United States and plan to find a new job “in the next six months” in order to be included in the sample.

The ZipRecruiter Index

The overall ZipRecruiter Job Seeker Confidence Index comprises four subindices:

  • The Preparedness Index measures how confident job seekers feel about their job skills, education, and training, as well as about their job search skills—that is, their ability to find relevant positions, develop application materials, and interview effectively.

  • The Financial Wellbeing Index measures job seekers’ financial security—that is, whether they have peace of mind about their ability to meet their financial needs, or whether they are searching for work and negotiating job offers under financial pressure.

  • The Expectations Index captures job seekers’ short-term outlook for labor market conditions. It is based on questions about whether job seekers expect the number of available jobs to increase or decrease.

  • The Present Situation Index is based on job seekers’ assessment of current labor market conditions. It is based on questions about whether they expect to get interviews, find a job easily, and get the job they want, and how satisfied they are with their job search.