Why the job market is lying to you (and what the numbers really say)

The Headline Paradox

"Tech Layoffs Hit 200,000." "Hiring Freezes at Major FAANG Co." If you read the news, you'd think the industry has collapsed.

But here is the paradox: **Unemployment remains historically low.** So why does it feel impossible to get a job?

1. The "Ghost Job" Narrative is Overblown

There's a popular conspiracy theory that companies post "Ghost Jobs" they never intend to fill just to look successful.

While this happens, our data suggests it accounts for less than **5-10%** of the market. The other 90%? They are real requisitions with real hiring managers. But the process has broken.

2. The ATS Filter is Brittle

The real lie isn't that the jobs aren't real. It's that the system for checking if you are qualified is fundamentally broken.

Companies receive 500+ applications for a single role. No human reads them all. The ATS acts as a brutal, often stupid, gatekeeper.

3. The Market Has Decentralized

The massive hiring waves at Google and Meta are over. But hiring has surged in **Middle America** and non-tech industries.

Healthcare, Insurance, Logistics, and Manufacturing are hiring tech talent aggressively. The job market isn't dead; it just moved from San Francisco to **Philadelphia, Columbus, and Nashville**.

Conclusion

Stop reading layoff headlines. They are lagging indicators.

Start looking at live data. There are thousands of companies hiring right now that you have never heard of. And they are desperate for talent.