In his latest interview with WDEL’s Peter MacArthur, Placers President Chris Burkhard offers a grounded perspective on the current employment landscape. While February’s loss of 92,000 jobs nationally (following a gain of 130,000 in January) may seem alarming, Chris suggests the market is simply “normalizing.”
Key Insights for Delaware Business Leaders:
- The 5.2% Threshold: Delaware’s unemployment has reached 5.2%. While not a crisis, it marks the end of the labor shortage era where workers held all the leverage.
- Doing More with Less: CEOs are increasingly turning to technology and automation to maintain productivity without the overhead of massive full-time hiring.
- Strategic Flexibility: Chris recommends “contingent labor” as the primary tool for 2026. Using temporary staffing allows companies to scale without the risk of long-term payroll bloat.
Advice for Job Seekers: The “slow hire, slow fire” environment requires a new strategy. Chris encourages seekers to embrace the “uberization of work.” Rather than holding out for the perfect corner office, candidates should look at contract roles, freelance gigs, and temp-to-hire positions as the fastest way to get a foot in the door and build a network in a competitive market.
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