October 2025 Jobs Recap: Job Market Flattened Amid Seasonal Hiring Trends

Key Takeaways:

• Job Openings stayed flat: Active job listings plateaued in October 2025, reaching 4,158,624 listings, up from 4,156,379 in September, an increase 0.1%. New job listings increased 4.1% month over month. 

• October saw the Retail - General Merchandise sector lose 21.3K jobs as major retailers implemented cost controls and restructuring amid shifting consumer demand. 

• Management occupations had the largest gains (+18.3k) alongside Food Preparation and Serving (+15.0k) and Architecture and Engineering (+5.6k), with management roles growth tied to expansions in restaurants and hotels. 

U.S. Job Listings by Month | October 2024 - October 2025

LinkUp 10,000

The LinkUp 10,000 is an analytic published daily and monthly that captures the total U.S. job openings from the 10,000 global employers in LinkUp’s jobs dataset with the most U.S. openings.

October 2025 saw the LinkUp 10,000 register 3,967,210 job listings, up by a modest 0.1% from September. Year-over-year, however, the total remains noticeably below October 2024 levels, marking a 11.9% drop. The moderate increase this month suggests US employers may be regaining some confidence, cautiously expanding job postings after several quarters of muted activity, reflecting a slight uptick in optimism around hiring for leading companies.

Monthly LinkUp 10,000 | October 2024 - October 2025

Jobs Data By Industry (NAICS)

Industries in October, with largest gains in job openings: 

• Health Care and Social Assistance (+11.2k) 

• Manufacturing Metal/Equipment/Furniture (+6.4k) 

• Information(+4.1k) 

Industries that experienced the largest drops in job openings last month: 

• Retail – General Merchandise (−21.3k) 

• Public Administration (−13.3k) 

• Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (−6.8k) 

Job Listings by Industry (NAICS) | October 2025

This chart displays the change in job listings across various industries, categorized by NAICS codes.

Industry Spotlight: Retail - General Merchandise 

The Retail - General Merchandise sector saw a decline of 21.3K jobs in October, amid layoffs and store closures. Chewy, Bath & Body Works, and CVS Health all faced setbacks, including job cuts, stock declines, and restructuring announcements, as each struggled to adapt to shifting consumer demand.

Retailers are exercising caution and defensive corporate actions, resulting in a turn away from hiring. Cost controls and uncertainty became dominant themes for retailer hiring. Burlington and Five Below, among others, had declining sales and guidance, which led to hiring freezes. Petco also announced a new round of store closures and reduced hiring.

Active Jobs Trend for Top Retail - General Merchandise Companies | October 2024 - October 2025 

Jobs Data By Occupation (O*NET)

Occupations in October, with largest drops in: 

• Sales and Related (-6.8k) 

• Installation, Maintenance, and Repair (-5.7k) 

• Office and Administrative Support (-5.5k) 

Occupations that experienced the largest gains: 

• Management (+18.3k) 

• Food Preparation and Serving (+15.0k) 

• Architecture and Engineering (+5.6k) 

Job Listings by Occupation (O*NET) | October 2025

This chart displays the change in job listings across various occupations, categorized by O*NET codes.

Occupation Spotlight: Management Occupations

Management roles were driven by the Accommodation and Food Services sector, with the monthly active job count increasing by 7% from the previous month yet is down 7% YoY. The MoM uptick reflects increased seasonal hiring in the sector, reflecting a convergence of expansion by major quick-service and fast-casual restaurant chains, hotel property development across major brands, pre-holiday seasonal hiring preparations, increased travel demand coupled with high hotel occupancy. 

Closed Duration

Closed duration, or the average number of days job listings remain live on company websites before removal, tracks hiring velocity across the U.S. economy. As the average duration increases, hiring velocity slows.

In October, the closed duration increased to 46.5 days, from 43.8 days in September.

Time to Fill By Month | October 2024 - October 2025

Jobs Data By State

During the month of October, 55.8% of the United States saw an increase in job listings from September. The states that saw the largest increases: 

• Missouri (+3.9%) 

• Arkansas (+3.5%) 

• Wisconsin (+3.4%) 

The states with largest drops in labor demand in October were: 

• Connecticut (-3.8%) 

• West Virginia (-3.5%) 

• Hawaii (-3.1%) 

Percent Change in Active Job Listings by State (Month-Over-Month) | October 2025

DATA DISCLAIMERS

LinkUp’s monthly data recaps incorporate revisions to previously-reported monthly data with the purpose of reporting the most accurate and up-to-date data points. For more information on what circumstances may impact data revisions, visit our Data Support Center.