In this issue:

Ever feel like one job just isn’t enough anymore?

You’re not imagining it.

A growing number of people are clocking into two, sometimes three jobs — not because they want to, but because they have to.

It’s survival mode out here.

And it’s quietly changing the way we work… and the way recruiters need to think about work.

I started digging into the data and stories behind this trend — and it was way too much for one article.

So, I turned it into a 4-part series.

💡 Part 1 drops today.

We’re diving into the rise of the multi-job worker — and what it means for hiring, burnout, and the future of “full-time.”

Let’s get into it.

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The HR Blotter

When the Jobs Report Goes Dark - The government shutdown stalled the release of the October jobs report, leaving economists to play detective. Most estimate the labor market added around 150,000 jobs, signaling a slow but steady cooling after months of resilience. For workers, that means the job market’s still alive—just breathing a little heavier. Recruiters and HR leaders reading between the lines can sense the shift: leverage is sliding back toward employers, but the story’s far from over.

The Rejection Heard Around the World - A nursery in the UK is under fire after a job applicant received a rejection text calling her “not suitable as Jewish.” The message went viral, forcing the nursery to issue a public apology and launch an investigation. It’s a reminder that bias doesn’t always wear a hood—it sometimes hides behind HR screens and sloppy thumbs. For anyone hiring, this is a wake-up call: discrimination isn’t just illegal, it’s a career-ending headline waiting to happen.

The Job Offer That Stole Your Name - Scam texts are evolving, dressed up in job offers that look clean enough to fool the desperate or the distracted. These fake recruiters promise quick cash or remote work, then drain bank accounts and harvest identities. The grift preys on trust—and in a shaky economy, trust is already in short supply. For recruiters, it’s one more reason to tighten your brand signals; for job seekers, it’s a new rule of survival—verify before you reply.

When the Hustle Hits a Wall - The latest U.S. jobs data shows the market finally cooling after a long hot streak—fewer hires, smaller raises, and an unemployment rate creeping up like an unwelcome shadow. The Fed might celebrate, but workers won’t. For those living paycheck to paycheck, “soft landing” sounds more like falling onto concrete. In recruiting, that shift means power’s tilting again, and employers are starting to call the shots.

The Kids Aren’t the Problem - England’s new plan to push young people into work or study looks good on paper but thin in muscle. The policy dangles opportunity while ignoring the real barriers—low wages, unstable housing, and a job market that treats youth like disposable labor. For employers, that means another generation of workers entering the pipeline burned out before they begin.

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The Jim Stroud Podcast

Not subscribed to The Jim Stroud Podcast? Then you’ve been flying blind. Here’s a taste of what they’ve been hearing—while you’ve been missing it.

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Your Next Hire Already Has Two Jobs: How Multi-Job Workers Are Disrupting the Recruiting Model

The American workforce is restless. Corporate loyalty is collapsing under the weight of rising rent, digital freedom, and the quiet thrill of independence. Out of this fracture steps a new kind of worker—the professional nomad.

They don’t cling to one employer. They navigate many. A client list instead of a company badge. Multiple bosses, overlapping deadlines, and a résumé that looks more like a roadmap than a straight line.

They’re not hustlers. They’re strategists. And they’re quietly rewriting the rules of recruiting.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8.5 million Americans—roughly 5.2% of the workforce—held more than one job as of August 2025, up from 8.2 million the year before (BLS, 2025). It’s not a side trend. It’s a signal.

The professional nomad isn’t the future—they’re the present.

What the Data Reveals

The multi-job story isn’t just about ambition. It’s also about survival.

A 2025 ADP Research Institute report, People at Work 2025, found that 59% of workers with two jobs live paycheck-to-paycheck, a number that climbs to 61% for those juggling three or more (ADP, 2025).

Even with multiple income streams, many are barely treading water—a reflection of an economy where wages simply haven’t kept up with inflation (CBS News, 2025; The Guardian, 2022).

But the trend isn’t just about financial pressure. It’s also about control.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that nearly half of all multi-job workers now hold college degrees, up from 31% in 1994 (St. Louis Fed, 2023). These are not overworked baristas—they’re engineers, marketers, analysts. People with options who’ve decided one job isn’t enough.

Why Now: The Perfect Storm

Three converging forces are fueling the professional nomad era.

1. The Economic Squeeze
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 ranked the rising cost of living as the second-most transformative force shaping the workforce—half of all employers said it was altering how they hire (WEF, 2025). One paycheck no longer covers a modern life. A second, even a third, is how many keep the lights on.

2. The Post-Pandemic Shift
The remote-work revolution broke the time clock. People discovered that managing multiple gigs is easier when your office is everywhere. The “day job” became a digital sandbox.

3. The Portfolio Identity
Today’s professionals want agency as much as income. They build “career portfolios,” not job titles—diverse enough to survive a layoff and flexible enough to feed curiosity. It’s not rebellion. It’s self-insurance.

The Recruiting Collision

Recruiting wasn’t built for this world. It still assumes candidates want full-time exclusivity, predictable hours, and a company tattoo on their soul.

But when a candidate is already working three contracts across time zones, that model cracks.

A 2023 Paychex survey found over half of hiring managers view polyworking candidates as red flags, and two-thirds say they’re harder to manage (Paychex, 2023). They worry about focus, loyalty, and burnout.

That fear blinds them. Because the same people they’re rejecting are often the most agile, disciplined, and resourceful hires they’ll ever find. The professional nomad doesn’t wait for instructions—they build systems around chaos and still deliver.

If recruiters keep filtering them out, they’re not protecting the company. They’re protecting the past.

Rewriting the Narrative

For the worker, survival means rebranding.
Don’t say: “I have three jobs.”
Say: “I manage a portfolio of projects across industries.”

The story shifts from fragmented to strategic. From instability to mastery.

For recruiters, evolution means asking better questions:

• Does this role really require exclusivity?

• Could fractional hiring unlock new talent?

• What does loyalty mean when a “career” now lasts two business cycles?

Companies that adapt will rebuild their pipelines around skills, not schedules. They’ll design roles for fractional commitment, attracting specialists who prefer diversity over permanence. Those that don’t will keep losing top performers to clients who offer autonomy instead of ownership.

The Hard Truth

The one-job-for-life dream isn’t dying—it’s already dead.

The new generation isn’t job-hopping; they’re job-stacking. Building safety nets out of multiple paychecks and purpose-driven work.

The professional nomad is not a threat to manage, but a model to understand.
They’re the prototype for a fluid, post-loyalty economy—one where career means movement, and security means having options.

Recruiters can resist it, or they can evolve with it. But the current is already moving.

Next issue: how your job ad might be sabotaging your talent pipeline—because it still assumes your next hire only has one boss. Oboy!

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025, Sept 5). A-39. Multiple jobholders by selected demographic and economic characteristics. Link

• ADP Research Institute. (2025, Feb). People at Work 2025: Multiple Jobs. Link

• CBS News. (2025, Aug 18). Wages aren't keeping up with inflation, with some jobs... Link

• The Guardian. (2022, Nov 5). ‘I’m selling my blood’: millions in US can’t make ends meet. Link

• Birinci, S., & Garriga, C. (2023, Nov 6). Overemployed Workers? Trends on Multiple Jobholders. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Link

• World Economic Forum. (2025). Future of Jobs Report 2025. Link

• Paychex. (2023, Feb 7). The Job Juggle: Analyzing the Rise of Polywork. Link

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One more thing before I go…

🚀 I’m about to launch my new online job-hunting course, and I’m looking for a few beta testers to give it a run-through.

It’s a full, no-fluff program — practical, step-by-step, and something you can do at your own pace.

In return, I’m asking for your honest feedback (and maybe a short testimonial if you find it helpful).

🗓️ Ideally, I’d love your response by November 12th.
🎯 Only a few spots open — so if you’re interested, get at me ASAP.

And as always, hit reply and let me know how I’m doing. Or slide into my DMs as the kids say. All good.

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