I pulled the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey news release to check the stock, or snapshot count, of unfilled jobs, and while vendors sell an abundance myth, the dark red line shows openings sliding to 7.3 million. Coaching services get paid if you believe this marketing, but the reality is employers profit from waiting out desperate applicants.
Key takeaways
- Across 60 monthly readings from August 2021 to July 2026, openings fell from 10.9 to 7.3 million.
- The dark red line hit a high of 12.3 million in March 2022, proving peak employer demand passed.
- The count touched a low of 6.5 million in December 2025, revealing how tightly employers contracted available work.
- Over the last four readings, the total moved down from 7.6 to 7.3 million, meaning stiffer competition today.
What the terms mean
- Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey: The government release tracking unfilled jobs, distinct from the U.S. Economy at a Glance tables.
- Stock: A snapshot count of available jobs, mapped in the Job Openings: Total Nonfarm series.
- Payroll count: The monthly total of filled jobs, officially released in the Employment Situation report.
What to watch next
Do not mix an August payroll count with a July openings release and call it the same week.