More people are applying for rough work amid a slow hiring market

The slowing US job market is prompting many people to apply for physically demanding and low-paying jobs, such as traffic controllers, substitute teachers, prison guards, and recycling plant employees, among others.

AQC Traffic Control in Atlanta used to receive around 10 job applications a week, but now receives up to 80, despite the work requiring 12-hour shifts in extreme weather conditions. The company now hires only 15% of applicants.

Substitute teachers, who earn about $140–$200 a day, are applying in higher numbers.

Recycling centers and waste facilities are also experiencing a rise in interest. Some facilities report applications per opening are up ~50% compared to a few years ago.

The Georgia Department of Corrections reports over 1,000 applications per month, up 40% from last year. Even the military, which recently missed recruiting goals, is now meeting targets again.

Why the shift?
While the unemployment rate was low at 4.3% in August, job seekers were taking longer to find new jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, nearly 26% of unemployed people that month had been out of work for over six months, one of the highest levels in a decade.

With fewer office jobs available and corporate layoffs on the rise, many workers are turning to roles they once overlooked.

Bloomberg notes that the job-hopping days of the COVID-19 era are over, and America is now facing a “low hire, low fire” economy.