BridgeWorks
For many of the people we work with, fall means seasonal hiring. Retail, warehouses and delivery firms staff up for the holidays, and a temporary job in October often turns into a permanent one by January. It is one of the easier ways back into the labor market.
So the latest report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas is worth reading closely, because it says that route is narrower this year.
What the numbers show
Employers announced 43,281 job cuts in September, down 20 percent from a year earlier and the fewest for any September since 2022. So far in 2026, announced cuts total 573,195, about 39 percent lower than at this point last year.
Hiring is the other half. Employers announced 90,787 planned hires in September, down 23 percent from last September and the lowest September total since 2011. Two of the companies that usually kick off seasonal hiring, Spirit Halloween and Michaels, announced 62,000 jobs between them, against about 100,800 a year ago.
Andy Challenger put it this way: hiring plans are up over the year, "but we're not seeing the surge of hiring plans that come with the holiday season."
The same pattern as all year
This fits what we have been tracking. Employers are holding on to the workers they have and adding very few new ones. That is what we called low layoffs and frozen hiring back in August, and it showed up again in September's government numbers, with payrolls up just 29,000.
For someone already in a job, that is a fairly stable place to be. For someone trying to get in, it is a hard one, and seasonal hiring is usually how the door opens a little each fall. This year it is opening less.
Two other details from the report stand out. Technology accounted for 29 percent of all cuts announced in 2026, more than any other industry. And artificial intelligence was cited for 3,961 cuts in September alone. That is the same trend we wrote about in the disappearing entry-level rung.
If you were counting on a holiday job
The roles still exist. There are just fewer of them, and more people applying for each one. Some practical adjustments:
- Apply now, not in November. With fewer openings, they fill faster. The early-season postings are often the bulk of them.
- Look beyond stores. Warehousing, fulfillment, delivery and logistics carry much of the seasonal load. Our logistics program trains for exactly that kind of work, with credentials that keep their value after January.
- Ask about staying on. In a cautious market, employers are more likely to keep people who show up reliably. Say early that you would like to stay past the season.
- Plan for a longer search. Our guide to job searching in a slow market still applies, and if the gap is straining your household, our support services team can help.
What to watch
The Federal Reserve meets again October 27 and 28, after raising rates in September. The next jobs report is due in early November, and Challenger's October numbers will show whether the seasonal surge arrived late or not at all. If you are job hunting, though, don't wait for either. This year's window is open now, and it is smaller than usual.
