May jobs surprise

Here's what happened last week ↓

1️⃣ Jobs report beats expectations

May added 139,000 jobs vs. 125,000 expected. Unemployment stayed glued at 4.2% like it's afraid of commitment.

The fine print:

• March/April slashed by 95k in revisions (so much for that “strong” spring)

• Healthcare (62k) & leisure/hospitality (48k) drove 79% of all gains

• Federal government axed another 22k jobs (59k since Jan.)

• Part-time workers stuck at 4.6M (still can’t find FT gigs)

What's coming: Economists predict tariff chaos could drag job growth to 75,000 monthly. Buckle up!

📶 Signal → Strategy: Target companies announcing layoffs. With job growth slowing, their competitors know good talent is getting scarce, they'll pay premiums to avoid training costs. (Recent layoffs: Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Crowdstrike, McKinsey - see more here)

Go deeper: USA Today’s Job Report

2️⃣ Gen Z discovers money actually matters

Deloitte surveyed 23,000+ Gen Zs and millennials who want the impossible trifecta: money, meaning, and work-life balance.

The wake-up call:

• 48% of Gen Z feel financially insecure (avocado toast doesn't pay bills)

• Only 6% want leadership roles (climbing ladders is so millennial)

• 74% expect AI to change their work within a year

• 89% need "purpose" for job satisfaction

The kicker: Financial stress is literally killing their sense of meaning at work. Turns out it's hard to find purpose when you can't pay rent.

📶 Signal → Strategy: Replace "competitive salary" with actual numbers in job posts. Text Gen Z candidates: "$75K starting + AI training" instead of "great growth opportunities."

Go deeper: Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025

3️⃣ AI workers are laughing all the way to the bank

PWC analyzed close a billion job ads and discovered AI workers have become the new trust fund kids of the workforce.

The receipts:

• 56% wage premium for AI-skilled workers (AI literacy is the new MBA)

• 3x productivity boost in AI-exposed sectors

• AI skills are changing 66% faster than other jobs (keep up or get left behind)

• 69% of CEOs finally figured out their teams need AI training - slow clap

Reality check: While everyone panicked about robots taking over, AI workers quietly cornered the market on actually useful skills.

📶 Signal → Strategy: Create an "AI Skills Assessment", even if it's just 3 basic questions. Use it to separate premium candidates from everyone else competing on price. (Steal this example)

Go deeper: PwC AI Job Barometer