US Job Openings Plunge to Historic Lows in November 2025
New data reveals a dramatic decline in US job openings during November 2025. The numbers reached historic lows not seen in years. Government jobs experienced a particularly sharp slowdown in hiring activity.
Government Sector Shows Steep Hiring Decline
The government sector witnessed a substantial reduction in available positions. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data, US government job openings decreased by approximately 89,000 positions. Most of this decline occurred at state and local government levels.
Current government job openings now stand at around 695,000. This represents the lowest level since February 2021. A report from The Kobeissi Letter highlights this significant drop.
The same report indicates government vacancies have reduced by about 532,000 since their July 2022 peak. This brings government hiring back to levels similar to early 2019.
Federal government employment showed minimal change in December, increasing by just 2,000 positions. However, since reaching a peak in January, federal government employment has declined by 277,000 positions. This represents a 9.2% reduction according to the January 9 jobs report.
Overall Labor Market Tightens Significantly
The broader US job market also contracted during November 2025. Available job positions declined to 7.15 million from a downwardly revised 7.45 million in October. This marks the lowest level since September 2024.
October's JOLTS data received a significant revision downward. The originally reported 7.670 million job openings was adjusted to 7.449 million. This creates a consecutive two-month decline in national job openings.
Hiring activity slowed considerably during this period. Employers added just 5.115 million positions in November, representing a drop of 253,000 positions. This suggests widespread reluctance among employers to expand their workforce.
Multiple Sectors Experience Reduced Opportunities
The decline in job openings affected numerous industries across the economy. Several key sectors showed reduced hiring activity:
- Leisure and hospitality experienced fewer available positions
- Health care and social assistance saw reduced job openings
- Transportation and warehousing showed declining opportunities
The ratio of job openings to unemployed workers fell to 0.9% in November. This represents the lowest level since March 2021. Federal Reserve officials monitor this ratio closely as it indicates labor market balance between demand and supply.
At its peak, this ratio reached 2:1, meaning there were two job openings for every unemployed worker. The current decline suggests a tightening labor market with fewer opportunities available.
Key Market Implications
The November 2025 job data reveals several important trends:
- Overall job openings fell significantly to 7.15 million across multiple sectors
- Government hiring slowed dramatically with 89,000 fewer openings
- The labor market shows clear tightening with reduced openings per unemployed worker
This data provides crucial insights into the health of the US labor market. The consecutive monthly declines suggest changing economic conditions affecting hiring decisions nationwide.
