LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence survey 2022 Q4

Job hunters’ renewed optimism registers strongly in the latest edition of LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence survey, which has been providing regular updates on the U.S. workforce’s mood going back to early 2020.

As you can see from the chart above, 2022 had its bumpy moments for active job seekers. But near year-end 2022, job seekers’ overall confidence jumped to +28 in December — a five-point improvement from November’s +23.

The survey canvasses 3,000 to 5,000 people every two weeks, asking a cross-section of professionals how they feel about their current jobs, their finances and their career prospects. Responses range from -100 (most pessimistic) to +100 (most optimistic.)

This brighter new mood is very much in line with the latest hiring data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In December, nonfarm payrolls grew by 223,000 jobs — more than economists had expected — while the national unemployment rate once again touched the post-pandemic low of 3.5%.