--- title: SkyWater Blog | Market Trends description: Market Trends | Tips for Employers and Job Seekers alike. From resume building, to interview tips, and more. This may be the most important blog you read today. --- [![skywater](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/SkyWater_April2019/images/skywater-logo.png)](https://skywatersearch.com) - [Employers](https://skywatersearch.com/employers/) - [Request Talent](https://skywatersearch.com/employers/request-talent/) - [Search Options](https://skywatersearch.com/employers/) - [Placement Areas](https://skywatersearch.com/practice-areas/) - [Executive Retained Search](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/executive-search/) - [Accounting & Finance](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/accounting-finance/) - [Engineering & Operations](https://www.skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/engineering-recruiters/) - [Human Resources](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/human-resources/) - [Information Technology](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/information-technology/) - [Legal](https://www.skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/legal/) - [Sales](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/sales/) - [Marketing](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/marketing/) - [Financial Services](https://www.skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/financial-services/) - [Construction](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/construction/) - [Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)](https://skywatersearch.com/practice_areas/consumer-packaged-goods-cpg/) - [Salary Guides](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/salary-guides) - [Client Reviews](https://skywatersearch.com/employers/client-reviews/) - [Recent Placements](https://skywatersearch.com/employers/recent-placements/) - [Candidate Assessments](https://www.skywatersearch.com/candidate-assessments/) - [Job Seekers](https://skywatersearch.com/job-seekers/) - [Search Job Listings](https://skywatersearch.com/job-seekers/search-job-listings/) - [Resume & Interview Tips](https://blog.skywatersearch.com) - [Submit Resume](https://skywatersearch.com/job-seekers/submit-your-resume/) - [Salary Guides](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/salary-guides) - [About Us](https://skywatersearch.com/our-team/) - [Why SkyWater](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/best-executive-search-firm-mn) - [Our Team](https://skywatersearch.com/our-team/) - [We're Hiring](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/careers) - [Commitment to DEI](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/diversity-equity-inclusion) - [FAQs](https://recruiters.skywatersearch.com/executive-search-faq) - [Press](https://www.skywatersearch.com/press-release/) - [Blog](https://blog.skywatersearch.com) - [Contact](https://skywatersearch.com/contact/) - [(952) 767-9000](tel:9527679000) # SkyWater Blog [![which industrie are hiring](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/blog%20which%20industries%20are%20hiring.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now) ## [Which Industries Are Hiring Right Now](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 9/14/26, 11:56 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now#comments-listing) If it feels like hiring slowed down earlier this year, you're not imagining it. But "slower" doesn't mean "stopped." Heading into Q4, the labor market is uneven by design: some sectors are adding roles steadily, others are holding flat, and a few are pulling back. Knowing which is which matters, whether you're a candidate deciding when to make a move or an employer trying to figure out how hard you'll have to compete for talent. [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/which-industries-are-hiring-right-now) [![Minneapolis Job Market Trends](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/SkyWater%20Blog%20%26%20New%20Hire%20Template-2.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives) ## [Reading the Fine Print: What the Upper Midwest Jobs Numbers Really Tell Employers and Executives](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 8/6/26, 11:09 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives#comments-listing) Every month, a new unemployment rate lands, gets a headline, and gets treated like a verdict on the regional economy. For the boards, CEOs, and hiring leaders SkyWater Search Partners works with across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, that single number is usually the least useful part of the report. Here is what the data actually shows right now, what it is probably hiding, and what it means if you are building a leadership team in this region in the second half of 2026. [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/reading-the-fine-print-what-the-upper-midwest-jobs-numbers-really-tell-employers-and-executives) [![March 2026 MN Jobs Report](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/March%20Jobs%20Report.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026) ## [Beyond the Headlines: What the March Jobs Report and Minnesota Unemployment Data Really Mean](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 4/9/26, 1:35 PM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026#comments-listing) The March 2026 U.S. jobs report delivered a stronger-than-expected rebound after a weak February, while Minnesota’s latest unemployment data shows a rare uptick in joblessness. But for Minnesota employers, the real story isn’t in the headlines. It’s in the context. [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/march-jobs-report-2026) [![US jobs report february 2026](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/US%20jobs%20report%20Feb%202026.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026) ## [Beyond the Headlines: What the February Jobs Report Signals for the Upper Midwest Economy](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 3/6/26, 2:26 PM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026#comments-listing) *The loss of 92,000 jobs nationwide is significant. But it increases the chance of further rate cuts.* The February 2026 jobs report delivered a surprise, with the U.S. economy losing roughly 92,000 jobs, a sharp reversal from January’s modest gains ([Washington Post, 2026](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/06/february-jobs-unemployment)). [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/us-jobs-report-feb-2026) [![Skills-based Hiring](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/Skills%20Based%20Hiring.gif)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring) ## [Moving Beyond the Diploma: Why Skills-Based Hiring Is Reshaping Talent Strategy](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 9/15/25, 2:37 PM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring#comments-listing) In recent years, the job market has witnessed a clear shift: many employers are placing less weight on formal degrees and more on what a candidate can *do*. Skills-based hiring,  prioritizing competencies, experience, and demonstrated ability over educational credentials, is becoming a leading trend in recruitment. According to NACE’s [Job Outlook 2025 Spring Update](https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/trends-and-predictions/almost-two-thirds-of-employers-use-skills-based-hiring-to-help-identify-job-candidates), **almost two-thirds of employers** surveyed reported using skills-based hiring to help identify candidates with potential.  Below, we explore why this is happening, what the data shows, and what organizations and job seekers should be thinking about as the change accelerates. [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/skills-based-hiring) ## [Market Update: What Hiring Managers Should Know Right Now](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/market-update-2025-04) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 4/11/25, 12:47 PM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/market-update-2025-04#comments-listing) ***I**nsights from SkyWater on job growth, economic uncertainty, and hiring trends in the Upper Midwest.* [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/market-update-2025-04) [![Recession & MN Labor Market](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/1-2.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/economic-club-of-minnesota-event-recap) ## [Economic Club of Minnesota Event Recap](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/economic-club-of-minnesota-event-recap) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 5/17/23, 7:52 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/economic-club-of-minnesota-event-recap#comments-listing)   I attended an event at the Economic Club of Minnesota, where both Neel Kashkari (head of the Minneapolis Fed Reserve) and Jim Bullard (head of the St. Louis Fed Reserve) had a really interesting discussion about the Minnesota economy and labor market.  You can see an [article on the event here](https://ecomn.org/2023/05/james-bullard/), as well as a [recap from the Star Tribune](https://www.startribune.com/st-louis-fed-chief-tells-minnesota-audience-slow-growth-is-more-likely-than-a-recession/600272785/). [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/economic-club-of-minnesota-event-recap) [![](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/CPA%20Recruiting%20Firm.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/the-cpa-shortage-is-real) ## [The CPA Shortage is Real](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/the-cpa-shortage-is-real) Posted by [Teige Ehlen](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/teige-ehlen) on 6/14/22, 9:00 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/the-cpa-shortage-is-real#comments-listing) ### What every CPA needs to know about today’s competitive market “If you’re not happy where you are, start looking...”  Right? That’s the old rule. But what if you still like your job? Let's imagine that the pay is fine, the benefits are good, the career path promising. If you’re in public accounting or a CPA with a public accounting background, there’s a new rule to consider following:  “No matter how happy you are in your current role, now is the best time to be looking at what’s out there.”  Here's why: [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/the-cpa-shortage-is-real) [![](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/Local%20Executive%20Search%20Firm.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/local-search-firms-win) ## [Why Strong Local Search Firms Are Winning Over Large National Firms In Executive Recruiting.](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/local-search-firms-win) Posted by [Lindsay Dubbeldee](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/lindsay-dubbeldee) on 3/28/22, 9:15 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/local-search-firms-win#comments-listing) ### Regional Executive Search Firms Have an Undeniable Edge in  Executive Recruiting Finding the right person for any executive role is a recruiting challenge every organization eventually needs to take. Historically, Fortune 500 companies have hired multi-national search firms to fill executive roles. The logic behind this seems to make sense: large positions can only be filled by large firms right? Think again. In the last few years, we have seen a trend emerge where companies are interested in a more intimate and focused search approach than what a large national recruiting firm can offer.  [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/local-search-firms-win) [![Is it legal for employers to require vaccinations](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/hubfs/Early%202022%20Market%20Trends%20in%20Recruiting.png)](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/early-2022-market-trends) ## [Early 2022 Market Trends](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/early-2022-market-trends) Posted by [Adam Hoffarber](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/author/adam-hoffarber) on 1/26/22, 8:30 AM [0 Comments](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/early-2022-market-trends#comments-listing) *As we start 2022, there are a lot of dynamics in the market.* [Read More](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/early-2022-market-trends) [All posts](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/all) [Next](https://blog.skywatersearch.com/tag/market-trends/page/2) ### Subscribe Here! - 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