U.S. Sees Weakest Jobs Growth Since 2021, Best Employers For Veterans And LinkedIn’s New Feats

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Job growth seems to be cooling: October saw the lowest number of jobs added in a month since January 2021. The U.S. added 150,000 jobs in October, falling short of economist estimates, according to the latest jobs report from BLS. Meanwhile, unemployment remains above the 54-year low of 3.4% set earlier this year, rising to 3.9% from 3.8% last month. Contributor Eli Amdur breaks down what the October jobs report all means.

Elsewhere, more colleges are offering admission without formal applications, and LinkedIn passed 1 billion members. Read on for more workplace news and career advice—including how to stand out to employers among all those profiles.

WORK SMARTER

Practical insights and advice from Forbes contributors to help you succeed in your job, accelerate your career and lead smarter

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FEATURED STORY

Hundreds Of Colleges Now Offer Automatic Admission To Students

Whether you’re a parent with kids nearing college or applying to universities yourself, take note of this: Programs offering “direct admissions”—without a formal application—are spreading. The trend could accelerate in the wake of the Supreme Court decision killing affirmative action, reports Forbes’ Emma Whitford.

TOUCH BASE

News from the world of work

America’s best employers for veterans: Check out Forbes’ annual list here. We surveyed 8,500 veterans working for companies with more than 1,000 employees to identify and rank the best employers.

WeWork files for bankruptcy: The co-working space provider filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday—a meteoric fall for a startup that was once valued at $47 billion. It’s the latest high-profile company to go under this year.

LinkedIn hits 1 billion members: Microsoft’s LinkedIn announced it now has more than 1 billion members globally. One contributor has advice on how to make your profile stand out. The platform also released a new AI feature that can help speed up the job search process.

Job growth is cooling: The U.S. added 150,000 jobs in October—below the 170,000 predicted by economists and less than half of the 336,000 new jobs reported in September. It’s the lowest number of jobs added in a month since January 2021.

2023’s highest-paid dead celebrities: For celebrities, many of their pay days don’t end at the grave. Forbes’ Marisa Dellatto looks at just how much stars like Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston and Dr. Suess are still making in their afterlives.

CHECKLIST

Add these books and videos to your to-do list

In this video, Ron Shaich—cofounder of Au Bon Pain and former CEO of Panera—shares how false shoplifting charges inspired him to build an empire.

Feeling stuck? In You Have A Choice: Beyond Hard Work To Meaningful Impact, author Eric Nehrlich provides advice on finding meaning again and redefining success when you’re feeling burned out.

NUMBER TO NOTE

89%

That’s how much the number of freelancers has grown since 2020, according to data by MBO Partners.

More than 72 million Americans are freelance workers—and many are making $100,000 or more a year. But despite the growing trend, many still don’t understand independent work. Contributor Ginny Hogan has advice for explaining freelance work to people with full-time jobs.

QUIZ

A pharma giant cut nearly 800 jobs at a New Jersey facility this week, less than a month after cutting its 2023 revenue estimate by $9 billion and unveiling a massive cost-cutting initiative. Which company was it?