The Talivity Talent Market Index

Sales, Retail, and Finance & Operations led the Index in December, with Healthcare and Light Industrial rounding out the top five. Employers continue to pay premiums for experienced revenue talent, operational stability, and frontline roles that remain chronically understaffed despite softer hiring trends.

The strongest month-over-month increases came from: Sales (+52.7%), Retail (+18.1%), Finance & Operations (+14.6%), Light Industrial (+5.1%), and Food Services (+5.4%). These gains reflect employers' shift toward high-impact hires, seasonal demand, and roles where available talent remains thin. IT saw a modest lift (+4.5%), while Transportation & Logistics posted the steepest decline (–23.4%), normalizing after elevated 2024 demand.

The biggest year-over-year increases were seen in: Finance & Operations (+82%), Sales (+66%), and Food Services (+41%). These segments continue to reflect persistent scarcity in senior, strategic, and frontline roles. Finance & Operations remains the most expensive segment in the market, while Sales illustrates the broader theme of 2025: fewer openings, but intense competition where impact and experience matter most.

The broader labor market backdrop continues to soften. The U.S. economy added approximately 64,000 jobs in November, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest level since 2021. Job losses in October and continued declines in Transportation & Logistics reinforce a cooling environment. The result is a market defined less by volume and more by selectivity, where employers are pulling back broadly while continuing to compete aggressively for hard-to-find skills.