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iCIMS data shows that overall job openings are up 9% since September 2024, and applications have risen 19%. Yet, hires have remained flat year-over-year, indicating employer caution ahead of the seasonal hiring surge, as outlined in the iCIMS Insights October 2025 Workforce Report.
“Applicant volume is up, but so is time to fill. Retail teams are drowning in choices, not shortages,” says Trent Cotton, head of talent acquisition insights, iCIMS. “It is time for employers to review their hiring processes and eliminate obstacles as they gear up for their busiest season.”
Key takeaways:
- Retail job openings climbed 15% and hires rose 7% year-over-year in September. While retail job applications have shown strong growth, climbing 18% year-over-year, hiring activity has declined for three consecutive months, dropping 9% since July.
- Transportation job openings are up 19% and hires are up 7% year-over-year, with both reaching a 13-month high in September. While activity has eased since July, transportation job interest is strong, with applications up 26% year-over-year.
- Retail averaged 43 applicants per opening (APO) in September, up from 35 last year and well above the overall labor market average of 34. Time to fill in retail also increased from 40 to 42 days.
- Transportation roles are drawing more traffic, averaging 45 APO in September, up from 36 last year and well above the overall labor market average. Unlike retail, TTF in transportation dropped from 42 to 38 days in the past year, showing employers in the industry are moving faster and more efficiently, even as applicant volume climbs.
- Retail applicants aged 18-24 made up a smaller share of the September applicant pool than they did a year earlier, dropping from 43% to 37%. However, applicants aged 35-44 rose from 12% to 16%. In transportation, older candidates are fueling the applicant pool, with the 18-24 age band shrinking from 46% to 37% year-over-year.
- 62% of frontline hiring managers say quality of candidates is their biggest challenge—an issue that becomes even more critical during the holiday rush.
