Can You Say You Were Laid Off Instead of Fired? What Employers Can Check (2026)
You can describe a firing as a layoff, but it rarely helps. What employers can check, why it matters for unemployment, and how to explain a firing.
Career Advice
Career advice for workers who were laid off or want to change jobs: how to explain a layoff in an interview, how many applications it usually takes to get hired, which jobs are growing fastest and how to handle the conversation with friends and family.
Our advice is based on data where data exists, from BLS employment projections to job openings and hiring rates, so you can see where the demand for workers really is. The latest hiring numbers are shown below the articles.
8 Silent Burnout Signs You Should Never Ignore in 2026
Burnout can be loud—panic, exhaustion, emotional collapse—or it can be quiet, slow, and almost invisible until something breaks. In 2026 the U.S. workforce is facing the second type more often. Employees are pushing through heavy workloads, hiring freezes, restructuring cycles, and an economy where every mistake feels like a threat to job security. Silent burnout … Read more
Hiring right now
Job openings (vacancies)
7.08 million
Aug 2026 (preliminary) · -256,000 vs Jul 2026
Job openings per unemployed person
1.01
Aug 2026 (preliminary) · -0.05 vs Jul 2026
Hires rate
3.3%
Aug 2026 (preliminary) · +0.1 pts vs Jul 2026
Quits rate
1.9%
Aug 2026 (preliminary) · unchanged vs Jul 2026
Career Advice: frequently asked questions
Should I say I was laid off in a job interview?
Yes, be honest. A layoff is common and not about your performance. Say it briefly, explain the business reason if you know it, and move on to what you can offer the new employer.
Which jobs are growing fastest?
The BLS employment projections list the occupations expected to grow fastest over the next ten years. Our guide to the fastest-growing jobs summarizes the top 30.