LA's Evolving Job Market: Tech, Healthcare, and Pandemic's Lasting Impact

Los Angeles remains one of the most dynamic and diverse job markets in the United States, characterized by strong competition for talent, major industry specialization, and shifting economic conditions. The region’s workforce is notably multicultural, and businesses are increasingly adopting applicant tracking systems and remote-friendly hiring practices to appeal to a wide range of candidates, especially in sectors like technology, healthcare, and professional services, according to MyShyft. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and recent reporting from major outlets indicate that in mid-2025, the national unemployment rate is holding near 4.1 percent, with Los Angeles County closely tracking this figure, although local variation and sector-specific challenges persist. The June 2025 jobs report showed a gain of 147,000 jobs nationally, outpacing forecasts and providing cautious optimism after months of mixed signals. However, a closer inspection of private sector hiring shows signs of softness, with anecdotes of layoffs and difficulty in job search experiences, especially as AI and automation continue to impact both white-collar and skilled trade roles, echoing trends observed by The Truth About Mortgage.

Los Angeles’ employment landscape is driven by its standing as a global hub in entertainment, health care, technology, and trade. The largest employers include healthcare networks, entertainment conglomerates, tech firms, and the sprawling public sector, as highlighted in the Los Angeles Business Journal editorial calendar. Recent developments reveal ongoing economic uncertainty due to federal tariff policies and restrictions. LA business leaders, per the LA Times, have expressed concern over the unpredictability and adverse effects of tariffs on their ability to make long-term investments, expand, or hire new talent. Trade policy volatility has led to disruptions in logistics and warehousing, with the storage sector shedding jobs but still significantly above pre-pandemic levels. Supply chain shifts are prompting companies to lean into automation and alternative sourcing.

Despite headwinds, some sectors, notably technology, healthcare, and professional services, are experiencing higher than average job growth, especially among small and medium-sized businesses. According to MyShyft, job openings in these areas grew by 15 percent over the past year, and the adoption of HR technologies and forecasting tools is accelerating. Small business hiring remains steady, with Paychex reporting stability in employment and only modest wage growth, while most employers adopt a cautious “wait and see” approach in response to ongoing policy and macroeconomic uncertainty.

Commuting and work patterns in Los Angeles are still evolving post-pandemic, with hybrid and remote roles more widely available, particularly in the tech and professional services sectors. This flexibility is increasingly vital in a city known for its traffic congestion. The local government and business groups are pushing for policy reforms and legal challenges against disruptive federal policies, aiming to protect California’s broad economic interests and mitigate job losses linked to tariffs and immigration enforcement, as reported by MyNewsLA. Market observers agree that Los Angeles’ labor market continues to evolve rapidly, responding to digital transformation, geopolitical shifts, and changing workforce expectations.

Key findings include ongoing resilience in the LA job market amidst macroeconomic uncertainty, continued dominance of health care, tech, and entertainment as major employment drivers, and a gradual but persistent shift toward hybrid and remote work. Data gaps remain regarding real-time, sector-specific unemployment for Los Angeles County, and exact wage growth figures, while anecdotal and aggregate data suggest that talent competition, new AI tools, and shifting federal policies are reshaping the area’s employment landscape.

Currently, listeners can find job openings such as software engineer at a major streaming company in Burbank, registered nurse at a leading LA hospital network, and logistics coordinator for a global freight company operating out of the Port of Los Angeles. Thank you for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Los Angeles remains one of the most dynamic and diverse
job markets in the United States, characterized by strong competition
for talent, major industry specialization, and shifting economic conditions. The
region's workforce is notably multicultural, and businesses are increasingly adopting
applicant tracking systems and remote friendly hiring practices to appeal

(00:23):
to a wide range of candidates, especially in sectors like technology,
health care, and professional services. According to my Shift, data
from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and recent reporting
from major outlets indicate that in mid twenty twenty five,
the national unemployment rate is holding near four point one percent,

(00:44):
with Los Angeles County closely tracking this figure, although local
variation and sector specific challenges persist. The June twenty twenty
five Jobs report showed a gain of one hundred and
forty seven thousand jobs nationally, outpacing forecasts and providing cautious
optimism after months of mixed signals. However, a closer inspection

(01:06):
of private sector hiring shows signs of softness, with anecdotes
of layoffs and difficulty in job search experiences, especially as
AI and automation continue to impact both white collar and
skilled trade rolls, echoing trends observed by the Truth about Mortgage.
Los Angeles' employment landscape is driven by its standing as

(01:27):
a global hub in entertainment, health care, technology, and trade.
The largest employers include health care networks, entertainment conglomerates, tech firms,
and the sprawling public sector. As highlighted in the Los
Angeles Business Journal editorial Calendar, recent developments reveal ongoing economic

(01:48):
uncertainty due to federal tariff policies and restrictions. LA business
leaders for the LA Times have expressed concern over the
unpredictability and adverse effects of tariffs on their ability to
make long term investments, expand or hire new talent. Trade
policy volatility has led to disruptions in logistics and warehousing,

(02:08):
with the storage sector shedding jobs but still significantly above
pre pre pandemic levels. Supply chain shifts are prompting companies
to lean into automation and alternative sourcing. Despite headwinds, some sectors,
notably technology, healthcare, and professional services, are experiencing higher than
average job growth, especially among small and medium sized businesses.

(02:32):
According to my Shift, job openings in these areas grew
by fifteen percent over the past year, and the adoption
of HR technologies and forecasting tools is accelerating. Small business
hiring remains study, with paychecks reporting stability and employment and
only modest wage growth, while most employers adopt a cautious
weight and see approach in response to ongoing policy and

(02:56):
macroeconomic uncertainty, Commuting in work patterns in Los Angeles or
still evolving post pandemic. With hybrid and remote roles more
widely available, particularly in the tech and professional services sectors,
this flexibility is increasingly vital in a city known for
its traffic congestion. The local government and business groups are
pushing for policy reforms and legal challenges against disruptive federal policies,

(03:20):
aiming to protect California's broad economic interests and mitigate job
losses linked to tariffs and immigration enforcement. As reported by MyNews,
LA market observers agree that Los Angeles' labor market continues
to evolve rapidly, responding to digital transformation, geopolitical shifts, and
changing workforce expectations. Key findings include ongoing resilience in the

(03:43):
LA job market amidst macroeconomic uncertainty, continued dominance of health care, tech,
and entertainment, as major employment drivers and a gradual but
persistent shift toward hybrid and remote work. Data gaps remain
regarding real time sector specific unemployment for Los Angeles County
and exact wage growth figures, while anecdotal and aggregate data

(04:06):
suggest that talent competition, new AI tools, and shifting federal
policies are reshaping the area's employment landscape. Currently, listeners can
find job opening such as software engineer at a major
streaming company in Burbank, registered nurse at a leading LA
hospital network, and logistics coordinator for a global freight company

(04:26):
operating out of the Port of Los Angeles. Thank you
for tuning in and don't forget to subscribe. This has
been a quiet please production. For more check out quiet
Please dot ai