Employers plan to add nearly 445,000 workers in October, but almost all of that hiring is seasonal. According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, nearly all the growth came from retail and delivery jobs tied to the holidays. Amazon alone plans to hire about 300,000 seasonal workers this year, while UPS plans to add 100,000 more. Most of these roles end in early January.
Permanent job cuts ticked up slightly. U.S. employers announced 43,994 job cuts in October 2026. That's the fewest October job cuts since 2023 and 71 percent below October 2025. Year to date, employers have announced 617,189 job cuts, down 44 percent from the same point in 2025.
Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said employers are holding onto the staff they already have in what he called a low-fire environment. Companies aren't committing to permanent headcount even as they announce nearly 445,000 new openings this month.
Food companies announced the most job cuts in October at 9,677. Technology followed with 5,576 cuts, and services companies cut 5,458 jobs. Technology has cut more jobs than any other industry this year. Companies named market and economic conditions as the top reason for cuts in October, ahead of artificial intelligence.
If you're considering a seasonal offer, ask directly whether the role is seasonal, temporary, or permanent before you accept. Read the offer letter closely for words like "temporary," "seasonal," or "at-will" tied to a specific end date. Ask your recruiter how many seasonal workers the company kept on last year and compare that to how many it plans to hire this year.
Some seasonal roles do convert to permanent positions, but employers rarely guarantee that in writing. If you already have steady work, use this calmer stretch to build an emergency fund that covers three to six months of expenses.