Welcome to Top Tier Resources

 It Is still a good time to be in the job market.

 May 28, 2026

The April jobs report showed the U.S. labor market still adding jobs, with nonfarm payrolls rising 115,000 and the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.3%. The wage growth stayed positive, with average hourly earnings going up 0.2% from March and 3.6% from a year ago, slightly above April consumer inflation of 3.8%. Layoffs remain contained, with 6.9 million job openings. Our clients are hiring and top talent is being picked up quickly.

Chicago Local Overview

For job seekers in the Chicago area, the local market reflects national trends, with significant economic emphasis on specific high-need industries. 

• Top Industries: Health care, education, and      professional services dominate, with a heavy emphasis on roles requiring      specialized, post-secondary credentials.
• Local Resources: If you are navigating the      Chicago job scene, you can track local trends and access workforce      development resources through the City of Chicago Industry Trends portal.

Keep your resume up to date even if you are a passive job seeker. It is better to make a change when you want to instead of when you have to. 

 Bring on 2026!!

• National optimism is at the highest point in a decade.
• Keep you resume up, so you are ready to make a change
• As you update your resumes make sure they are succinct, do not put your picture on your resume and cover your last 15 years only. 
• Update your LinkedIn profile and make sure it matches your resume
• Do not say NO to a five day a week office environment.  The work environment is changing again, and we must adapt.

  What is the staffing industry saying? 

1. If you want to be discovered by recruiters keep you LinkedIn profile current

Even if you are not looking for a new opportunity, don't you want to be alerted for opportunities better than your own? This should not be difficult.  Recruiters find that they reach out to candidates via LinkedIn and often their jobs and education are not up to date.  Just recently I reached out to a candidate for a Senior FP&A role and that individual had been working as an Assistant Controller for 18 months.

2. Respond to recruiters and companies that reach out to you.

Even if you are not looking, it takes minutes to respond and say, "No thank you. I am not in the market at this time." A little bit of courtesy goes a long way.  Recruiters and companies remember those that give professional courtesy.

3. Keep an open mind about all opportunities. 

The market is shifting and as more and more companies are going back to 5 days a week on-site.  If you dig you heels in for only remote and hybrid you might just miss the best opportunities. Remote work now represents only 15% of jobs. CEOs are demanding that employees return to work on-site 5 days a week. The hybrid work has diminished as well and is more often only one or two days per week. Cast your net wide and consider all opportunities. With more seniority and tenure in your work there are greater considerations made toward flexibility.