ORLANDO, Fla. – Landing a job right now isn’t as easy as it sounds. Across Central Florida, hundreds of people are showing up with résumés in hand, competing for the same opportunities—and for many, the search is taking longer than ever.
James Statz moved to Florida to be with his fiancé after being unemployed in New Jersey for a year. He says the job market is much tougher now than when he graduated back in 2021.
“I was in a certain field and I was doing well, but now that field is gone. What I used to do with database work is now gone because of AI taking over or outsourcing to other countries for cheaper labor,” said Statz, who’s looking for a job.
The U.S. lost about 92,000 jobs in February, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Experts point to a mix of many factors—companies hitting pause on hiring, and yes, the growing impact of AI. “It’s not only because people are losing jobs—it’s also because people are looking for the same positions. Everybody wants to work comfortably. Everybody wants to get paid a lot,” Statz said.
“I think a lot of jobs have just held back from hiring—whether it’s budgeting issues—and they’re just not seeing progress in their companies,” said Amarilias Zurita, who’s also looking for a job.
On Wednesday, thousands like Zurita—who is unemployed right now—came to the Central Florida Job Fair at the Central Florida Fairgrounds Expo Buildings to meet with more than 70 companies, hoping to get a job. “Hopefully we can get something out of it. Even if you’re not interested in a position they have available, they’re able to tell you maybe something will come up,” Zurita said.
The latest report also says unemployment ticked up slightly, to around 4.4%.