In this NY1 interview, host Speaker A and career coach Michelle Perchuk discuss the recent job market trends in New York City, where the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a net gain of 136,000 jobs year‑over‑year, outpacing other major metros. Perchuk explains that despite overall growth, recent graduates and job‑seekers face intense competition due to widespread layoffs. She emphasizes the need to differentiate oneself by targeting the top 5‑10% of candidates, focusing on networking rather than relying on job boards, and building a strong LinkedIn presence with a professional photo, colorful banner, and clear tagline. Perchuk advises upskilling—adding data science, AI, automation, project management, or business analysis—to future‑proof careers, especially for those in fields like computer science where AI may displace roles. Finally, she highlights a common resume mistake: omitting an objective, which forces hiring managers to guess the applicant’s intent. The interview concludes with practical, actionable guidance for job seekers aiming to secure positions in NYC’s expanding market.
Chapters
While the unemployment rate rose in more than 60% of the biggest metro areas in the country in August, New York City actually saw job growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 136,000 jobs were added on a year-over-year basis in the city. That represents the largest gain of the metro areas that were measured in that report. So joining me now to talk more about this and also to give some advice on those who are looking for a job right now is career career coach and founder of MTV Coaching, Michelle Perchuk. First of all, thank you for coming in.
Thank you for having me.
So, so New York City has fared better than other metro areas as the data bears out, but it's still rough out there, especially for recent college grads and people who are entering the job market. What are you seeing and what advice are you giving to that group of people?
So the group of people that are looking for jobs initially or people who are more seasoned, they're facing huge competition because companies are laying off large amounts of people today. The key to remember is that companies are always laying off people, but they're always laying off the bottom 5 to 10%. So if you're a recent college graduate or you're a seasoned professional, the number one thing to focus on is how to be unique and how to differentiate yourself.
Yeah. And I think, you know, that's something I continue to hear people— I applied to 100 jobs, I applied to 200 jobs, and I got 2 interviews. What is the way that you make yourself stand out, I guess, to get that initial interview, and then once you get in the door to actually nail the job?
Absolutely. So the first question I always ask, where did you apply? If people apply in job boards, the probability of getting a job there is like winning the lotto. I always say that the jobs that are listed on the job boards are someone else's crumbs. If you're looking to get an incredible job, that's your dream job where you could be a subject matter expert, the idea there is to really do that through networking. Just lead with your authentic authority. Tell your network what you're good at, the problems that you could fix, and you'll land the job before you know it. On job boards, it's just like the Twilight Zone. You submit and you never hear anything.
And so when you talk about networking, what does that entail? Should you be joining various professional organizations, alumni networks? I mean, where do you start with that?
All of the above. But the best place for networking is actually LinkedIn. As long as you have a sharp profile, you have a professional photo, you lead with your expertise, you have a really great tagline, you could network with people all around the world just from your office.
So let's talk about LinkedIn a little bit more.
Yes.
What are the key ways for somebody to stand out on that platform?
So the number one thing is to look very professional from the moment that someone lands on your profile. So I always advise people to have a professionally taken photo. To have a very colorful banner, to have a tagline, which is the tagline right below your name, that really states exactly what you're passionate about and what you're really good at. And once people land on your page, they're going to accept your invitation, and that's where your conversation with them can start.
What do you say to the many, many college grads who are out there? We continue to hear graduates who, for example, were focusing on computer science and coding, and they were told that this is where all the job growth is. Yes. Or any industry where those jobs don't really exist at the same level that they used to, where AI maybe is taking over faster than one had accounted for. And now your skill set has been replaced before you've even entered into that industry.
So I have one, one answer for that. There's always an ability to upskill. So if you started your college career as a computer science major, there's always things that you could add: data science, data analytics, AI, automation, project management, business analysis. Those are all skills that will forever be needed. So if you're a recent college graduate or you're actually in school right now, the idea is, is just start networking with other professionals that went to your school. Reach out, have a powerful LinkedIn profile, reach out, people will talk to you.
What's the number one mistake that you see people making?
In job search?
Mm-hmm. Or on their resumes or anywhere along in this process.
So on the resume, the number one mistake is they do not include an objective. So when a hiring manager looks at your resume, they have to do the guesswork. They don't know what job you're applying for.
Don't leave them guessing. Michelle Perchuk, career coach, really appreciate all the pertinent advice. Thank you.
