In partnership with

Big dreams deserve big bucks.

We’re putting up a year’s salary for one amazing Creator or Entrepreneur to make their 2026 the Year of the Dream. The challenge is simple. Post a video about your business (or business idea!) and enter for your chance to win $100,000.

We’re not giving this money to just anyone. We want to see authenticity and how your business can positively impact your community. This is about doing good and doing well.

At Stan, we empower people who truly want to work for themselves. To live out their passion. To dare to dream.

The challenge runs until January 31st but we suggest you enter today. You never know when your dream will become a reality.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. For full Official Rules, visit daretodream.stan.store/officialrules.

Newest YouTube video this week:

In this week’s video, I talk about the recent layoffs at Meta, focusing on the company's shift from virtual reality (VR) to artificial intelligence (AI). Meta's decision to cut approximately 10% of its staff, amounting to about 1,000 jobs, is examined, particularly within the Reality Labs division.

Checkout this weeks new roles:

New roles every week !

Company Shoutout:
AutoZone Is Hiring Future Leaders!

If you know someone ready to accelerate their career, AutoZone’s Manager-in-Training (MIT) program is a powerful launchpad.

Future leaders belong at AutoZone and their training and mentorship will get you there.

This short-term, high-impact program prepares individuals for Retail and Commercial Store Management roles, the leadership backbone of the company.

Through hands-on experience, structured training, and real-world responsibility, MITs are guided toward a management position in as little as 8 weeks based on performance.

AutoZone are offering a long-term career path with room to grow.

What makes this Program Stands Out?

  • Comprehensive training that blends real work with structured learning

  • Fast-track advancement into management roles

  • Personalized mentorship from experienced leaders

  • Employee-first benefits supporting physical, mental, and financial well-being

  • Clear path for long-term upward mobility

If you or someone in your network is looking for a career shift, leadership opportunities, or a supportive environment to grow in, this is a great role to press start on.

💡Job hunting Tip of the week 💡

Build a Job Search Operating System

Most job seekers treat the job hunt like chaos.

High-level job hunters treat it like a system.

When you build a simple operating system for your job search, you remove stress, reduce mistakes, and stay consistent even on low-energy days.

🎯 1. What Is a Job Search Operating System?

It’s a repeatable structure for how you manage your job hunt week to week. It includes where you track applications, how you network, when you apply, and how you follow up.

Instead of guessing what to do each day, you already know.

🔍 2. Why This Matters

A job search system helps you:

• Stay organized without burnout

• Avoid missed follow ups and duplicate applications

• Create consistency even when motivation is low

• See patterns in what is working

• Treat job hunting like a skill, not a scramble

Systems beat motivation every time.

🧩 3. What to Include in Your System

At minimum, track:

• Jobs applied to

• Resume version used

• Contacts you reached out to

• Follow up dates

• Interview stages

• Feedback received

This can live in a spreadsheet, Notion, Trello, or whatever tool you will actually use.

I used Huntr, when I was on the job hunt.

🎮 4. Think of It Like Your Game HUD

In games, you rely on your HUD to track health, cooldowns, quests, and inventory. Without it, you are guessing and reacting.

Your job search operating system is your career HUD. It keeps everything visible so you can make smarter moves.

💡 TL;DR: A job search operating system gives you control, clarity, and consistency. When you stop winging it and start running a system, results follow.

Want to take it to the next level with me ?

Press Start with me, and I will level you up.

Level Up Your Job Hunt with 200+ Powerful Prompts

Level Up Your Job Hunt with 200+ Powerful Prompts

Tired of feeling stuck at the resume screen? Whether you’re a career changer, recent grad, or gamer trying to transition from virtual quests to real-world careers, this downloadable guide is you...

$9.00 usd
1-on-1 Coaching: Job Search Strategy + Resume Audit + LinkedIn Level Up

1-on-1 Coaching: Job Search Strategy + Resume Audit + LinkedIn Level Up

🧩 What This Session Unlocks: ✔️ Job Search Strategy (Custom-Made): I’ll craft a focused, actionable game plan based on your goals, experience, and industry. You’ll walk away with recruiter-...

$297.00 usd
🎮 Level Up Your Brand with Done-For-You Content Creation

🎮 Level Up Your Brand with Done-For-You Content Creation

Tired of guessing what to post? Let Dellyn Digital handle your content, from video editing to newsletters, so you can focus on what you do best. Get professional storytelling that connects, c...

$500.00 usd

What’s New with the Job Market this week?

📉 Overall Tone: Weak, Cautious, and Still Softening

Across every major dataset and analysis, the story is consistent:
Hiring is slow, layoffs remain elevated, and confidence is deteriorating.
The market isn’t collapsing, but it’s fragile, selective, and increasingly tilted toward experienced workers.

📊 Key Developments This Week

🧊 1. December Jobs Report: Weakest Year Since 2020

  • The U.S. added 50,000 jobs in December, below expectations.

  • Unemployment dipped slightly to 4.4%, but remains elevated vs. early 2025.

  • Job growth in 2025 was the worst non‑recession year since 2003.

The labor market is stuck in a “low hiring, low firing” limbo — employers aren’t expanding, but they’re not panicking either.

🧮 2. Job Openings & ADP Data Show a Cooling Market

  • ADP reported 41,000 private‑sector jobs added, signaling stabilization but still weak demand.

  • Openings continue to fall, hitting a one‑year low in November.


Demand for labor is shrinking, especially in white‑collar and professional services roles.

🧓 3. Older Workers Are Crowding Out Gen Z

Fresh Revelio Labs data shows:

  • Average new hire age rose to 42 in 2025.

  • Hiring of workers 25 and under is down 45% vs. 2019.

  • Hiring of workers 65+ is up nearly 80% since 2019.


Companies are prioritizing experience and risk‑aversion — a major structural shift.

🧨 4. Layoffs Cross 1 Million for 2025

  • Employers announced 1.2 million layoffs in 2025 — the highest since 2020.

  • AI‑related layoffs alone accounted for ~55,000 jobs.


Layoffs aren’t spiking month‑to‑month, but the cumulative trend is unmistakably negative.

🧠 5. Worker Confidence Has Collapsed

Monster’s 2026 outlook shows:

  • 40% of workers expect the job market to worsen this year.

  • Only 43% plan to job‑search, down from 93% last year.

  • Workers are prioritizing stability over mobility.


Sentiment is now as weak as the underlying data.

🏥 6. Healthcare Remains the Only Strong Hiring Engine

Monster’s 2026 sector analysis highlights:

  • Healthcare roles dominate demand: RNs, PTs, respiratory therapists, counselors.

  • Skilled trades, logistics, and infrastructure‑linked roles also remain resilient.


Hands‑on, credentialed, and essential‑services jobs continue to outperform white‑collar roles.

🧭 7. Fed Watching Labor Weakness Closely

  • The Fed has cut rates three meetings in a row.

  • Markets expect two more cuts in 2026 if labor softness persists.


The Fed is trying to prevent a soft labor market from turning into a hard downturn.

🧩 What This Means for Workers & Employers

For Job Seekers

  • Expect slower callbacks, fewer openings, and more competition.

  • Experience is being weighted more heavily than potential.

  • AI‑exposed roles are tightening fastest.

For Employers

  • Hiring remains cautious.

  • Retention is high, companies are holding onto workers but not expanding.

For the Economy

  • The labor market is bending, not breaking.

  • But the risk of deterioration is rising, especially if layoffs tick up.

FREE STUFF TO HELP YOU ON THEN JOB HUNT!

Free LinkedIn Level up: Your Open-World Job Hunt Guide Here

LinkedIn Level up..pdf

LinkedIn Level up.pdf

Level up that LinkedIn tree, with this quick start guide!

4.66 MBPDF File

Free Resume Checklist

Resume Checklist.pdf

Resume Checklist.pdf

Gear up your resume.

169.96 KBPDF File


What not to do for your resume with tips (Sorry Mario)

Check out Marios Resume and learn from his mistakes.

Anime Level up advice!

Need to level up that job hunting skill tree?

Level up with Skill Share and check out The Ultimate Job Search Guide free for a Month.

It also has templates and other cheat codes in it.

Affiliate Section: Explore these Cheat Codes and more below.

These are affiliate links, meaning Dellyn Digital earns a commission on any purchases made through them at no additional cost to you. This support helps me to continue creating valuable content tailored for you and other job seekers with a passion for video games. I thoroughly research and personally endorse the tools and products listed to ensure they provide genuine benefits. If I don’t trust or use an item or service, it won’t be featured here.

Teal Is another great tool to use on the Job hunt.

One of the best tools, to help you on the job hunt. It helped me keep things in order when I was on the job hunt. I go over some of their reports on the YouTube channel check them out.

First impressions do matter. Having a lame profile picture will hurt your chances when you’re looking for work. It might seem small, but it matters. Check out this cheat code and level up that LinkedIn profile pic.

Applying to over 50-100 roles a day or even week is a lot for anyone but with this tool it makes it super easy. Just make sure those roles line up with your skills (Do Not apply to roles that you’re not a good fit for). Remember what uncle Ben said:
“With great power, comes great responsibility“

Making short form videos can be hard and it takes time. That’s why you can pull from your long form videos and make something fast with this tool. Making content around what you do is key when on the job hunt. Show them what you’re made of because video is the future. I know you came across some applications asking you to make a video, right?

Descript is easily one of the best editing software’s I’ve used since starting my YouTube channel in 2024. If you’re looking to get into video editing Descript got you covered.

You should be building something on the side using the skills you have.

You add value to a company, why not do it for yourself, and add value to others?

If you ever wanted to start your own business and don’t know where to start, level up with Marketing Agency Near You.

They leveled me up and will do the same for you.

Whether you're navigating in a video game or the job market, remember: 

Preparation and strategy will lead to victory, always!

Take a moment to implement this week's tip and get ready for another week of progress.

Thank you for being part of my journey.

Your support means the world to me.

That can be in the form of a like on my YouTube Channel, a comment on my LinkedIn posts, sending me some Ko-fi, or even sharing any of my content.

I’m honored to help level up your job hunt, in some way.

It truly fills my cup to teach and share my knowledge with you in a fun way.

Always keep leveling up.

I will see you in the next issue.

Dellyn Lee
Founder, Dellyn Digital

Want to make a newsletter like this, press start and check out Beehiiv.

I will see you in the next issue!

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Keep Reading