The US economy isn't officially in a recession . But for job seekers, it might as well be. In February, the hiring rate fell to a low last seen during the early pandemic — and before that, the aftermath of the Great Recession. More than seven million unemployed Americans are facing a job market that, by hiring measures, looks like a recession. Meanwhile layoffs and unemployment are relatively low, creating a split labor market that is stable for people who have jobs, and recession-like for