The holiday hiring season is looming, and job seekers are ready—but employers may be moving cautiously, potentially slowing down the talent rush. iCIMS, the talent acquisition software provider used by top global brands, revealed findings from its October 2025 Workforce Report, highlighting the latest trends in applications, job openings, and hiring activity, with a spotlight on retail and transportation.
Overall, job openings climbed 9% year-over-year since September 2024, and applications jumped 19%, signaling a robust candidate pool. Yet hires remain flat, pointing to employer caution as the seasonal surge approaches.
“Applicant volume is up, but so is time to fill,” said Trent Cotton, head of talent acquisition insights at iCIMS. “Retail teams are drowning in choices, not shortages. It’s time for employers to review their hiring processes and eliminate obstacles before the busiest season of the year.”
Holiday Hiring Trends by Industry
iCIMS’ proprietary data from thousands of organizations paints a nuanced picture:
Retail:
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Openings up 15%, hires up 7%, applications up 18% YoY
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Hiring activity has declined for three consecutive months, down 9% since July
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Average applicants per opening (APO) rose to 43, with time to fill (TTF) increasing from 40 to 42 days
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Younger applicants (18-24) shrinking from 43% to 37%, while the 35-44 age group grew from 12% to 16%
Transportation:
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Job openings up 19%, hires up 7%, applications up 26% YoY
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Both openings and hires hit a 13-month high
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APO rose to 45, but TTF dropped from 42 to 38 days, showing faster and more efficient hiring
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Older candidates dominate the pool as the 18-24 age band declined from 46% to 37%
The Challenge: Speed and Quality
Seasonal hiring is not just about filling positions—it’s about quality candidates. According to iCIMS’ 2025 State of Frontline Hiring Report, 62% of frontline hiring managers cite candidate quality as their biggest challenge, an issue magnified during the holiday rush.
Companies like The Container Store are proving that hiring velocity and quality can coexist. “By simplifying our process, empowering leaders to move quickly, and leveraging iCIMS technology along with consultative, sales-focused interview guides, we’ve reduced our time-to-hire to around 8 days,” said Danny Rojas, senior manager of talent acquisition.
AI Steps Into Seasonal Hiring
To help organizations manage high-volume hiring, iCIMS introduced Frontline AI, powered by Apli, designed to boost speed, efficiency, and candidate quality while delivering a consumer-grade application and onboarding experience.
The October 2025 Workforce Report and insights are available for download, and iCIMS will showcase AI-driven hiring innovations at UNLEASH World, Paris, on October 21-22, with a deep dive session on Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. CEST.
For employers, the takeaway is clear: candidate supply is strong, but speed and process optimization are critical to win talent during the holiday hiring crunch.
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