US job openings fall to five-month low at 7.1 million; layoffs hit 17-month low

What this means for your job search: Expect heightened competition for fewer available tech roles. Intensify your preparation, tailor applications meticulously, and leverage networking to differentiate yourself. The August figure was the lowest in five months and came below expectations in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The job openings rate stood at 4.3%, little changed from July.