Summary:

– 1.6 million federal employees furloughed or laid off in 2025 amid ongoing shutdown.

– Hiring remains tight as firms prioritize key roles in finance, tech and health care .

– Experts urge workers to highlight transferable skills and results in resumes.

Many of the 1.6 million federal workers who have been laid off, furloughed or forced to work without pay this year may be looking to the private sector for employment . That doesn’t include others who took buyouts or those who remain employed, but fear continued job cuts.

But amid wider economic uncertainty, many businesses are limiting new hires to only a few specific roles, if not pausing openings entirely. Meanwhile, private sector layoffs continue to pile up — from companies like Amazon, UPS, Intel and ConocoPhilli

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