Why the Compliance Job Market Feels Frozen

The award-winning Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into a compliance-related topic, literally going into the weeds to explore it in greater depth. Looking for some hard-hitting insights on compliance? Look no further than Compliance into the Weeds! In this episode of Compliance into the Weeds, Tom Fox and Matt Kelly discuss a recent slowdown in compliance and internal audit hiring, with more layoffs and fewer job openings over the last several months. Matt attributes the “frozen” market to broader economic uncertainty, tariffs, the war in Iran, which is driving higher energy costs, and erratic regulatory enforcement, all of which, combined with executives’ indecision about AI’s costs and impact, lead companies and employees to avoid change. They note structural competition at senior levels due to a larger, more experienced talent pool and the limited number of top roles, while acknowledging opportunities in compliance-adjacent paths such as HR, legal, governance, and integrity functions, depending on experience and credentials. Matt suggests focusing on interpersonal and cross-functional skills AI can’t replace and highlights continued demand in trade compliance, whistleblowers, and anti-fraud/False Claims Act work. Key highlights: Compliance Job Market Shift Why Hiring Feels Frozen AI and Executive Uncertainty Talent Supply and Senior Roles Career Moves and Branding Where Hiring Still Happens Resources: Matt in Radical Compliance Tom Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn A multi-award-winning podcast, Compliance into the Weeds was most recently honored as one of the Top 25 Regulatory Compliance Podcasts, a Top 10 Business Law Podcast, and a Top 12 Risk Management Podcast. Compliance into the Weeds has been conferred a Davey, a Communicator Award, and a W3 Award, all for podcast excellence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices