How workers are trying to get ahead of a job market full of uncertainty

Core Insights - The labor market is experiencing heightened anxiety regarding layoffs, prompting workers to proactively prepare for potential job losses [3][4][5][6][8] Labor Market - Many workers are diversifying their income through side hustles or additional full-time jobs to mitigate the impact of potential layoffs [4] - The labor market has been largely stagnant, with minimal hiring or firing, but recent weeks have seen an increase in rolling layoffs, which are smaller, incremental job cuts [5] - Companies are increasingly leveraging AI technologies, which raises concerns about reduced headcounts as firms seek efficiencies [6][7] Company Actions - Amazon's recent layoffs were initially framed as a move towards a leaner operation in the context of AI, but later statements from CEO Andy Jassy clarified that the layoffs were not directly driven by AI considerations [7][8] - The company's focus is shifting towards cultural changes and demonstrating its capabilities in AI, as evidenced by its strong Q3 earnings report following the layoffs [13] Investment Opportunities - The Tema Electrification ETF (VOLT) is highlighted as a potential investment opportunity, expected to benefit from the AI data-center boom and projected to outperform the S&P 500 by approximately 20% by 2027 [9]