How to get a job in this ‘low-hire, low-fire’ market

When Brian Daniel, the founder of a Los Angeles-based staffing agency, recently posted what he describes as a “high-paying remote job,” he saw firsthand just how tough the labor market had become for job seekers. “We get between 500 and 1,000 applicants for every open position,” he says. But this job—an executive assistant position that pays $150 per hour—seemed particularly appealing. Within a few days, more than 2,000 people had applied. “The ‘low-hire, low-fire’ labor market is nothing to...