Take 5: AI hiring process, sandwich generation and income sources

NH Business Review's biweekly snapshot of business and industry statistics

A survey conducted by MyPerfectResume recently found that 52% of U.S. employers now use AI to support workforce planning decisions. AI is most commonly being used for resume screening (42%), interview scheduling (35%) and background checks (35%). Additionally, 65% of employers say AI automatically rejects candidates before a human ever reviews them, including 14% who say it rejects more than half of all applicants.

RESEARCH published in Monster’s Job Description Report found that 85% of workers are more likely to apply for a job when employers clearly outline the realities of the role. Only 10% of workers say job descriptions always accurately reflect the reality of the role, while 85% say vague or misleading language changes how they approach a job opportunity. The top features that build trust are clear salary ranges (53%), transparent workload and hour expectations (44%), real employee insights or reviews (31%), and verified or standardized job descriptions (28%).

A quarter of U.S. adults are now part of the “sandwich generation,” according to a Pew Research Center survey that shows adults have a parent age 65 or older and also a child under 18, an adult child receiving financial support, or both. Americans in their 40s are the most likely to be in this group, with more than half (54%) in this situation currently. Overall, the share of U.S. adults in the sandwich generation has grown in recent years, as people are living longer and many young adults are struggling to gain financial independence.

IN WalletHub’s Best & Worst Places to Retire report, Nashua and Manchester ranked at No. 35 and 65, respectively, out of 182 U.S. cities. Nashua also ranked as one of the highest cities, at No. 3, as having a large percentage of employed people over the age of 65. Both NH cities ranked highly for their health care access, but ranked lower when evaluating its affordability and activities availability.

NEARLY three-quarters (72%) of workers now rely on at least one secondary income source, and 72% say rising costs have made side work more necessary overall, according to FlexJobs’ 2026 Remote Part-Time Jobs Report. Education, medical and health, and customer service remained the top-ranked fields for remote, part-time jobs. Customer service and education, along with administrative industries, experienced the strongest year-over-year growth, with each jumping by 50% or more compared to the previous year.