Amazon Gains, Job Market Update & Search Engine Wars

The artificial intelligence boom and renewed business spending are paying off for Amazon, which saw its first-quarter sales hit a record.

• The recent payrolls report indicates a slowing jobs picture, and many workers have attested to a more difficult labor market, according to The Wall Street Journal. Some key points:

Uneven Job Growth

• Jobs are concentrated in certain sectors, while hiring in areas like tech, finance, law, and accounting has been flat or slightly down.

Questionable Hiring Practices

• Some companies are using strategies that make the job search even tougher for applicants:
• Posting fake job listings to amass resumes or create an impression of growth
• Drawn-out interview processes or "ghosting" by hiring managers

Impact on Workers

Google parent Alphabet paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 for Google to be the default search engine in the Safari web browser.