"Small companies account for a large proportion of the workforce domestically and globally. The World Bank Group estimates small and medium enterprises constitute roughly 90% of all businesses and are responsible for more than 50% of global employment, as LinkedIn notes in its prediction. Entry-level and early-career workers also tend to make up a higher proportion of the workforce at small businesses than at larger firms."
"The picture for entry-level workers has been bleak in recent years. Entry-level hiring is down 23% from March 2020, compared to an 18% decline in overall hiring over the same period, according to a May LinkedIn report. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate for both 20- to 24-year-old high school graduates without college degrees and 20- to 24-year-old college graduates with a bachelor's degree was 9.7%, according to data from the Federal Reserve, more than double the overall unemployment rate of 4.4% that month."
Small businesses with fewer than 250 employees are expected to be the top destination for young jobseekers by 2026. Small companies comprise a large share of domestic and global workforces. The World Bank estimates small and medium enterprises make up roughly 90% of all businesses and provide over 50% of global employment. Entry-level and early-career workers typically represent a higher share of staff at small firms than at larger employers. Entry-level hiring has fallen 23% since March 2020, exceeding an 18% decline in overall hiring. Youth unemployment for 20- to 24-year-olds reached 9.7% in September 2025, more than twice the overall rate, making small companies a strong on-ramp.
Read at www.cnbc.com
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