Kevin Barry

#Trump’s latest import #Tariff duties were meant to pressure foreign manufacturers — but the cost is landing squarely on U.S. shoppers. Big brands like Nike (facing a $1 billion tariff hit) and Adidas (€200 million) aren’t absorbing the losses — they’re raising prices right here in America. Experts at Yale’s Budget Lab estimate the average U.S. #household could end up paying up to $3,800 more per year because of these tariffs. That’s money coming straight out of pockets for everyday essentials — from sneakers and clothes to groceries and household goods. In reality, these duties have become a hidden tax on Americans, while companies use them as a perfect excuse to pass costs down the line. The result? Higher bills, tighter budgets, and less spending power for millions of families.

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What the New Liberation Day Tariffs Means for U.S. Jobs Yesterday, the U.S. unveiled significant tariff measures set to take effect in early April: ✔️ 10% baseline tariff on all imports, effective April 5 (Reuters) ✔️ Higher reciprocal tariffs on select countries: 34% on China, 20% on the EU, effective April 9 (WSJ) Looking at the immediate impact: 📉 GDP may dip by 0.4% (Tax Foundation) 💼 250k–309k jobs potentially at risk in retail, logistics, and manufacturing 💸 U.S. producers already bracing for 20–30% higher input costs However, there are long-term benefits worth considering: 🏗️ Major players like Nvidia and J&J announcing $4B+ in new U.S. investments 👷‍♂️ Union-backed sectors (e.g. UAW in auto) could see reshored job growth 💰 Previous tariffs (2018–2019) generated $72B+ in revenue — more than the annual Dept. of Commerce budget This likely represents an opening move in broader trade negotiations, not a permanent structural change. Brands with lean, offshore-dependent supply chains (e.g. Nike) may face short-term market headwinds, but adaptable businesses will find ways to shift sourcing or manufacturing. ----- What’s your take: Negotiation tactic — or a deeper shift in U.S. trade strategy?

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Paul Cabellon was senior manager of #corporate #communications for a privately funded organization with a mission to invent #technologies that solve some of the world’s most challenging problems. The organization was unfortunately closed in September 2020, and Paul found himself in the job market. “I eventually got some feedback from a recruiter that made me realize that I needed help in my job search. He said, ‘Paul, you are clearly the person who would take the company brand and communications to another level, but your approach would probably be too innovative for the average marketing team.’ I felt helpless,” said Paul. Finally, nine months into his job search, Paul engaged #TheBarrettGroup [TBG]. The #ClarityProgram was eye-opening for Paul. Working with his coach, Lisa Levesque. “The value of the TBG program outweighed the cost in the first three days! Through Clarity, I recognized that I want a job in which I can have higher altitude conversations about vision, depth, architecting, and ‘What is the 5- and 7-year outlook for this company?’. That goal, alone, eliminated half of the positions that I applied for,” said Paul. Lisa coached Paul to target jobs that were in the unpublished market where job descriptions are less defined and where Paul would have more latitude to shape a role to his strengths. To his surprise, within a week of completing Clarity, Paul had a job offer to be the communications director of a small, rapidly growing, pre-IPO startup in the geospatial #intelligence industry. “When the recruiter asked me to explain why I’d been unemployed for so long, a streak of boldness came out of me, thanks to TBG. I told her, ‘Everyone is looking for a normal, status quo, person. That’s not me. I’m the one who will take the brand to the next level. If you are looking for a truly innovative communicator, I am the guy you want.’ It’s because of Clarity that I could say that,” said Paul. Paul knew he was taking a big risk to respond that way, but he didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. And it paid off. Over the next week, with the help of career consultant, Jerry Fronczak, he participated in multiple rounds of interviews. When the initial offer came in much lower than Paul had hoped, Jerry helped Paul outline how to negotiate a compensation that better reflected the value that Paul felt he brought to the table. The final offer was more than 30% higher than the original. “In a startup everyone seems to have opinions about how PR should be done. But I’ve done a good job bringing my peers and leaders along. That came from Clarity,” said Paul. “I really wish I had known about The Barrett Group in week 1 of my job search. If I ever transition again, Barrett will be a part of that transition. Period!” More https://lnkd.in/dzJpDf9M If you like to land your desired role faster, let's talk. #careerchange #careers #jobsearch #executivesearch

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The US job market continued to expand in May however, the labor market is notably cooler than it was a few months ago. Employers added 139,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, a further slowdown could result in rising unemployment. Preliminary job growth from March and April was revised down by a combined 95,000 jobs and these revisions took some of the shine off the unexpectedly strong numbers previously reported. Economists are now seeing signs of erosion below the surface that may not be apparent in the headline numbers. https://lnkd.in/g7WQs5ku #HiringLab #Jobs #Unemployment #LaborMarket

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Positioning in Defense Supplier Market Fundamentals: 1. Relationships are Everything The defense industry runs on trust. Attend industry days, connect with procurement officers at all tiers, and build your network. 2. Patience is a Currency Sales cycles are long. Budgets are political. You must have the capital runway to survive the wait. 3. Start Realistically Do not try to be a system integrator on day one. The most successful strategy is to start at the bottom of the ladder with a world-class execution of a simple task and climb relentlessly from there. The Positioning Ladder in the Defense Industry Think of this as a ladder. It is very difficult to start at the top. Most successful defense giants began at the lower rungs and climbed over decades. 1. The Pure Production Partner (Reliable Basics Provider) This is the most common and accessible entry point for a new supplier. What you do: You manufacture simple, non-proprietary, often "nuts-and-bolts" items to exacting specifications. This could be machined parts, cables, harnesses, sheet metalwork, or basic sub-assemblies. You are a "job shop" for defense primes or higher-tier suppliers. 2. The Component Provider to Tiers 1, 2, 3 You graduate from making generic parts to designing or manufacturing specialized components. What you do: You provide a critical, defined component that gets integrated into a larger system. Examples: a specialized circuit board, a sensor, a pump, a filter, a composite panel, or a unique actuator. 3. Defense Subsystems under Licence You act as a local or cost-effective manufacturing arm for an established international player. What you do: A foreign OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) licenses you to produce a complete subsystem of their larger platform. Examples: manufacturing the turret for a vehicle, the radar array for a system, or the landing gear for an aircraft under a licensed agreement. 4. Customized System Provider This is a significant leap. You are now providing a complete, self-contained system that performs a key function. What you do: You design, integrate, and sell a full system based on your own IP. Examples: a custom Electronic Warfare suite, a specific Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for a niche mission, a C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) package for a specific vehicle. 5. Leader / Integrator of Defense Programs This is the top of the pyramid. You are a prime contractor. What you do: You are responsible for an entire major defense platform (e.g., a fighter jet, a warship, a tank). You design the overall system, manage thousands of suppliers, and are accountable to the government customer for the entire program's success. Trust you are doing well in positioning yourself as a supplier in the defense industry.

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Many interviews with executive candidates invest a lot of time trying to assess a given candidate’s level of competence in a variety of areas, including problem-solving abilities, technical knowledge, and industry knowledge. But coming out of interviews, few companies are able to answer questions like, “Will this person be able to effectively make and implement decisions in our environment? What support, enablement, or even sacrifices will it require from us to make that happen?” To get to this level of insight, a company we spoke to told us about how they unearthed some hard truths about executive egos and how some individuals inserted themselves into decisions even when their involvement was not productive. Sharing this realization with a candidate you want to hire might feel risky, but it allows for three things: 1) The company gets to articulate what they are doing to address the problem now that they’ve uncovered it; 2) The candidate gets to articulate how they would approach the problem; and 3) The candidate gets to ask themselves whether the problem being described is something they can work with or if it’s a dealbreaker for them. If it’s a dealbreaker, then as painful as it is to have a star candidate decline to continue in the process, it’s better for all parties to know that before the actual hiring and onboarding take place. Without going through the requisite reflection and definition of the as-is/to-be environment, this level of productive candor can be hard to achieve. Read the full article featured in Harvard Business Review at https://lnkd.in/datD36sq #KingsleyGate

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This is concerning: US job numbers have been revised down in all 11 months in 2025 by a total of -624,000 jobs. In other words, each job's report last year was revised down by an average of -56,728 jobs. On Friday, November's jobs report was revised down -8,000 to +56,000. At the same time, October's jobs report was revised down by -68,000, to -173,000, to the weakest monthly reading since December 2020. If this average pace continues, the December jobs report would be revised down to ~-6,700 from the initially reported +50,000. What is happening here?

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The US IT unemployment rate dipped slightly in April to 4.6%, down from 5% in March, but that improvement masks a bigger issue: the overall IT job market is shrinking. ⁣ ⁣ Many midlevel tech professionals are leaving the field entirely because of job cuts in areas like telecom and networking, sectors being replaced or automated by AI. Meanwhile, routine business functions like payroll and accounts payable are increasingly being outsourced. But even with this contraction, AI-related job postings have soared 184% year-over-year, per CompTIA's analysis.⁣ ⁣ Companies are making it clear: if AI can do the job, they’re not hiring. Shopify and Duolingo, for example, now require proof that a role can't be automated before approving new hires. Some firms like Box are investing in teams already using AI, while others, like Ally Financial and Graphic Packaging, are focusing their hiring on AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity roles. With more IT talent on the market, employers are becoming increasingly selective, favoring applicants with advanced technical skills.⁣ ⁣ 📸: Marvel

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