Consumer News: Job creation unexpectedly declined in July as hiring weakened across most sectors

No experience? Start with these employers

• Restaurants dominate: Seven of the top 10 employers with the highest share of entry-level openings are restaurant chains, led by Golden Corral, Olive Garden, and LongHorn Steakhouse.

• Retail is hiring too: Target, Walmart, Kroger, Publix, and other major retailers offer plenty of beginner-friendly positions.

• Boost your chances: Tailor your rsum, apply through the company's career site, apply early, and consider introducing yourself to a manager after applying.

Breaking into the workforce can be tough, but new research suggests some of America's biggest employers are actively looking for workers with little or no experience.

Getting your first job often feels like a frustrating cycle as employers typically want experience, but you need a job in order to gain that experience.

The good news is that not every company is looking for seasoned professionals.

According to a new analysis, some of the nation's largest employers devote the vast majority of their hiring to entry-level positions. In fact, seven of the 10 companies with the highest percentage of entry-level job openings are restaurant chains, making the restaurant industry one of the best places to get your foot in the door.

Golden Corral topped the list, with 98.9% of its LinkedIn job postings classified as entry-level. Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse weren't far behind, while Target led all major retailers with 95.5% of its openings available to beginners.

The top 20 companies worth knowing

Here is the list of the 20 companies that currently have the highest percentage of entry-level jobs listed on their job boards and career sites.

1. Golden Corral (98.9%)

2. Olive Garden (98.8%)

3. LongHorn Steakhouse (96.4%)

4. Target (95.5%)

5. Waffle House (94.8%)

6. Cracker Barrel (94.8%)

7. BJs Brewhouse (94.7%)

8. Red Robin (93%)

9. Tractor Supply Co. (92.1%)

10. Kroger (91.6%)

11. OReilly (90.5%)

12. Nordstrom (90.4%)

13. WinCo Foods (89.7%)

14. Dicks Sporting Goods (89%)

15. Bojangles (86.9%)

16. TJX (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, HomeSense, Sierra) (86.2%)

17. Walmart (86.2%)

18. Publix (85.7%)

19. Wegmans (85.4%)

20. Jersey Mikes (84.9%)

Why restaurants dominate

Restaurant jobs have long served as a launching pad for young workers, but they also offer opportunities for adults changing careers or returning to the workforce.

Many large restaurant chains promote from within, meaning today's host, cashier, or line cook could eventually become a shift leader, assistant manager, or general manager.

Likewise, retailers like Target often hire entry-level employees into positions that can lead to supervisory or corporate roles.

Pro tip: Think beyond the dining room or sales floor. Many of these employers also hire entry-level workers in distribution centers, warehouses, kitchens, logistics, maintenance, and administrative support.

Five ways to improve your chances

• Apply directly through the company's careers page. While sites like LinkedIn and Indeed are great for finding openings, applying through the employer's own website can sometimes speed up the hiring process.

• Tailor your rsum for every application. Even entry-level jobs often use applicant tracking systems. Matching the keywords in the job description can help your rsum get noticed.

• Highlight transferable skills. School projects, volunteer work, sports, clubs, and customer service experience all demonstrate qualities employers value, including teamwork, communication, leadership, and reliability.

• Be flexible with your availability. Applicants willing to work evenings, weekends, or holidays often have more opportunities, especially in restaurants and retail.

• Apply quickly. New job postings typically receive the fewest applications during their first couple of days. Applying early may improve your chances of getting an interview.

Pro tip: Visit the location in person. For restaurant and retail jobs, introducing yourself to a manager after submitting an application can help put a face to your rsum and demonstrate genuine interest.

Telemarketing and suspected scam calls drove the monthly total above 4.35 billion

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• U.S. consumers received more than 4.35 billion robocalls in July, up about 1.5% from June.

• Telemarketing and suspected scam calls rose 5.7% to 2.13 billion, accounting for 49% of the months robocalls.

• A widespread campaign offering supposedly pre-approved personal loans generated more than 40 million calls.

Those pesky robocalls seem to be making a comeback, defying carriers efforts to suppress them.

U.S. robocall volume continued its gradual rise in July, reaching its highest monthly level in a year, according to data released Thursday by call-protection company YouMail.

Consumers received just over 4.35 billion robocalls during July 2026, an increase of approximately 1.5% from June but little changed from July 2025. YouMail estimated an average of 139.3 million robocalls per day, or 1,612 every second.

Up 15% since October

Monthly volume has now risen more than 15% from the recent low recorded in October 2025. Despite the increase, the 48.7 billion calls logged over the past 12 months represented the lowest rolling 12-month total since September 2022.

The composition of the calls shifted toward unwanted activity. Telemarketing and suspected scam calls increased 5.7% to 2.13 billion, representing 49% of all robocalls. Notifications fell 2.6% to 1.56 billion, while payment reminders declined 1.2% to 630 million.

YouMail said one of Julys largest campaigns involved prerecorded messages telling recipients they had qualified for personal loansoften for as much as $45,000even though consumers reported making no loan inquiry and giving no consent to be contacted. The campaign used thousands of originating numbers and generated more than 40 million calls during the month.

Likely illegal telemarketing

The company characterized the activity as likely illegal telemarketing and potentially fraudulent, based on the calling patterns and consumer reports.

Monthly robocall volumes have been slowly creeping upward, YouMail Chief Executive Alex Quilici said, urging consumers to remain vigilant despite volumes remaining below historical highs.

The figures are estimates rather than a complete count of every U.S. robocall. YouMail produces them by extrapolating traffic directed at users of its call-protection services, using call patterns, audio fingerprinting and consumer feedback to identify robocalls.

The truck will have a front trunk in addition to a cargo bed

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Fords new Fathom electric pickup will start at $28,350 before destination charges.

• The five-seat truck is scheduled to enter production in Kentucky in 2027.

• Preorders will open in early 2027, with initial deliveries expected later that year.

Ford has introduced the Fathom, a midsize electric pickup with a base price of $28,350, making affordability the centerpiece of its renewed electric-vehicle strategy.

The Fathom will cost $29,945 after a $1,595 destination charge, keeping the standard-range version just below $30,000. Ford plans to begin taking preorders in early 2027 and start production later that year at its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky.

Built on Fords new Universal Electric Vehicle platform, the four-door truck will seat five and offer an open cargo bed and front trunk. Ford says its cabin will provide more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4. The company has not yet disclosed the trucks battery capacity, driving range or full trim lineup.

Standard technology will include a large touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a digital key and bidirectional power capability. Every Fathom will also carry the hardware needed for Fords BlueCruise hands-free highway-driving system, although activating that service may cost extra. Fords Fathom page confirms that preorder invitations will begin next year.

A reset on EVs

The low price represents a sharp turn from the industrys first wave of large, expensive electric pickups. Ford developed the Fathom through a specialized team tasked with simplifying both the vehicle and its manufacturing process. Its new production method divides assembly into major sections that can be built in parallel before being joined, reducing parts, labor and factory complexity.

At $28,350 before delivery fees, the Fathom will compete not only with upcoming budget electric pickups such as the Slate Truck but also with gasoline-powered and hybrid compact trucks. Its price is close to that of Fords Maverick, potentially widening its appeal beyond traditional EV buyers.

The Fathom will be the first vehicle based on a platform Ford intends to use for a broader family of lower-cost electric models. That makes the pickup more than a new nameplate: it is an important test of whether an established Detroit automaker can profitably sell a practical EV at a mass-market price.

Deliveries are expected to begin in late 2027.

Some consumer groups may take their argument to court

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The U.S. government has returned about $100 billion of roughly $166 billion collected under President Donald Trumps invalidated emergency tariffs.

• Refunds go to the businesses that imported goods and paid Customsnot directly to shoppers who may have absorbed the cost through higher prices.

• Consumers could benefit from voluntary price cuts, lawsuits or future legislation, but no nationwide compensation program currently exists.

The federal government has refunded approximately $100 billion in tariffs to American businesses after the Supreme Court struck down a central part of President Trumps trade program. For consumers who paid higher prices while the duties were in effect, however, compensation remains far from certain.

The payments represent about 60% of the roughly $166 billion collected under tariffs Trump imposed using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. In February, the Supreme Court ruled that the emergency-powers law did not authorize the president to impose tariffs, clearing the way for importers to recover the duties. The courts decision did not itself establish a consumer-refund system.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection subsequently created an electronic process known as CAPE to receive and validate refund requests. Businesses must identify eligible import entries and maintain an account in the agencys Automated Commercial Environment, including banking information for electronic payments. CBPs guidance is directed toward importers and customs brokersnot individual shoppers.

Consumers on shaky legal ground

That distinction determines who receives the money. Legally, tariffs are paid to the government by the importer of record. Even when a retailer, manufacturer or distributor raises prices to recover that expense, the customer at the end of the supply chain does not become the tariff payer in the eyes of customs law.

As a result, households generally cannot submit receipts to CBP or request a share of a companys refund.

The economic burden is more complicated than the legal one. Importers may absorb a tariff through lower profit margins, negotiate lower prices from suppliers or pass some or all of the cost to wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Because those effects can spread across several companiesand mingle with changes in transportation, labor and commodity costscalculating how much tariff a particular shopper paid for a particular product can be extremely difficult.

Consumers may still receive indirect relief if companies use their refunds to lower prices, issue credits or avoid future increases. But such measures are generally voluntary. Businesses could instead apply the money to debt, wages, investment, dividends or other expenses, and lower wholesale costs do not guarantee that retail prices will fall.

The courts may have a voice

Some shoppers have turned to the courts. Class-action complaints argue that companies raised prices because of tariffs and should not be allowed to retain both those higher revenues and government refunds. Those cases face significant hurdles, including proving that a price increase was tied to an invalidated tariff, tracing the tariff to specific purchases and establishing a legal duty requiring the seller to reimburse customers.

Political pressure is also building. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has asked the administration to provide payments of $1,700 per Illinois family and has called for legislation requiring companies to pass tariff relief to consumers. His proposal is a request, not an approved federal benefit, and the relevant consumer-relief legislation has not advanced in Congress.

Capitol News Illinois reported that the requested payments would total more than $8.6 billion for the state.

For now, the answer for consumers is straightforward but unsatisfying: there is no automatic federal refund, no household claims portal and no guarantee that businesses will share the money.

Shoppers could eventually benefit through lower prices, successful litigation or a new act of Congress. Unless one of those paths produces concrete relief, the governments historic tariff repayment will remain primarily a refund to importerseven where consumers helped carry the original economic burden.