Memphis has more job seekers than the national average and fewer jobs than a year ago. For employers, that means more applicants per opening. The work is screening and responding fast, not finding people.
Memphis unemployment sits at 4.6%, above the U.S. rate of 4.2%, and barely moved from 4.5% a year earlier. Total nonfarm jobs changed −0.5% over the same period. More people are looking, and there are slightly fewer seats to fill.
That shifts the bottleneck. In a slack market, open roles draw volume, and the hard part becomes sorting applicants quickly and reaching the good ones before another employer does. Local pay also runs below national medians for many high-volume roles, so candidates compare offers closely and move toward whoever replies first with clear terms.
The tables below cover the labor snapshot, wages by role, the industry mix and the statewide rules on file. The notes around them turn that data into practical steps for recruiters, hiring managers and operations leaders hiring in Memphis.
With unemployment at 4.6% against a labor force of 626,572, Memphis employers should expect healthy applicant flow for most hourly roles. Plan for screening capacity, not just sourcing.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 24, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $16.48 | $28.43 | $53.11 | 3,330 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $16.38 | $29.53 | $60.00 | 4,290 |
| Telemarketers | $10.83 | $14.76 | $24.03 | 340 |
| Customer service representatives | $15.18 | $21.20 | $29.07 | 9,360 |
| Retail salespersons | $11.42 | $15.67 | $22.63 | 17,050 |
| Cashiers | $10.64 | $14.02 | $17.26 | 10,840 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $15.67 | $19.00 | $23.10 | 37,750 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $10.73 | $13.21 | $16.98 | 15,320 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $12.10 | $15.66 | $21.51 | 8,070 |
| Sales managers | $31.18 | $61.81 | $112.48 | 2,040 |
Most roles in the table pay below the national median, such as customer service reps at $21.20 locally versus $21.53 nationally. Use the local percentiles, not national figures, to set competitive ranges, and note the wide spread in sales pay from $16.48 to $53.11.
190,300 jobs · 29.1% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Trade, transportation, and utilities holds 29.1% of jobs and grew +0.2%, so expect steady competition for warehouse movers, drivers and retail associates and keep a standing pipeline open.
102,900 jobs · 15.8% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Private education and health services at 15.8% was roughly flat (−0.1%), so aide and clinic roles stay in constant demand and reward fast scheduling over broad sourcing.
83,300 jobs · 12.8% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services fell −3.1%, which likely puts experienced contact-center, sales and admin workers on the market for employers ready to move quickly.
62,900 jobs · 9.6% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality at 9.6% slipped −0.9%, so hospitality hiring is steady rather than surging and reengaging past applicants can fill many shifts.
38,600 jobs · 5.9% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing declined −1.5%, which may free up production and machine-operation talent whose skills transfer to warehouse and quality roles.
Trade, transportation, and utilities accounts for 29.1% of nonfarm jobs, so warehouse, driving and retail roles set the pace for hourly hiring. Contraction in several other sectors means experienced workers from those fields may be in your applicant pool.
The sources reviewed did not identify statewide requirements in Tennessee for background checks, ban-the-box, minimum wage, non-competes or pay transparency. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant agency or your counsel before acting, and check for local or federal rules that may apply.
No statewide background checks requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Labor Laws) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide ban-the-box / fair chance requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Labor Laws) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide minimum wage requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (State Minimum Wage Laws) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide non-compete agreements requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Labor Laws) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Labor Laws) · checked October 15, 2026Full detail on the state rules is on the Tennessee hiring page.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
With unemployment at 4.6%, a single hourly posting can draw more applicants than a manager can review by hand. Set clear must-have criteria up front and rank applicants against them. Spend human time on the shortlist, not the whole pile.
Professional and business services contracted −3.1%. Workers leaving customer service, telemarketing and staffing roles bring phone skills, system experience and attendance habits. Target them directly for customer service, dispatch and inside sales openings.
Services sales pay runs from $16.48 to $53.11 an hour, and the local median of $28.43 trails the national $33.65. Post the base, the realistic commission range and how it is earned. Candidates screen out vague offers quickly.
When pay for roles like cashiers ($14.02) and material movers ($19.00) is close across employers, speed decides who gets the hire. Text applicants with consent within hours, offer self-service interview slots and send reminders so they show up.
Trade, transportation, and utilities is 29.1% of local jobs, so turnover in these roles never stops. Tag strong applicants you could not hire and message them in batches when new shifts open.
Memphis hiring is a volume problem: steady applicant flow and limited time to sort it. AI-Powered Candidate Ranking parses resumes and builds shortlists against criteria you set, so managers review the strongest fits first. Two-way SMS with automations lets recruiters reply to applicants from one inbox and trigger messages on status changes. When new shifts open, bulk actions let you message, move and manage thousands of candidates at once instead of one at a time.
Start with the local wage table, not national figures. Many Memphis medians sit below national ones, for example retail salespersons at $15.67 locally versus $17.03 nationally. Pay near or above the local median for roles where you need fast fills.
Applicant supply is relatively healthy. Unemployment is 4.6%, above the U.S. rate of 4.2%, and total jobs changed −0.5% over the year. The bigger challenge is screening volume and responding quickly.
Yes, with care. Get clear opt-in consent before texting, keep messages relevant to the application and honor STOP or opt-out requests right away. Confirm the details with your counsel.
The sources reviewed did not identify a statewide pay transparency requirement in Tennessee. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with the relevant agency or your counsel, and note that listing pay often improves applicant response.
Give each location its own apply page, route applicants to the right manager and use shared templates so messaging stays consistent. Batch outreach and self-service scheduling keep volume manageable without adding recruiters.
Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 22, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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