As we finish summer, I want to reflect on what I am seeing in the job market this year. These are my thoughts and suggestions based on what I read about in the news, what I’ve learned from hiring managers, HR managers, and career coaches, and what I hear from active job seekers.
Why hiring managers are risk-averse in 2025
Most companies seem to be in a perpetual wait-and-see mode. At macro levels companies are dealing with lower GDP growth, persistent inflation, tariffs, and geopolitical instability. Add to that uncertainty with interest rates and falling consumer confidence. All of this combined makes company leaders predict that future prospects are more bad than good.
Then you have the hiring managers within these companies. They are taking these signals from leadership but personally they want low risk too. Besides having reduced budgets, they are feeling pressure for their performance. As middle managers, they are feeling the squeeze and they don’t feel safe. Mark Zuckerberg and Andy Jassy are arguing for less management to spur on faster decision-making and leaner operations. Microsoft alone has cut over 6,000 managerial-level roles.
What hiring teams value most in candidates today
But despite all of these headwinds and apprehensions, hiring is still happening. As a job seeker you need to consider all of this and position your candidacy accordingly. Here’s how hiring teams are evaluating candidates in this environment.
Definitive specialization
Hiring teams are looking for candidates who are perfect fits for the role. They want to match the candidate to the criteria as closely as possible. They want to see proven experience in the same industry, subsector experience, years of experience, education or certifications, and even specialized knowledge. The more that matches, the better.
Already trained
Because training budgets are cut (and no one has time to train new hires anyway), they need proof of full competence. They want assurances that candidates can do the job and start performing on day one. Even better, if the skill sets exceed the job requirements. That means you can add to the team’s knowledge base.
5 ways to adapt your job-search strategy now
Here are five things you should consider to best position yourself for a new role in this market.
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Now is not the time to pivot.
Hiring managers cannot afford to hire on potential. Therefore it’ll be a very tough sell to convince them of your transferable skills. If you want to pivot to a new industry or section, hold off until market conditions improve.
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Be narrow, not open.
As I said above, hiring teams want specialists. Instead of a general practitioner who can heal strep throat and a sprain ankle, they want a top-tier cardiologist. Instead of claiming that you are “open” to appear flexible, narrow down to your core competencies and own them with confidence and data.
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Use metrics to prove your capabilities.
It is no longer sufficient to just describe the work you do. You need to sell yourself by showing the proof of what you actually do (or did). Share your results using actual numbers. Draw a parallel between their needs and your experience to show you’ve already done what they need you to do.
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Build relationships with hiring influencers.
There are so few new jobs on the market, the best ones will never make it to the job boards. Instead they’re usually filled with connections close to the hiring teams. Be intentional about building connections with those in and around your target positions. Even before a job is announced.
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Convey low risk in interviewing.
When interviewing it will not be enough to sell yourself. You need to approach it like a consulting engagement. Inquire about their problems to understand real needs and then position yourself as the solution to them. Throughout it all, you need to convince the hiring team that you are the lowest risk option of all their choices (i.e. hiring others or doing nothing).
Wrap-up
Until this market stabilizes, you need to change up your strategy for what hiring managers need today. Adapt your positioning, messaging, and actions accordingly.
The best way to approach any job search activity is to first think like a hiring manager. They are spooked so you need to give them assurances. And you can do so while also getting your own needs met. It’s just a different kind of path up the mountain on the way to the summit.
Good luck!