How to Navigate Labor Market Churn

BREAKING: The job market is cooling with hiring down 5.8% in March, according to LinkedIn's latest data. Worth noting: 62% of CEOs are now predicting a recession within six months, up from 48% just last month. Smart job seekers aren't panicking; they're strategizing. So, what does this mean for you if you're currently job searching or considering a move: 1️⃣ Target growing industries: Healthcare added 53,600 jobs last month, with social assistance adding 24,200 and retail trade gaining 23,700. Meanwhile, Utilities (+0.4%) and Holding Companies (+5.9%) were the only industries showing month-over-month hiring increases. 2️⃣ Develop future-proof skills: LinkedIn's report highlights several in demand skills plus I've added several employers value in uncertain times: • AI literacy and technology adaptation • Conflict mitigation and communication • Adaptability and agility • Data analysis capabilities • Cost management expertise • Supply chain knowledge (especially as tariffs impact operations) • Automation-related skills (as manufacturers focus on "more automation rollouts") Companies implementing AI are seeing 10% revenue increases—they need talent who can leverage these tools while demonstrating agility, which Aerotek's April report calls "the X factor that will give companies an edge." 3️⃣ Consider geography: The Sunbelt continues to outperform with Miami-Fort Lauderdale showing a 4.8% hiring boost and Phoenix maintaining strong numbers. Meanwhile, St. Louis (+4.2%) and Denver (+1.9%) are bright spots in other regions. If you've been searching for a while: Revisit how you present your skills: Highlight how you can help companies navigate uncertainty and control costs—top priorities as businesses prepare for potential downturn. Expand your industry targets: If you've been focusing on manufacturing (-10.3% YoY) or government (-17.3% YoY), consider how your transferable skills apply to healthcare, retail, or utilities. Consider contract roles: With economic uncertainty, many employers are shifting to flexible hiring strategies—these can be excellent foot-in-the-door opportunities. In every economic shift, there are still thousands of jobs being filled daily. Position yourself where growth is happening and showcase the skills employers need most right now. What strategies are working in your job search? Share them with me below. #LIPostingDayApril #Careers #LinkedInTopVoices

We have an INCREDIBLE group of executive Advisors in the Nine network that we gathered last evening to discuss the state of the job market for senior professionals. As always, we got some great insights and actionable advice that is worth sharing. First, we took a moment to recognize the velocity by which layoffs have been occurring, worse than what anyone experienced in 2008. Company executives are making fear-based decisions to mitigate “what may happen” scenarios and pre-emptively cutting costs. Further playing the short and easy game are leaders who target higher-level talent (read: most expensive) instead of taking a slower, more methodical approach of looking at the entire organization to understand what they’re actually looking to solve for (hint: you don't always need to cut staff).  Regardless, the traditional mentality of applying for full time roles may no longer yield the same results. Here’s how to adapt: 1. Shift Your Mindset From “Job” to Income Instead of focusing solely on full-time opportunities, consider consulting or fractional work as companies are more willing to bring in consultants to solve specific problems without committing to full-time salaries. This approach generates income and could lead to permanent roles after you’ve demonstrated your value. If going alone is too daunting, team up with peers who are also navigating career transitions to form a “consulting collective” to pitch and deliver project-based work. 2. LinkedIn Does Not Equal Your Network LinkedIn is becoming less effective due to oversaturation and Executive Recruiters are increasingly relying on personal networks. Double down on personal 1:1 networking with former colleagues, mentors and recruiters directly to open doors that online applications cannot. 3. Highlight “Growth” Everywhere Companies are prioritizing candidates who can drive growth so make sure terms like “growth” and “revenue generation” are all over your resume and professional profiles. 4. Bring Your Whole Self In a sea of sameness of candidates with similar experience, stand out by including the “what else” about you that highlights you as a person, outside of your career. Whether it’s volunteer work, board memberships, or passion projects, use them to further demonstrate adaptability and leadership. The best advice we heard was to demonstrate your decades of experience and how you’ve helped a company “weather the storm” in past roles. While unpleasant to talk about the bad times, it is what is needed right now – leaders that can be trusted and relied upon to make smart decisions for the business and their employees. Thoughts? If you have questions or want to add your advice, please do so in the comments. Until There Are Nine®

It’s a tough job market. But it’s not impossible to get hired. I recently landed a PM role in a new industry.  Yes, in this “crazy” market. HOW? I applied to 137 jobs in 2 months, with 6 first rounds, 3 final rounds, and 100% of screening calls moving on to the next round. A connection I’ve worked with has had an impressive number of interviews. 15 screening interviews with only 95 applications.  That’s 1 interview for every 6 applications in 2 months! These were not random applications. Instead, this was a clear, focused effort. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 9 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡: 1. Be clear on what value you provide. 2. Know your target industry/companies/roles and focus on them.  3. Know what problems these companies are trying to solve and what you will do to address them. How to do the above? ✔️ Notice trends in Job Descriptions and find common terms. ✔️ Have metrics and numbers to show HOW you’ve done it. ✔️ Focus on the value you’ve provided in previous roles, not responsibilities. 4. Get your resume and cover letter concise and dialed on the above 3 points. 5. Have an application strategy. Though I applied 100% on LinkedIn, I’ve seen others have good luck with Hiring.Cafe to find recently posted roles in target areas. Check it out! 6. Apply early. Ideally in the first day, definitely in the first 2-3 days. Another area where Hiring.Cafe is really helpful. 7. Cover Letters. If you use them, they should be focused. The only customization should be: a) company name b) role name c) if one of the 3-4 bullet points doesn't apply to the role, delete or edit it. If you've done step 4 well, you won't have to do much customization for each role you apply to. 8. If you can find the managing TA/Recruiter, message them on LinkedIn. If you can find the manager, message them with your resume. Also, network with common company/school alumni for informational conversations and referrals. 9. Send a follow-up email to every interviewer that concisely reinforces how you've addressed the problems they're looking to solve and that you're excited to continue talking. As you can see, this is nothing magical. Just methodical execution. In summary: Demonstrate: ✅ You 𝒄𝒂𝒏 do the job ✅ You know 𝒉𝒐𝒘 to do the job ✅ You 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 to do the job Make it so a company doesn’t see you as the risky hire; 🔥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬. This market is tough. You may do all the right things.  You may be great, but for various (and sometimes intangible) reasons, you may not be who they're looking for. Accept it and move on. The right job is out there. You can do it. #ProjectManagement #TransitioningTeachers #CareerPivot #JobSeekers

Right after Labor Day, companies usually ramp up hiring to hit year-end goals. But this year? It’s complicated. We’re seeing mass layoffs from big-name companies, economic uncertainty, re-orgs, return-to-office shifts, and hiring teams being extremely selective. A recent article even said there are now more unemployed people than job postings—for the first time since the pandemic. So yeah, it’s competitive. And when the market’s flooded with talent, every detail counts. If you’re job searching right now, here are 6 things you can do to stand out: ✅ Customize your resume for each job. No more copy-paste. Use keywords from the job description and show off results you’ve delivered. IF YOU ARE SOLEY RELYING ON AI TO WRITE YOUR RESUME; CONSIDER IT ELIMINATED. ✅ Make your LinkedIn profile work for you. Your headline, summary, software and experience should clearly show what you bring to the table—and match the roles you’re targeting. ✅ Network like it’s your job. Reach out to people you’ve worked with, join virtual events. Connections lead to conversations, and conversations lead to opportunities. ✅ Connect with a recruiter who knows your local market and industry. A market expert can give you real-time insights, help you navigate shifts, and open doors you might not find on your own. ✅ Be open to temporary or contract roles. There’s been a noticeable uptick in project-based hiring. These roles can be a great way to stay active, build new skills, and sometimes lead to full-time offers. Network with recruiters on these roles, as they may not always be posted. ✅ Follow up After interviews or networking chats, send a thoughtful follow-up. It shows you’re serious and keeps you top of mind. most importantly, BE PROFESSIONAL. It’s okay to feel discouraged. This market is tough. But small, consistent actions can move the needle. I'll continue to update as we get more insight into whats happening into 2026.