Consequence
For a long time high demand covered up a lot of mediocre job-search skills. Jobs came to you. In a supply market, being qualified isn't enough.
I work 1-on-1 with experienced professionals to figure out what’s getting in the way and fix the right part of the problem.
A lot changed fast. The market, the economy, and the way companies hire. It exposed major flaws in hiring processes, old assumptions, and job-search approaches. I'm already seeing a few major shifts happen behind the hiring curtain. The changes are creating a host of new frictions.
For a long time high demand covered up a lot of mediocre job-search skills. Jobs came to you. In a supply market, being qualified isn't enough.
AI, automation, and org changes are moving responsibilities around faster than job titles can keep up. A title that meant one thing three years ago may mean something else now. You have to understand the work, not just chase the label.
Bigger funnels and tighter screening windows mean the first pass is often a signal check, not a careful read. Titles, first bullets, keywords, and obvious fit get compressed fast. If you rely on job posts, you need to know what you’re signaling.
A custom-tailored resume used to stand out. Now anyone can produce one with a few prompts. Polish doesn’t differentiate now, it clusters. Real context, business results, and evidence stand out.
Resumes were never completely trusted. AI made convincing claims easier to manufacture. Expect stronger verification, more probing, and more pressure to know and communicate supporting details.
When the funnel overflows, the first moves are usually to add more filters, screen out faster, and create a maybe pile. A lot of strong people get cut, or pushed to that pile, then ghosted.
Job searches in tech used to mean slapping together a resume and answering recruiter calls. Rinse, repeat. That's worked surprisingly well for a long time. A lot of experienced people have never had to build real search skills. Doing that in this noisy mess is daunting.
A known person, soft referral, or even professional familiarity carries context a resume can’t. Social proof. Trust equity. Your network doesn’t guarantee anything, but it can fast track you around the crowd at the front door.
People aren’t reading every word. They’re building a fast story from the signals they get from your title, company, first bullets, action words, tenure, gaps, language, and what they already believe those signals mean. You don’t get judged on what you meant. You get judged on what they infer.
The market changed. What’s new, right? I’ve spent 25 years in tech recruiting and executive search. Change is constant. Luckily big shifts like this aren’t. I’ve only seen a handful.
What usually gets people in trouble isn’t just the new stuff. It’s trying to map the whole picture and build a strategy under pressure. Where am I going? What is my value proposition? What have I done that stands out? What do I do next? Is any of it working?
Pressure makes people reactive it's the worst time to second guess yourself. That’s why I’m big on structuring processes and approaches. Know your value, know the market. Track what you’re doing well, and what needs improvement. You should be able to see the difference between a bad week and a bad strategy.
If you haven't mapped out your current positioning, experience capital, contact assets, and back-to-market strategy, start now. Don't wing it. Build the ideal plan and a backup. It's only going to get harder as the stakes go up. More change is coming. You don't want necessity forcing a big career decision.
What needs a fix, what should be rethought or rebuilt, and what just needs some fine tuning.
How many of these things currently weigh on your thoughts?
I’ve been in recruiting and executive search for over 25 years. My success has always depended on understanding the trends, patterns, and nuances that drive hiring decisions, job searches, positioning, and high-stakes career moves.
I talk to hiring managers daily, run searches for clients, and watch key decisions get made in real time. I’m not peddling recycled tips or influencer opinions. Just what works, what doesn’t, and why.
I’ve seen enough searches, hiring decisions, career moves, and misses to recognize when something doesn’t add up.
If you can explain the work, I can usually understand what you actually did, how difficult it was, and where the market will place it.
I’m not trying to fit you into one of my searches. If the target is wrong, the move doesn’t make sense, or you’re fixing the wrong thing, I’ll tell you.