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What Career Professionals Need to Understand Now: the 2026 Job Market Shift

Written by stephanie on . Posted in Blog, Business Development.

In early 2026, the job market tells a deceptively simple story. On the surface, the numbers appear steady. Job growth continues. Unemployment remains relatively low. By traditional measures, this is a stable employment environment.

But the lived experience of job seekers – and the professionals who support them – suggests something more complex.

Applications are going unanswered. Hiring timelines are stretching. Roles are posted, only to be paused or quietly disappear. Even highly qualified candidates are finding themselves stuck in a cycle of effort without traction.

This is not a contradiction. It is a shift in the market.

 

A Stable Market—With a Different Feel

The latest data reinforces what many are sensing.

The U.S. economy continues to add jobs, with monthly gains averaging between 120,000 and 160,000. Unemployment remains relatively low, holding between 4.1% and 4.3%.

These are not indicators of a weak market. And yet, beneath that stability, hiring behavior has changed.

Processes are taking longer, often adding additional interview rounds and decision layers. Employers are moving more cautiously, sometimes posting roles without immediate urgency or pausing searches mid-process as priorities shift. What emerges is a market that is not contracting but becoming more selective.

For career professionals, this distinction matters. Because while opportunity still exists, access to that opportunity is no longer driven by momentum alone.

 

From Urgency to Selectivity

The hiring environment of recent years was defined by urgency. Organizations were moving quickly, often competing for talent in a constrained labor market. That urgency has now given way to discipline.

Employers are still hiring, but with greater scrutiny and a sharper focus on return on investment. Each role is being evaluated not only for necessity but for impact.

The underlying question has evolved.

It is no longer: Can this candidate do the job?
It is now: Does this role need to exist, and will this person justify it?

This shift is subtle, but it fundamentally changes how candidates are evaluated, and how we must prepare them.

 

The Economic Undercurrent

To understand this change, it is important to look beyond hiring data and into the broader U.S. landscape.

The Federal Reserve continues to maintain elevated interest rates in an effort to stabilize inflation. While this has helped cool price increases, it has also created a more cautious financial environment for businesses.

Capital is more expensive. Growth decisions carry more weight.

As a result, organizations are slowing hiring approvals, tightening budgets, and placing greater emphasis on the immediate value of each new hire.

At the same time, cost-of-living pressures remain a defining factor for many professionals. Even as inflation moderates, everyday expenses continue to influence career decisions, prompting more individuals to explore new opportunities – often quietly and strategically.

This dynamic – organizational caution paired with individual urgency – is shaping the tone of today’s job market.

 

Technology as a Catalyst, Not a Disruption

Layered into this environment is the continued evolution of artificial intelligence.

While much of the public conversation centers on job displacement, the more immediate reality is one of redefinition.

Routine, task-based responsibilities are increasingly automated, particularly across functions such as marketing, operations, and administrative support. In response, organizations are prioritizing roles that emphasize strategic thinking, adaptability, and cross-functional impact.

The implication is clear.

Candidates are no longer evaluated solely on what they have done, but on how they contribute to broader business outcomes.

For career professionals, this requires a shift in how we frame experience – moving beyond task execution and toward value creation.

 

Navigating Uncertainty

Compounding these trends is a broader sense of uncertainty.

An election-cycle environment, global economic considerations, and shifting industry priorities have led many organizations to adopt a more cautious, “wait and see” approach.

Hiring continues, but often with less urgency and more flexibility. Contract and project-based roles are becoming more common. Hiring processes are extending, sometimes without clear resolution.

For job seekers, this can feel unpredictable.

For career professionals, it reinforces the need to prepare clients not just for opportunity, but for ambiguity.

 

The Evolving Role of Career Professionals

In this environment, the role of career professionals is expanding. We are no longer simply helping clients navigate job opportunities. We are helping them interpret a market that is more selective, more complex, and more nuanced than it has been in years.

This requires a shift in approach.

It means guiding clients toward clarity – not just in what they can do, but in where they create the most value. It means positioning experience in terms of outcomes and impact. It means emphasizing relationships and visibility, recognizing that many hiring decisions are influenced well before a role is formally posted.

And perhaps most importantly, it means supporting clients through deeper reflection – helping them align their skills, goals, and priorities in a market that rewards intention over volume.

 

A Market That Rewards Intention

It is easy to describe the current job market as challenging. But that description misses something important. This is a market that rewards intention.

The candidates gaining traction are not necessarily those applying to the most roles. They are those who are clear in their direction, confident in their value, and able to articulate that value in business terms.

For career professionals, this is where our work matters most.

Not in helping clients do more, but in helping them move with purpose.

4 Reasons Your Top-Notch Client Didn’t Get the Job

Written by Alicia Hall on . Posted in Blog, Career Coaching, Résumé Writing.

You work so hard with that top notch client. They had a great record of accomplishment. You guided them to apply for what seemed like a perfect job.

Then came the email. Your client wants to know why they didn’t get the job. It’s so natural for them to blame themselves and you!

I wrote this article to help you deal with that situation in a way that protects your brand and gives your client renewed confidence. The information comes from my 33 years supporting rising, senior, and very senior executives. It’s not the result of a scientific survey, but I heard these ideas expressed so often, across so many industries, they seem very credible. 

You and your clients should keep two important ideas in mind as you read about these four reasons great people aren’t hired. First, both of you will never know which reason was in play. Second, even if you both did know, there’s nothing either of you could do about it. The reasons are in no particular order.

Reason #1:

There never was a job to begin with! The CEO’s son just completed his MBA. His father thinks the best place for him to get a start is in his family’s own company. Nevertheless, the organization wants to avoid any EEOC complaint. Therefore, while it’s never written down, the guidance is straightforward. Find and interview top notch clients. Take them to lunch if you want to. But you will not offer them a job. There is no job.

Reason #2:

There was a candidate with knowledge and experience your client couldn’t have. The company chose this person because they worked for a major competitor for ten years, they are the president of the industry’s professional organization, or they were on the staff of an influential legislator. 

Reason #3:

An overqualified candidate agreed to take the job readily. As you probably know, the term “overqualified” doesn’t relate to skills or knowledge directly. The company knows they cannot pay that person enough money. Even if they do sign on, it will only be a matter of time before this new team member jumps ship…and that costs the company a lot. The cost of replacing a skilled team member hovers around three times the annual salary. In addition, productivity falls off temporarily and other employees must take on responsibilities of the unmanned position in addition to doing their own jobs. 

But the applicant’s résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile were so compelling, the hiring manager felt they had to at least reach out. 

Let’s listen in:

Hiring manager: “Hello, this is John Smith calling from the ABC Corporation. When I saw you résumé, I had to call.” 

Candidate: “I’m honored. How may I help you?”

Hiring manager: “I’ll be completely frank with you. I think you are overqualified for the position, and we can’t use you anywhere else. To be clear, we don’t think we can pay you what you are worth. You probably knew that, but you applied anyway.”

Candidate: “You’re right and I so appreciate your candor. Yes, I suspected I would have to take a significant cut in compensation. But I applied for two reasons. First, my dad lives where your job is. I’ll always give you my best, but it’s important I live a lot closer to him than I do now. Also, in my current job, I travel about ten days a month. That’s hard on me and my family. But I understand your position doesn’t require nearly the same amount of travel.”

Hiring decision maker: “This could be a winning combination for us both. Do you know your schedule well enough to suggest a day and a time for an interview?”

Both parties gain. The newcomer is closer to his dad who’s getting on in years. He’ll see more of his family. He knows there is more to life than money. 

The hiring decision maker wins. He’s getting top-notch talent at a bargain, and the newcomer is likely to stay with the company for quite some time.

Reason number 4:

Your client is too tall, too thin, the interviewer didn’t like his glasses. More likely the hiring decision maker felt the newcomer “wouldn’t fit in.” Just because the reasoning isn’t logical, doesn’t mean it won’t come into play.

There is an enormous amount written about the interview. But as I listened in on conversations at our last conference, I heard a trend away from basic interview strategy and more toward tactics. Sometimes the conversation veered toward preparing clients by having them consider certain questions and answers—particularly in preparation for algorithmic interviews. That approach seems logical enough. But in practice, I found this method produces stress and unreliability.

 

After all, to be completely successful, your clients would have to master three nearly impossible elements. First, they would have to have confidence these key questions we’re agreed upon by the overwhelming number of interviewers regardless of company size, industry, or even economic sector. In other words, they would think it very likely these specific questions would come up very often, regardless of the position for which they apply. That’s very unlikely.

Second, they would have to master these questions and the answers that go with each one. Even if there are only five or ten such key questions, the task of memorizing both inquiry and response would be intimidating. 

Lastly, such clients would have to be able to recognize those key questions regardless of the words used to form them or the order in which they appeared.

Let’s relieve some of that stress with two ideas your clients probably think of as the truth. First, an interview is a conversation between people designed to solve a problem together. And that leads to the second reassuring idea.

 

Two Ideas

Your clients have been “interviewing” successfully every day they’ve been on the job. Regardless of their job title or company they were all hired to do the same thing: solve problems. These “interviews” have a very simple structure. The boss tells a team member about a problem the company faces. The employee may ask a few questions to ensure clarity. Often, boss and employee explore tentative solutions and then adjourn to work out the details. 

That’s an interview! 

The company has a problem it wants to solve by hiring a capable person. The candidate needs to learn a little about the problem and suggest some concepts that might work. If the ideas are good, there will be more conversations (interviews) as the candidate and the hiring decision maker gain confidence that bringing on the newcomer will help solve the problem.

Now we have the major test a candidate must “pass” if the interview is to be successful. Here it is: “Did your client attempt to ask the hiring decision maker what their biggest problem was?” All the rest is tactics.

Notice how simple the standard is, how quickly it gives your clients confidence. All we ask of them is to attempt to find what the problem was. Actually, learning the problem depends as much upon the interviewer as it does the candidate. 

I’ve found something I am vain enough to call Orlando’s First Law of Employment” is a great confidence builder. Here it is:

Orlando’s First Law of Employment

Everything you hear, everything you see, as you deal with a company has been approved or condoned by the leadership…without exception.

Let’s listen in to an interview between your sales professional client who knows how important it is to learn about the company’s main problem and two hiring officials.

Candidate: “My experience in sales is broad and deep. But just as every customer has different needs, so companies do as well. Could you please tell me what sales-related problem keeps you up at night?”

The first hiring manager is capable (and was rightly impressed your client is focusing on the company’s needs): “I’m glad you asked and I know you’ll keep what you are about to hear completely confidential. We’ve dominated our market for years. We always sold on the basis of quality. Two years ago, a new competitor appeared. They sell strictly on price. When they cut their prices below what we ask for similar products, our market share dropped 10 percent in a year.”

Candidate: “That’s quite a challenge. I was called upon by the XYZ corporation to solve a similar problem. I’ll tell you what we did, how we did it, and what the results were…” (Doesn’t that sound just like the CCAR or STAR approaches you use to gather your clients’ success stories?)

Our second hiring manager is not very good at what he does. Here’s that conversation:

Candidate: “My experience in sales is broad and deep. But just as every customer has different needs, so companies do as well. Could you please tell me what sales-related problem keeps you up at night?”

Hiring manager: “Well, we pride ourselves in being a world-class industry leader. We work hard and we play hard. We under promise and we over deliver. We stand for quality every time.”

That answer shows the hiring official has no idea what problems needs to be solved. Furthermore, his bosses allow him to operate that way. Your client now knows this isn’t the company for which they want to work.

If your client is disappointed the interview didn’t go well, remind them how lucky they were! They came that close to joining a substandard company.

Helping clients prepare for the interview is based on a confidence building assumption. Your client is qualified. That’s proven each time he’s called in for an interview. Why would a company waste their time interviewing people they didn’t think qualified?

I hope this article helps you build justifiable self-assurance in every client. Collections of detailed tactics, lists of the top ten (or is it 15?) questions are worse than useless. They rob your client of self-assurance when they need it most. 

Your website may call you a résumé writer, a career coach, or both. But you are really a sounding board that helps your clients get full credit for the careers they deserve. You improve the lives of your clients and their families, often for years to come. Very few others can share that honor

News from PARWCC!

Written by Alicia Hall on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

10 Rules for Better Cognitive Design

Written by John Suarez on . Posted in Blog, Résumé Writing.

It is widely reported that most résumés get 6–10 seconds of reader attention on their first pass. Combine that thought with this one: the average adult reading speed is around 300 words per minute, which means a human reader processes about 5 words per second. A recruiter is not reading your résumé; they are sampling it under time pressure. And here are 10 ways you can capitalize on that: 

 

  1. Write for Scanning Time, Not Reading Time

In 6–10 seconds, maybe 30–50 words total are actually seen. Everything else is potential energy. Make sure every bullet reveals its value in the first 5–7 words.

  • Weak: Responsible for managing cross-functional project timelines…
  • Better: Managed cross-functional project timelines to meet fixed deadlines…

Same words, but with different front-loading. One is more likely to survive a scan.

 

  1. Treat Each Line as a 5-Word Contract

If the reader only catches the first 5 words, would they still be able to process or anticipate value? Ask this brutal question: If they stop reading right here, did I earn the next second?

  • Before: Collaborated with team members to support operational efficiency…
  • After: Improved operational efficiency by coordinating daily team workflows…

The second version pays off faster.

 

  1. Use the Perceptual Cliff Intentionally

Eye-tracking studies show that readers hesitate at dense text, long lines, and repetitive phrasing. They bail when effort spikes. By keeping bullets to 1–2 lines, varying sentence openings, and avoiding stacked prepositional phrases (for, with, by, in), you improve processing time. The guiding thought for writers is: no speed bumps in a 6-second race.

 

  1. Design for the Z-Pattern

Readers’ eyes typically move top-left, across, down, and across again. This means that from a scanning perspective, titles matter more than bullets, the first bullet under each role carries disproportionate weight, and early sections are prime real estate. Put your strongest bullet first, not chronologically or “logically.” Logic is for readers. Scanners want payoff.

 

  1. Use Word Choice That Collapses Meaning

At 300 WPM, compact words win. Compare:

  • “Responsible for the coordination of” → “Coordinated”
  • “Provided assistance with” → “Supported”
  • “Worked collaboratively to” → “Partnered”

Fewer syllables = faster processing = less fatigue = more trust.

 

  1. Reduce Cognitive Load, Not Just Length

Fewer words mean fewer decisions per second. Avoid mixed verb tenses, inconsistent bullet structure, and synonyms used just to avoid repetition. Cognitive friction is the real enemy, not strict repetition.

 

  1. Build in Rest Stops for the Eye

White space isn’t just aesthetic. Use it strategically by writing clear section headers with consistent spacing, and avoiding extra paragraphs disguised as bullets. If the eye can rest, the brain stays engaged.

 

  1. Assume the First Read Is a Yes/No Filter

The first pass answers only one question: “Is this person worth deeper attention?” The résumé doesn’t need to explain everything. It needs to justify a second read. That’s it.

 

  1. Write Like You’re Paid Per Second (Because You Are)

At 5 words per second, weak phrasing wastes time and slow sentences lose readers. Fast clarity builds confidence. Every bullet should feel like: “Oh, I get it.” If it feels like work, it’s not working.

 

  1. The Quiet Power Move

Read the résumé out loud at normal speaking speed. If you run out of breath, so did the reader.

 

Understanding reading dynamics helps you get from “How do I explain my client’s experience?” to “How do I earn attention, five words at a time?”. The result is almost always better writing, rooted in respect for how humans actually read. Fast doesn’t mean shallow. It means intentional.

Even if it’s not entirely true, you’re better off thinking that you’re not writing for someone who wants to read the résumé. You’re writing for someone who is deciding whether to keep reading.

 

From Paper to AI: Mastering the Career Coaster

Written by Margaret Phares on . Posted in Blog, Career Coaching.

In 1978 – the dark ages – a roller coaster opened at Great America in Gurnee Illinois called “The Tidal Wave”.  It was a big deal.It was one giant loop, 137 feet high that went 55 mph in 5 seconds. Every radio ad and commercial touted the “wild ride” and I used to stand in long sweaty lines for the privilege of “riding the wave.” Fast forward to 2008, I was looking up at a roller coaster called “Top Thrill Dragster” at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. At a staggering height of 420 feet with a 400 ft drop and a speed of 120 mph in less than 4 seconds, it was – at the time – the premiere ride at the park.  

Each ride had some limitations. The Tidal Wave would shut down in high winds. But the faster, bigger, more advanced Top Thrill would also shut down due to high winds AND the ride itself had a bit of a flaw. If the car carrying the passengers didn’t hit the perfect speed at the perfect time the car would slide back down the track back to the start – or – would not have enough speed to go over the top and the car full of passengers would be stranded at the very top of the loop and the ride would shut down while safety checks were made and the park visitors in the car were rescued from the top of that 420 foot loop.  

The trajectory of career services can be said (because I’m saying it) to mirror the vast changes in roller coasters over the last several years. We’ve gone from providing résumés on paper stock to digital creation, the advent of professional career coaching, and the change from one-on-one in-person interviews to panels and several interview rounds to AI driven interviews.  

And of course, the rise of artificial intelligence and digital tools is fundamentally changing how individuals explore and manage their careers. AI-powered platforms can create a more scalable and responsive model for career development. Career services must now address not only how clients present themselves on paper, but how they show up across digital platforms, virtual interviews, and global networks.

But, much like the development of roller coasters, the technology and the trends can leave your clients sliding backwards or stranded.  

For those of you in the profession, these shifts present both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity.

At PARWCC, we are uniquely positioned to lead in this new landscape through programs like the Certified Digital Career Strategist (CDCS). The CDCS program reflects a critical truth: digital strategy is no longer an add-on to career services—it is central to it. Today’s clients need guidance on personal branding, online visibility, AI-enhanced job search techniques, and the strategic use of digital tools to accelerate their career growth.

What distinguishes digital career strategy is not just the use of technology, but the intentional integration of human expertise with digital innovation. As the field evolves, the most effective career professionals will be those who can translate complex tools into meaningful, personalized guidance—bridging the gap between technology and human potential.  

In January of this year, “Falcons Flights”, the world’s newest roller coaster opened at Six Flags in Saudi Arabia: it stands at a dizzying 640 ft tall and races at a breathtaking 155 mph. And the only thing we are sure of in the future of rides is that one day there will be another coaster that will add speed or height or more twists and turns.  

Like roller coasters, the trends in career services will continue to grow and change and things will get faster and more complicated. The future of career services will belong to practitioners who embrace high-tech and high-touch. Practitioners like you. By investing in digital strategy skills and credentials like the CDCS, you will elevate your practice to the very first class and ensure your clients remain prepared for whatever comes next.

The Boardroom Insider: Compensation Negotiation with Keri-Lynne Shaw

Written by Lili Foggle on . Posted in Blog, CIC.

As interview coaches, we spend weeks arming our clients to win the room. But the moment the “Congratulations” email hits their inbox, the conversation shifts to money. And suddenly, everyone starts to shrink.

That’s why I’m bringing in Keri-Lynne Shaw for our next Interview Institute Master Series this month. Keri-Lynne spent 20 years in executive HR roles. This month, I sat down with her to talk about why “just asking for more” isn’t a strategy, and how we can help our clients stop the guesswork and start using boardroom logic.

Q: You’ve had a long career in Human Resources. What inspired you to move into this work — was there a specific moment?

After more than 20 years inside executive HR roles, I had a front-row seat to how compensation decisions are actually made. What struck me was how many talented people were unknowingly leaving money and opportunity on the table simply because they didn’t understand how the system worked. The turning point was realizing that the knowledge inside the boardroom rarely reaches the individual employee. I understood how offers were structured, how severance was negotiated, and how leadership teams actually make pay decisions. Today I help professionals step into those conversations with strategy instead of guesswork.

Q: What have been some of your biggest client wins?

Some of the wins are perfectly measurable — six-figure compensation increases, six-figure sign-on bonuses, stronger equity packages, and executive exits in the multiple seven-figures that included meaningful severance protections. But the biggest shift is when someone realizes they have far more leverage than they thought. One client secured a full year of severance while preserving strong relationships with leadership. Another doubled the equity component of her offer simply by understanding how the structure worked. Another negotiated a $2.3million exit instead of just retiring, which was her first thought. And what my clients tell me most often is that the real impact goes far beyond the money. When someone learns how to advocate for themselves at that level, it changes how they show up everywhere, in their leadership, their confidence, and the way they make decisions about their career and their life. When people understand the mechanics of compensation, the conversation and confidence changes quickly.

Q: How realistic is the fear that negotiating could cost someone the offer?

It’s one of the biggest myths in the job market. Most employers expect negotiation, especially for mid-to-senior level roles. An offer is usually the beginning of the conversation, not the end of it. Where people get into trouble is when negotiation becomes emotional instead of strategic. A thoughtful, well-framed conversation rarely costs someone the offer. In many cases, it actually signals professionalism and confidence. As a former CHRO, I looked for how the candidate negotiated with us as part of the interview process, especially if they would be representing us in client or partner negotiations as part of their job.

Q: Are compensation conversations shrinking in today’s tough market, or are they just changing shape?

They’re changing shape. I don’t believe assumptions about the market should ever make a candidate shrink. The reality is that fewer than 40% of professionals negotiate their offers, and fewer than 30% of women do. That hasn’t improved much over the years, and the gender and racial pay gaps certainly aren’t moving in the right direction. What is changing is how compensation conversations happen. In tighter markets, many candidates assume companies won’t negotiate or that base salary is fixed. But value often lives in other parts of the package such as sign-on bonuses, equity, title scope, retention incentives, or even severance protections. The most effective negotiations today look at the entire compensation structure, not just the base salary.

Q: Which roles and industries are benefiting most from negotiation coaching right now?

We’re seeing strong demand from leaders in tech, healthcare, consulting, and private equity-backed companies. But more than industry, it’s about career inflection points—promotions, executive hires, layoffs, mergers, or major role transitions. Those moments tend to create the most leverage in someone’s career. That said, the professionals who navigate these moments best aren’t waiting for the market to tell them when they have leverage. They’re actively building it. They’re investing in their networks, documenting their impact, growing their scope, strengthening their skills, and getting clear on where their real talents create value. Negotiation doesn’t start when the offer arrives. It starts with how intentionally someone has been building their career long before that conversation happens.

Q: When a client says, “It’s only a few thousand dollars,” how do you help them see the bigger picture?

I zoom out. A small increase in base salary compounds over time through raises, bonuses, and retirement contributions. Over a career, a “few thousand dollars” can easily translate into hundreds of thousands. But there’s also a positioning element. Where you start often determines where the next conversation begins. Negotiation is about setting the right foundation for everything that follows.

Q: What’s the difference between giving quick negotiation tips and having a true compensation strategy?

Tips are tactical. A compensation strategy looks at the bigger picture — the role structure, the timing of conversations, the mix of salary, equity, and incentives, and how those decisions affect long-term career trajectory. It’s the difference between improving a single offer and intentionally shaping a career and positioning you as a leader.

Q: Some coaches worry they don’t have the expertise to add compensation negotiation to their services. In your experience, what strengths do career coaches naturally bring to this work that they may be underestimating?

[Interview] coaches are already doing some of the work that makes negotiation possible. You help clients unpack their value, identify their impact, and communicate their story in a compelling way. That clarity is what gives someone confidence when compensation conversations begin. You can also be supportive in helping people examine their relationship to money — the beliefs, hesitations, and narratives that influence what they believe they’re allowed to ask for. When a professional can clearly articulate the value they create and has done some of that internal work around worth and money, the dynamic of the negotiation shifts. They’re no longer just hoping for a better offer, they’re able to advocate for the impact they bring. That positioning work is one of the most powerful parts of the entire process.

Q: What would you say to a coach who’s on the fence about adding deeper negotiation support to their services?

I’d encourage them to think of negotiation as part of the larger career ecosystem. Coaches are incredibly well positioned to help clients prepare for these conversations — understanding their value, building confidence, and framing their impact in the market. Where negotiation often becomes more specialized is when the conversation moves into compensation structures, equity packages, severance terms, or employment agreements. That’s where collaboration can be incredibly powerful. Coaches help clients show up prepared and confident, and negotiation specialists can support the more complex elements of structuring the deal. When those pieces work together, clients are supported from the first conversation all the way through the final agreement.

Guide your clients to negotiate the compensation they deserve.  

Join Keri-Lynne for PARWCC’s Salary Negotiation Master Series on April 22 and 29. Register here

A Market of Mixed Signals: Current Job Market in 2026

Written by stephanie on . Posted in Blog, Business Development.

While February’s job losses made headlines, the broader context matters.

Just one month earlier, employers added 130,000 jobs in January, suggesting that hiring momentum had begun to return after a sluggish second half of 2025. February’s decline reflects a labor market experiencing volatility rather than a single directional trend.

Several factors contributed to February’s weaker numbers, including large labor strikes in the healthcare sector, winter weather that slowed construction hiring, and continued restructuring across manufacturing and transportation industries.

For coaches, the takeaway is straightforward: the current job market is active, but uneven.

Some sectors are still expanding, while others are recalibrating workforce needs after years of rapid hiring.

 

Sector Trends Career Coaches Should Watch

Understanding where hiring is growing—or slowing—can help coaches guide clients toward strategic opportunities.

Growth Sectors

Industries continuing to show hiring resilience include:

  • Healthcare and social assistance
  • Construction
  • Professional and technical services

These sectors continue to experience structural demand driven by demographic changes, infrastructure investment, and ongoing service needs.

Slower or Contracting Sectors

Other sectors have experienced layoffs or slower hiring activity, including:

  • Technology and information services
  • Transportation and warehousing
  • Certain government positions
  • Manufacturing

This divergence highlights a broader labor market shift: employers are prioritizing targeted hiring over broad workforce expansion.

 

Why Job Searches Are Taking Longer

Many job seekers are reporting longer hiring cycles, fewer interview invitations, and increased competition for roles. February’s report helps explain why.

Employers are approaching hiring with greater caution as they balance:

  • Economic uncertainty
  • Budget adjustments
  • Productivity expectations
  • Workforce restructuring

As a result, organizations are often taking more time to evaluate candidates and ensure strong alignment before extending offers.

For clients, this can feel discouraging. For coaches, it’s an opportunity to normalize the experience and emphasize strategy over speed.

 

How Career Coaches Can Guide Clients in the 2026 Job Market

The evolving labor market requires a shift in job search strategy. Career coaches can help clients adapt in several key ways.

Encourage Targeted Applications

In a selective hiring environment, applying broadly without a clear focus often leads to frustration. Coaches can help clients define specific target roles, industries, and companies that align with their experience and goals.

Clarity improves both résumé positioning and networking conversations.

Emphasize Value and Impact

Employers are increasingly prioritizing candidates who demonstrate measurable results. Coaches can help clients translate responsibilities into impact statements that highlight outcomes, business value, and problem-solving ability.

This is especially important in competitive hiring environments where employers must justify each new hire.

Expand Networking and Relationship Building

Research consistently shows that a significant portion of hires come through referrals and internal networks. In a cautious hiring environment, this dynamic becomes even more important.

Encouraging clients to build relationships, reconnect with professional contacts, and engage in meaningful conversations can help surface opportunities that may not appear on job boards.

Prepare Clients for Longer Timelines

Perhaps one of the most valuable services coaches can provide is perspective. When clients understand that hiring timelines are lengthening across industries, they are less likely to internalize delays as personal failure.

Helping clients establish structured job search routines, track progress, and celebrate incremental wins can maintain momentum during longer searches.

 

Reframing the Current Job Market for Clients

The February 2026 jobs report underscores an important reality: the labor market is shifting from expansion to precision.

Organizations are still hiring, but they are doing so carefully and strategically.

For career coaches, this shift presents an opportunity to provide even greater value. By helping clients interpret labor market signals, refine their positioning, and approach the job search with intention, coaches can transform uncertainty into forward movement.

In a selective market, preparation, clarity, and storytelling matter more than ever—and that’s where skilled career coaching makes a measurable difference.

The Tyranny of ‘Urgent’

Written by Doug Phares on . Posted in Blog, Business Development.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while (and if you don’t, you should — my mother likes when I’m validated by followers), you know that I often warn people against following the Tyranny of the Urgent in allocating their time. Best practice is to let clear priorities and goals be your north star, with no urgently waving flag distracting you from the big picture.

Today, though, I want to talk about urgency in a new way. The Tyranny of the Urgent centers around small things that don’t matter or problems that burn hot but leave very little lasting impact. Now, retain that thought, but put it aside for now.

Years ago, when updating my résumé, there was an early draft that I did myself. In place of the two to four sentences where you write about who you are and why you’re God’s gift to Creation, I just put four words: I Get Things Done. (Since having learned about the value of professional résumé writers, I have burned this version and listen to their wise counsel.)

Why did this statement feel right? I work with a lot of people in coaching and management positions who understand what needs to happen to make their business better or move on to the next level. But that’s just it — they can identify what they need to do, but getting it done is another thing entirely. 

The biggest hurdle to accomplishing these tasks is that they’re difficult or require too much of a time investment. They require a lot of thought and planning, but the truth is that the big things don’t come easily. And if you don’t have the sense of urgency to get these things done, then they just won’t happen. 

People often feel great when they walk out of a planning session with three clearly identified goals in hand. There is a feeling of clarity of purpose, like you’re finally on the right track. But I can tell you from experience, knowing what you need to do and doing it are two entirely different things.

I had a peer who was running a division, and he was excellent at his job. But he had a soft touch, and unfortunately there was someone on his team, let’s call him Joe, who just couldn’t perform. Joe was in a critical sales role and had undergone extensive coaching, but he just wasn’t able to put the pieces together. Ultimately, he’d been given a very fair shot, but it just didn’t make sense to keep him around.

My peer had already taken great pains to try and make Joe work, but even when it was clear what needed to be done, he couldn’t bring himself to fire him. Without a sense of urgency, all he saw was that he had a difficult task in front of him that he didn’t want to do. And so he didn’t.

That situation dragged on, even though my peer knew what the right thing to do was. Because it wasn’t urgent. Until one day, our mutual boss, the company president, had had enough with underperformance in the division. He called my peer and told him that he needed to fire Joe. To which my peer continued to prevaricate and say that, well, he’d been working on things with Joe, but he just needed the right time with all these things going on right now.

So our boss decided to make things urgent. He said, “You need to fire Joe. Now. Put down the phone — don’t hang up. Go fire Joe, and then come back to the phone and tell me that you did it.” My peer returned and confirmed that he had, finally, blessedly, let Joe go. To which our boss responded, “Good. Because if you couldn’t pull that off, I would have had to fire you for damaging the business by not doing what you knew needed done.”

The lesson here is to embrace urgency for the things that really matter. Don’t get sidetracked by fleeting impulses, but it’s just as big a mistake to fail to address the fire burning in your organization. Address the thing that will transform your business, not just the loudest noise in the room. Identifying the difference between urgent issues that matter and background problems is the central responsibility of any true business leader.

The Initial Consult: Make That First Impression More Than Once

Written by Don Orlando on . Posted in Blog, Career Coaching, Résumé Writing.

“Admiration must be kept up by the novelty that at first produced it; . . .  there must always be the impression that more remains.” 

Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)

 

I’ll bet every client you have ever served is different from any other. I will also bet that, in one important sense, every client you have ever served is the same as every other. Finally, I will go out on a limb and say to the extent the second sentence is true, your practice will flourish.

Of course, every client we have is different from every other, in potentially myriad ways. They are young and old. They are new in the workforce and seasoned professionals. They are confident and terrified. They are sales representatives and physicians, production superintendents and college students…and in one of a thousand different kinds of jobs. 

However, I imagine their first contact with you was the same. They emailed or clicked on a link on website. At some point a conversation began. It’s the importance of that first consultation I want to examine because it is here that you—yes, you—decide if it will most likely convert into a sale.

In this article I go beyond the conventional idea about maximizing those conversions. I firmly believe we must close the same sale not just once, but again and again. I’ll discuss why we should do that, when we should do it, and how we should do it.

The first time thing you see or hear from a potential client is a question about managing his or her career. However, you will rarely be presented with the real question. Consider this: there isn’t one person who needs a résumé. They need a job, a career, or a change in one or both, but they don’t need a résumé. That document is just a tool to help them make their pain go away. Jack Chapman put it best when he coached all of us to ask the lead “where does it hurt?” We should help the caller find the answer to that question; that’s how we make our money. We take away the pain of unemployment or misemployment. 

Now I must make an important observation. People who are “in pain” want to speak with a human. Websites, emails, and voice mail systems are very good at several things. However, they are terrible at taking away pain. In fact, they can often add to it. (“I know you called me to get answers. But I’m not going to give you any. Please visit my website. I assume you are so like the ‘average joe’ that you’ll find my standard answers there.”) All those modern wonders can speak at or past your potential client. But, if you want to close more sales, you must speak with the potential client—by phone or in person.

It’s in that first contact you must get the caller to tell you where it hurts. Among the best ways to do that is to ask a question. That helps restore the caller’s confidence. You are enticing the soon-to-be-client to let you listen to her. People love to know they are being listened to. What kinds of questions might you ask? Consider these examples:

  • “There must be things about the work you do now that dissatisfies you. Could you please tell me what those things are?”
  • “Finding a new position can be frustrating if there is no one you can turn to when you have questions. What kinds of answers do you think might help you move your job search forward?”

If you listen to the answers carefully you will know which next steps are best for this caller. The details of how you offer your benefits are much too lengthy to go into here. However, I do want to call your attention to the critical word in the last sentence: “benefits.” 

Too often, we are quick to recite (or post on a website, or list on our LinkedIn profile) a list of what we do. As important as they all are, these are still only features. When people ask me what I do, I could recite the following list:

  • I write résumés, cover letters, and lists of references,
  • I help people find where the opportunities are,
  • I prepare people to interview well,
  • I help them be paid what they are worth.
  • …the list goes on and on.

I mention none of those features. The emphasis in that list is on what I do. 

I tell them this: “I help rising, senior, and very senior executives win the careers they’ve always deserved, get paid what they are worth, reduce the stress of the job search, and avoid the hidden limitations of AI.” It’s all clear benefit. Not a feature to be found. Moreover, the focus in on them, never on me.

As an interim summary, I hope I’ve made this crucial point: right from the start we must demonstrate a willingness to help callers overcome the pain of being in the wrong job or having no job at all. Now you know why making that kind of first impression is an excellent way of closing more sales.

AI does many wonderful things. We all use it every day. But AI has no compassion, despite the “canned” words that start every result. AI is a machine. Our clients are people.

But I said we make that first impression again and again. We deliver benefits. And we must reinforce those benefits, even when we are knee deep in the features our clients see listed on their invoices. 

Let me explain with an example. I’ve signed up a new client because he wants the benefit of a new job. Now we’re working hard on the résumé. If I never mention the benefit of a powerful résumé again during the process, if I never instruct him when, where, and how to use it, the client will dutifully upload that résumé to every announcement he can find. He just knows employers will burn up the phone or his email account trying to hire him. Right? 

Not quite. What will really happen is this: he will wait…and wait…and wait. Again and again, research shows the best jobs aren’t filled by applying online. His initial confidence will plummet quickly to uncertainty. And guess whom he will blame?

Suppose, as I gathered his success stories, I showed him why they will appear as they do on his résumé and how the résumé is tied to the interview and even the job search process. Once again, the résumé is splendid. But now he knows how to use it. He gets interviews. The interviews go well. Our client’s confidence ascends from one high point to another. And guess who he helps credit with his success? His frame of mind means repeat business and referrals. Even if you can’t help someone who is referred to you, you can refer him to a colleague. And that colleague will return the favor. Is there an end to all this growth? I’ve never found it.

What this article is really about is helping you build a habit. Like most habits, the behavior isn’t complicated. I hope you will dedicate yourself to helping our clients relieve their pain step by step every step of the way. Just as we close one sale at a time, we position ourselves as an irresistible source of benefits for many potential clients, many at a time.

Transcendent Coaching: Providing Job Seekers with an Out-of-the-Box, Evidence-Based Advantage

Written by Jay Block on . Posted in Blog, CEMP.

By chance….

  • Did you meet your spouse by coincidence?  
  • Can you recall an unexplained coincidence that had a meaningful effect on your life?
  • Have you experienced a coincidence that significantly shaped a family member’s life?

Synchronicity:  “Meaningful” Coincidences

There are two types of coincidences: Random Coincidences: Ones that occur routinely that are ordinary and pretty much insignificant – like hitting all green lights on the way home from work.  And then there are Synchronicity Coincidences: Meaningful coincidences that occur that shape our lives in a positive way.  

For job seekers this might be:

  • Meeting someone they didn’t know at their child’s birthday party who, by coincidence, becomes their career coach.
  • Starting a conversation with a stranger in an elevator who knows of a good job opportunity.
  • Being hired as the #2 candidate, after the #1 candidate became very ill and had to resign soon after being hired. 

Meaningful coincidences.

What Differentiates Elite Coaches

Certified PARWCC members are masters at their craft. When integrating their unique personalities, knowledge, and strategic approach to the materials introduced in the certification  programs, they expand their wisdom and become elite resume pros and career coaches.   

Question:  If job seekers work with certified, well-respected, elite coaches who all provide the highest quality resumes and coaching strategies…  what differentiates the elite coaches from each other?  Which coach provides the competitive advantage? 

The Olympics

In this year’s Milan/Cortina Olympics, Germany’s Laura Nolte and Deborah Levi won the two-woman bobsled gold by a margin of 0.53 seconds.  And in the women’s monobob, USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor won gold beating Germany’s Nolte by 0.04 seconds. 

Can you imagine losing a life-defining moment by less than a half second?  What was the half-second competitive advantage that the winners had?  Because they all had one. That said, what advantage do your clients have when competing against the best of the best?  

Go Beyond Elite and Become Transcendent Coaches

This is where job coaches can provide that competitive advantage to job seekers.  Transcendent coaches go a step further than elite coaches because they provide a superior perspective on the process.  Synchronicity is one of the techniques taught in PARWCC’s Certified Empowerment and Motivational Professional (CEMP) that provides that half-second or less competitive advantage to rapid employment. Winning a new job!

Synchronicity coincidences are “meaningful coincidences” that occur that helps us in a significant way. They may seem accidental, but they happen when we are actively paying attention and optimally engaged.  Yes, we’ll notice many coincidences that happen daily that are pretty much routine.  But when we are fully engaged in any process, especially the job search, meaningful coincidences will appear routinely. 

The latest research (Google it) suggests that meaningful coincidences happen to all of us daily, if we are deeply mindful. Let me share one “close-to-home” example.  

Synchronicity Created PARWCC

In 1988, I created a resume product to sell to secretarial services because, back then, they were the ones who typed resumes for job seekers, and I wanted to promote my product nationally.  The meaningful coincidence (synchronicity), was that the National Association of Secretarial Services (NASS – with over 1,500 members), was headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, only 4 hours away from where I lived in West Palm Beach.  Had Frank Fox, Executive Director of NASS, been located in Seattle, would I have flown out to meet him?  Or would I have just sent him my product to assess?  

I had excellent skills. I wrote and packaged the resume product, and developed a marketing plan, not unlike job seekers who have excellent skills, resumes, online presences, and marketing plans.  But it was synchronicity (a fortunate, meaningful coincidence), that led me to Frank Fox.  

In the end, I made $0 on the resume product.  Instead, we formed PARW, later to become PARWCC.  (Many NASS members were the first PARW members).  You see, PARWCC is the result of a meaningful coincidence – synchronicity.

Transcendent Coaching: Strategic Openness to Opportunity

We often talk about thinking out-of-the-box, but do little to back it up. If every job seeker is taught the same elite level tactics by elite coaches, no one has a meaningful advantage. To truly empower job seekers, elite coaching must evolve beyond tactical instruction toward something deeper – empowering individuals to develop awareness, positive engagement, and strategic openness to opportunity.  And one concept that deserves greater attention is synchronicity.  When integrated with traditional job search methods, synchronicity awareness provides job seekers with an out-of-the-box, proven, competitive advantage. 

Synchronicity in Career Development

The concept of synchronicity was introduced by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung in the 1920’s.  Author Deepak Chopra expanded on this and writes, “When you become aware of a synchronicity event and take action on it, it can become a synchro-destiny event.  Life-changing.”  

It’s more than just paying attention and being on the lookout for meaningful coincidences.  It’s taking the necessary action to take advantage of them. Yes, Frank Fox was, coincidentally, just  four hours away from me.  Synchronicity.  But it became a synchro-destiny event only after my five phone calls to him – pleading to meet him in person.  I did not want to simply send a sample of my product as Frank suggested. 

As a result, when we met, we did not discuss NASS or my product.  We discussed the possibility of forming a new association. That would not have happened if I just mailed him the product.  Same for job seekers – recognize and act on meaningful coincidences (synchronicity events) to land the right jobs.

These experiences are more common than many career professionals realize.  However, most coaching models fail to teach clients how to recognize, interpret, or act on them.  But when job seekers are coached to become more aware of meaningful coincidences, they often:

  • Confidently discover opportunities earlier
  • Build relationships organically rather than transactionally
  • Enter hiring processes before roles are publicly posted
  • Connect with decision-makers rather than automated systems
  • Remain highly engaged in the job search process no matter what

 

Real-Life Examples of Synchronicity in Job Campaigns

Example 1: The Conference Conversation

Briana, a marketing professional attended an industry conference in Boston, primarily for learning. During a coffee break, she ‘started up’ a conversation with another attendee about emerging industry trends.  The conversation revealed that the other individual was the VP of Marketing at a rapidly growing company preparing to expand its digital team.  Within three weeks, Briana was hired for a role that had not yet been posted publicly. Synchronicity – Synchro-destiny.

Example 2: The Random Reconnection

Aiden, an accounting professional unexpectedly ran into a former college classmate at a gym. His classmate just happened to be visiting for a week and just happened to select this gym to work out at.  During casual conversation, he mentioned he was considering leaving his current company.  The classmate revealed that his firm was relocating to the area and searching for someone with exactly his background.  That conversation ultimately led to a senior role with a significant salary increase.  Synchronicity – Synchro-destiny.

Example 3: Following an Intuitive Lead

Sophia, a software engineer felt drawn to learn more about a small startup she had heard about on a podcast she’d never listen to before.  Although no jobs were listed, she reached out to the founder with thoughtful questions about the company’s mission. The founder replied that they had been discussing the need for someone with exactly her skill set.  Within two months, she joined the company as its first senior engineer.

Teaching Job Seekers to Recognize Meaningful Coincidences

Career coaches can incorporate synchronicity awareness without abandoning proven job search techniques.  In fact, the two approaches complement each other.  Some practical methods include:

  • Encouraging Intentional Curiosity

When job seekers are proactively engaged, they explore industries, attend events, and initiate conversations without rigid expectations.  They up their game by becoming more mindful, curious, and resourceful, knowing the Law of Averages will kick in and present them with meaningful coincidences to act on.  Curiosity expands opportunity.

  • Acting on Subtle Opportunities

Many job seekers ignore small opportunities because they are conditioned to.  For instance, in an elevator, we’re more conditioned to look up at the light showing the floor numbers, rather than striking up a conversation with the other person on the elevator.  Perhaps a missed synchronicity event. It might require going out of our comfort zone, but confident and determined job seekers are inspired to do just that.  Out-of-the- box thinking/acting requires a little discomfort.  

The Role of Career Coaches in the Next Evolution of Job Search

Career coaches and employment professionals are uniquely positioned to redefine how job searches are conducted moving forward.  In addition to focusing on AI, digital strategies, and whatever new resume and tactical instruction the process involves, something more is need for that .04 second “winning” advantage.  Strategies the competition doesn’t have and ones most coaches don’t teach.