Career Briefs: Learnings from 2025

Want to know something weird?

Over the last three weeks, our executive interview coaching service has been the busiest it’s been all year. It’s like as soon as there were whispers that the government shutdown was ending, companies decided to unpause hiring freezes on key leadership roles.

Historically, the week leading up to Thanksgiving is slow for the career industry. This is yet another reminder that nothing about this hiring year has been normal.

Low attrition + “Job Hugging” + Layoffs + Furloughs + AI transformation = Basically the hiring version of trying to merge onto a highway where everyone is going 20 mph and 90 mph at the same time.

Even if you’re not looking for a new job, it’s a lot easier to be ready than to get ready.

December is a time of year when longer lunches feel normal, colleagues are often out of the office, and your calendar can feel a little less structured. It’s also the perfect moment to give yourself permission to focus on your career marketing materials—whether that’s updating your resume, polishing your LinkedIn profile, or preparing for interviews.

Even a small investment of time now can set you up for a strong start to the new year. Treat it as a gift to yourself: a few focused hours in December can save weeks of scrambling once January hits.

Rooting for you,

The Top Executive Resume Trends Shaping the 2025 Job Market

Every year, I write a Hiring & Recruitment Trends article, reaching out to talent leaders around the globe for their perspectives and predictions on the world of work. (How do you think we did on our predictions last year?)

This year, I decided to take a different approach and tap into the incredible internal talent at Briefcase Coach. My team has worked on hundreds of leadership and C-suite resumes over the years, giving us a unique, front-row view of what companies are really looking for in their next leaders.

I’m excited to share what we’ve learned—both the patterns that reflect broader market movements and the small, actionable insights that can help leaders position themselves for success in 2025 and beyond.

💼 Bottomline: thoughtful positioning and strong storytelling matter more than ever.

Read more here: The Top Executive Resume Trends Shaping the 2025 Job Market.

LISTEN NOW: Speaker Dynamics: Own the Room

Karin Reed, a former NBC news anchor and the CEO of Speaker Dynamics— a firm that helps executives with their presentation skills recently had me on her podcast, Speaker Dynamics: Own the Room. We discussed why even the most seasoned executives struggle to articulate their value proposition and how they can better share their career stories.

Our conversation covered what hiring teams are actually looking for, how LinkedIn shapes first impressions, and why a thoughtful value proposition can guide more intentional career moves.

You can listen to the episode here! One small disclaimer: I’m in the middle of an office renovation, so I recorded the interview from my living room. The lighting and sound aren’t ideal—but I’m hopeful the content more than makes up for it.

’Tis the Season for New Opportunities

A lot of people hit pause on their job search once the holidays roll in, but despite a widespread belief, hiring doesn’t actually stop. Many companies still have roles they need to fill by the end of the year, and with fewer applicants in the mix, your resume could stand out more than it potentially would in January. Some teams are wrapping up budgets or getting ready for new projects, so they want people in place before the new year begins.

The holidays also make it easier to reconnect with people. A quick message wishing someone well or an invite to catch up over coffee can feel more natural this time of year. Many professionals have a little more breathing room in their schedules, which means they may be more open to chatting. If you have the energy, staying active in your search now can open doors that others may overlook.

Read more here: Applying to jobs from Thanksgiving to New Year's isn't pointless, experts say: 'You actually have more opportunity to stand out'.

A Look at the 2026 Job Market Forecast 

The job board, Indeed, releases an annual job market forecast. Their forecast is based on what they describe as their robust “near-real-time data.” The HiringLab at Indeed—in my opinion— is one of the most trustworthy sources for labor statistics.

1. Hiring demand weakened substantially in 2025.
Indeed’s Job Postings Index fell from 111.7 on Jan 1 to 101.7 by October—signaling a broad cooldown in job postings and slower hiring across most professional sectors.

2. The labor market slowdown has been uneven.
Some sectors remain strong (e.g., civil engineering, home health), while others—especially media, communications, and scientific R&D—are seeing significantly reduced demand.

3. GDP growth has held up due to strong consumer spending, but mostly from high earners.
Despite earlier forecasts predicting a sharper slowdown, GDP remained resilient. However, spending growth in 2025 has been disproportionately driven by high-income households, widening the gap between income groups.

4. Inflation is growing faster than posted wages.

   Their report predicts that if more people lose their jobs, or if it takes people significantly longer to find a job, consumption — and GDP with it — may take a hit.

Read more here: Indeed’s 2026 US Jobs & Hiring Trends Report: How to Find Stability in Uncertainty.

How Small Disruptions Turn Into Bigger Losses

Many of us know the feeling of working nonstop, only to wonder what actually got done.

As I am writing this newsletter—I’m not even kidding—I’ve been interrupted no less than 10 times by various people and things. What should have taken me a couple of hours has taken WAY longer than it should. It’s because every ping, quick question or meeting break comes with a hidden recovery period where my brain is back at my desk but not yet back in the problem.

I read this article last week in the Recruiting Brainfood newsletter and it really resonated. My two biggest takeaways:

1. Take control of interruptions to boost focus and satisfaction.
Studies show that nearly half of interruptions for knowledge workers are self-inflicted, and people who block interruptions report higher job satisfaction. Limiting email checks to a few times a day—or even twice—can make a huge difference. Most tasks aren’t truly urgent, and setting boundaries trains others to respect your focus rather than expecting constant availability.

2. Match tasks to your environment to maximize productivity.
You can’t always change the nature of your work (some tasks require long, uninterrupted focus), but you can design your day as a portfolio of tasks with varying effort thresholds. Assign tasks based on realistic conditions, aiming for smaller, more manageable units of work when possible. This helps you maintain momentum and get more done without burning out.

It’s an interesting read— or skim.

Read more here: The Math of Why You Can't Focus at Work.

Inside the 2025 Boardroom

KPMG’s recent 2025 Private Company Board Survey shows how much pressure private company boards are under as they guide strategy in a period of rapid change. Directors say one of the toughest challenges for management at the moment is making sense of shifting markets and customer needs, closely followed by the work of mapping risks and planning for different outcomes. Many feel current scenario planning processes don’t go deep enough, which makes it harder to prepare for real uncertainty.

Boards themselves also play an important role. The most helpful contributions come from questioning assumptions, offering outside perspectives and helping leaders spot risks or opportunities they may not see on their own. GenAI is another area where confidence is low, with fewer than one-third of respondents feeling prepared to oversee its use or governance.

Looking ahead, most companies expect to invest significantly in technology, signaling a push to stay competitive while strengthening long-term strategy.

Read more here: KPMG’s 2025 Private Company Board Survey Insights.

Why the Job Market Feels Stuck

A growing share of job seekers feel like the market has stalled, yet employers still report trouble finding the people they need. Liz Wilke points to a different issue behind that disconnect. The number of applications per job has exploded, fueled by easy online submissions and AI-polished materials but recruiters and hiring managers haven’t gained the same capacity to review them. Early cuts become more aggressive and people with unconventional backgrounds, career pivot plans or strong but nontraditional experience often get removed before anyone reads their story.

The sheer volume also blurs candidates together. After reviewing hundreds of near-identical resumes, it’s harder to distinguish genuine fit from surface-level polish. Smaller teams feel this most, especially as some companies reduce recruiting staff with the hope that AI will fill the gap. The result is a labor market that feels tight on both sides because the signal gets lost in the noise.

Read more here: The real reason the job market is totally broken.

Signs You May Have Outgrown Your Job

Many people reach a point where a role no longer fits, and Charlotte Davies, LinkedIn UK Career Expert, highlights the clearest signals:

• Your energy is gone. If you’ve tried new projects or internal shifts and still feel drained, it may be a sign you’ve taken the role as far as you can.

• You’re not learning anymore. When core tasks run on autopilot and nothing stretches your skills, your growth has stalled.
  Your attention is drifting elsewhere. If you spend work hours exploring courses, certifications or entirely new fields, your ambition may have moved ahead of your role.

• You don’t feel valued. When ideas are repeatedly dismissed or shelved, motivation fades.
  You can’t see a path forward. If conversations about development stay vague, it often means there’s no clear next step in sight.

If this is your situation, it’s important to take the time to reflect, talk to trusted people and start exploring options early so the next move feels intentional rather than reactive.

Read more here: The five signs you’ve outgrown your job – and what to do next.