This week, I’m not going to pretend it’s business as usual.
Like many of you, I’m still processing what happened in Sydney on Sunday. I know some of you will be directly impacted, and many others will be carrying it in quieter ways. Work will still demand things from us, but grief and fear do not run on a schedule.
I wrote a LinkedIn post with a few grounded ways to show up at work this week, whether you’re leading a team, job searching, or supporting someone who’s affected. If it’s useful, I’d appreciate you taking a moment to read it, and if it resonates, to like, comment, or share so more people see it: Click here to read my post on LinkedIn.
If you’re in Australia and you need someone to talk to, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14. If you’re in the US, you can call or text 988 for support.
The key feature of the 2025 job market was not the competition. It was the silence.
I have worked with corporate professionals for long enough to know that people can handle rejection. What wears them down is the combination of effort and ambiguity: long application forms, careful tailoring, “we’ll be in touch,” and then nothing. When I sat down for my annual end-of-year conversation with Geoff Slade, Chairman of the Slade Group, he used a word that many candidates are reluctant to say out loud: ruthless. Not necessarily in decisions, but in the way employers and recruiters communicated with candidates. Sometimes it was a cursory note with no humanity. Often, there was no reply at all.
That observation lands at a moment when the numbers are telling a story that many professionals already feel in their bones. In Australia, November 2025 saw employment fall, full-time roles drop sharply, participation fall, and underemployment rise, even as the unemployment rate held at 4.3%. Job advertisements are easing too, with ANZ-Indeed reporting a fifth straight monthly decline in November and Jobs and Skills Australia recording a fall in ads in November as well. The irony that this report was prepared by two organizations that recently conducted massive layoffs is not lost on me.
In plain English: the market can look “fine” in headline unemployment and still feel tough, slow, and strangely impersonal for white-collar job seekers, particularly at senior levels. The job search used to be linear. You applied, you interviewed, you negotiated, you started. In 2025, it has been lumpy. Hiring processes pause for budget cycles, restructures, and board approvals. Decision makers disappear for travel, then resurface with a new brief. Candidates are told, “You’re a strong contender,” then the role is pulled, split, or quietly filled internally.
Geoff pointed out something most candidates forget: recruiters often wait too. The delay is frequently upstream. The silence is not always a personal judgement; it is a chain of indecision, risk management, and competing priorities.
Now let's look at some actionable strategies to help you kickstart 2026 with energy and grit.
2026 Actionable strategies for job seekers and executives
Here are the strategies I want you to take from this episode and put into action. I’m writing these for experienced corporate professionals because the tactics need to match the level you are aiming for.
1) Build a clear “what I bring” narrative
Geoff’s first move if he were laid off mid-career was to market himself. That starts with understanding what you bring to an organisation.
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Practical steps:
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Write a one-page inventory of your value: outcomes, scale, risk handled, teams led, and stakeholders influenced.
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Translate it into three themes (example: growth, transformation, governance).
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Turn each theme into two proof points with numbers or a concrete scope.
2) Target adjacent industries with growth signals
Look beyond your city and identify companies related to your prior industry, including adjacent sectors (i.e., banking to insurance).
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List 15 target organisations in growth or transition.
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For each, identify one trigger: acquisition, new CEO, new strategy, performance shift.
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Create one tailored pitch per organisation based on that trigger.
3) Go top-down instead of bottom-up
It’s easier to work from the top down. For example, if the CEO takes your call and refers you to the CPO, you gain instant legitimacy.
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Create a short call script (30 seconds) and a short email version (6 lines).
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Lead with “I can make a difference to your company, and here is why”, then back it up.
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Aim for warm introductions, but do not wait for them. Direct outreach is part of the job search.
4) Treat contract and interim roles as a platform
Contract and Interim work is rising globally and locally, including at senior levels.
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Build a separate contract-ready profile: “what I can deliver in 90 days”.
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Negotiate rate with confidence, reflecting lack of permanency.
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Ask directly about the origin of the interim role and whether it is likely to convert.
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Enter with an “impression plan”: first 30 days, stakeholder map, early wins.
5) Negotiate with evidence, not hope
If you’ve been offered the role, you are the standout candidate. Negotiation is still possible, but you need preparation.
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Collect market evidence: comparable roles, recruiter conversations, compensation data.
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Consider alternatives to base: incentives tied to measurable outcomes.
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Practise the conversation so you stay calm and concise.
6) Use AI without sounding like everyone else
AI can help you draft, but it cannot be your voice. You cannot ignore your own creativity, or you will not stand out.
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Draft with AI, then rewrite the opening and closing in your own words.
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Add one specific reason you want that role and that company.
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Add one short story that shows judgement, integrity, or leadership under pressure.
7) Rebuild executive presence through repetition, not pressure
Confidence drops when people are out of work, and that affects presence. You can rebuild it with deliberate practice.
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Schedule two in-person meetings per week (coffee, industry event, alumni).
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Prepare three talking points: what you do, what you want next, what you are known for.
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After every meeting, write a two-line follow-up that reinforces your value and keeps you top of mind.
8) Use December and January as a strategic months
December and January can be a powerful time for planning: assessment, research, rehearsing your pitch, and preparing for a stronger start in the new year.
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Week 1: value narrative and target list.
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Week 2: outreach plan and scripts.
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Week 3: profile refresh (LinkedIn, resume, portfolio).
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Week 4: meetings booked for January, not “sometime”.
How to Find a Job in 2026
In this conversation, Geoff Slade and I discuss the evolving job market in 2025, highlighting the flat job market, the ruthlessness in recruitment communication, and the impact of layoffs on job seekers. We explore the growing demand for interim roles, the challenges of negotiating flexibility in hybrid work environments, and the influence of AI on job applications. The discussion also touches on the importance of self-marketing, networking, and building executive presence in a competitive job market.
- Listen to the full episode on the podcast website and read the blog
- Listen on Apple Podcasts
- Listen on Spotify
- Watch on YouTube
How to work with me
If you’re an experienced professional navigating redundancy, a role change, or a planned move, you don’t have to do it alone.
- If your role was made redundant: Many employers offer coaching or outplacement support as part of your package. You can usually request to work with your preferred coach. If you’d like that to be me, I can liaise directly with your employer and HR so that my fees are covered as part of your benefits.
- If you’re self-funding: You can also invest in 1:1 coaching privately. For many professionals, this is treated as a work-related expense, but you should always confirm this with your financial advisor or accountant. I also offer courses, one-off consultations, and LinkedIn audits. Please visit my website to learn more and invest in yourself in the New Year.
Working with a coach, be it 1:1 or with a course designed for professionals just like you, helps you structure your search, refine your positioning, improve your applications and interviews, and prepare you to negotiate with confidence. My clients are experienced professionals who want a clear plan and a higher probability of landing a role that matches their skills, seniority, and salary expectations.
If you feel ready to explore whether we are the right fit to work together, please review my offerings on my website.
Click here to learn more about my services
Here's to your career success
RBX
Renata Bernarde | Career Coach | Host, The Job Hunting Podcast
