When the Job Market Shrinks: Distinction Becomes the Deciding Factor

Susan Robertson
Oct 3
5 min read

By Susan Robertson, Founder and CEO, Linceis Conscious Business

When the job market shrinks, every leader competing for the same role brings results. But the ones who position themselves as critical to an organization’s future strategy create an undeniable distinction—and emerge as the winning candidate.

A Sobering Revision

In September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics delivered a wake-up call: the U.S. economy added 911,000 fewer jobs than initially reported (Investopedia). Overnight, nearly a million opportunities vanished on paper.

For executives, this isn’t just an economic headline—it’s a leadership challenge. Roles are fewer, competition is sharper, and performance alone is no longer enough to guarantee advancement.

The Hidden Truth in Job Search Trends

Huntr’s Q2 2025 Job Search Trends highlights how much the market has shifted (Huntr):

25+ applications per month: the average professional is applying more than ever.
3–6 months to land interviews: searches that once took weeks now stretch into months or even seasons.
AI filters 70% of résumés before a human ever sees them.
60% or more of hires come from networks, not job boards.

I hear the human side of these numbers every day in my coaching practice. Executives tell me about searches that span a year or more and interview processes that take six months or longer. Even seasoned leaders with impressive track records are finding it more challenging than ever to make a breakthrough.

This is why distinction is critical. You must separate yourself from other highly qualified candidates, because in today’s market, employers have more strong résumés than open roles. And while the visible market shrinks, the hidden market—of influence, networks, and executive presence—expands.

If you’re feeling this squeeze, the Executive Edge Masterclass is where we work on the levers that still move decisions: positioning, presence, and strategic influence.

The Executive Paradox

For many high-performing leaders, today’s market creates a frustrating paradox. You’ve delivered results. You’ve led teams. On paper, you’re qualified. Yet, when opportunities arise, you may still be overlooked.

Why? Because results alone don’t guarantee visibility. The leaders who rise are the ones who:

Manage perception as deliberately as performance.
Build strategic networks that champion their name behind closed doors.
Create distinction by showing up as strategic, not just operational.

Stop waiting in line for the next opportunity—start shaping how you’re seen at the executive level. (Join the Executive Edge Masterclass today).

Three Shifts to Rise Above the Market

1) Manage perception, not just performance.

Performance gets you noticed. Perception gets you promoted. Leaders who advance in a tight market are intentional about how they present themselves in meetings, on LinkedIn, and in conversations with decision-makers. They don’t assume results speak for themselves—they translate outcomes into a strategic story that signals readiness.

Ask yourself: What story are people telling about me when I’m not in the room?

2) Build an internal and external strategic network

Huntr’s data mirrors what I see daily: referrals and relationships drive opportunity. One client recently secured a global role not because she applied online, but because her name surfaced repeatedly in succession conversations.

Executives who rise cultivate a Circle of Strategic Influence—mentors, advocates, and peers who sponsor visibility across functions and geographies.

If your calendar doesn’t intentionally support building this circle each week, you’re relying on hope—and hope isn’t a strategy.

3) Create distinction through executive presence.

In a market where nearly a million jobs disappeared on paper, sameness is fatal. Distinction is the new security.

Distinction is the new security.

My 4C Strategy—Clarity, Challenge, Change, Commitment—is a practical roadmap:

Clarity: Define the value you bring and the future you’re building.
Challenge: Identify derailers and blind spots that quietly cap your career.
Change: Make visible shifts in how you influence across the enterprise.
Commitment: Align your actions to a long-term executive identity.

When leaders live the 4Cs, they shift from being “qualified” to being the obvious choice.

Time-to-Hire: Context That Matters

Another reason patience and positioning matter now: time-to-hire is stretching across many industries and senior roles. Benchmarks vary widely by function and sector; for current snapshots and breakdowns, see these roundups:

It simply takes longer to get hired today.

By industry: Tech and SaaS roles average 44–50 days, healthcare about 49 days, and government or energy positions can stretch 60+ days (inFeedo).
Overall market: Across sectors, the average is 42–60 days, up from ~36 days pre-2020. At executive levels, it often extends to 90–180 days (JoinGenius).
Executive search: VP, SVP, and C-Suite placements take 4–8 months on average, due to multi-round interviews and board-level decisions (Medallion Partners).

The bottom line: hiring timelines are slower and more complex. That’s why your narrative, distinction, and network must carry you across months—not weeks—of visibility.

Use these as expectation-setters—not excuses. A longer market cycle means your positioning, narrative, and network must do more heavy lifting over more touchpoints.

What the Numbers Don’t Show

Behind the headlines lies a more profound truth: your destiny is shaped less by the economy and more by your choices.

Reframe setbacks as signals. The “lost” jobs are a signal to adapt and reposition.
Think strategically, not tactically. Operators get stuck; strategic leaders get chosen.
Own your narrative. If you don’t define your story, someone else will.

This is the work of leadership development: reframing, repositioning, and recommitting to the path forward.

A Call to Action for Leaders

The revision of nearly one million jobs isn’t just an economic stat—it’s a call to lead differently. The leaders who land the next big role aren’t the ones with the longest résumés. They’re the ones with the clearest narrative, strongest networks, and boldest presence.

Now is the time to:

Audit your story and value narrative.
Elevate your visibility beyond your vertical.
Invest in your executive edge.

Join Us:

If this resonates, join me for the Executive Edge Masterclass—where we unpack the hidden rules of executive selection, understand how to become chosen, and start getting hired instead of being passed over. We will help you position yourself and help you stand out in a shrinking, fiercely competitive market.