If 2025 felt harsher than you expected, you were not imagining it. As a career coach, I’ve watched experienced professionals, including senior leaders, get caught in longer hiring cycles, more competition, and a colder tone in recruitment communication. In this episode of The Job Hunting Podcast, I sat down with Geoff Slade, Chairman of the Slade Group, for our end-of-year reflection and forward-looking conversation.
Geoff has a rare vantage point. His group operates across multiple recruitment brands and covers everything from entry-level roles through to senior executive appointments. He’s also been in the recruitment industry for decades, which gives him pattern recognition that most job seekers never get access to.
In this blog post, I’m summarising and unpacking key points from our conversation, with a focus on what corporate professionals and executives can do right now. We discussed the flat job market, the rise of interim roles, the reality of negotiating salary and flexibility, and how AI is changing the way applications look and feel. Most importantly, we talked about how to market yourself so you stop blending in.
What 2025 taught us about the market
When I asked Geoff to describe the job market in 2025, his answer was simple: flat.
But what stood out more was his observation about how companies communicated with candidates. He described it as more ruthless, not always because decisions were harsher, but because the communication often had no warmth, no context, and in many cases no response at all. That matters because job searching is already emotionally taxing. When communication becomes curt or disappears completely, candidates start filling in the blanks themselves. Confidence drops, momentum slows, and people begin to play small.
We also talked about how delays are not always the recruiter’s choice. Geoff explained that recruiters can be left waiting too, as decisions cascade down from the top of the organisation. In other words, silence can be structural. It still feels awful, but it changes how you interpret it and how you plan.
My practical takeaway: if the process is moving slowly, you need multiple active lines in your strategy. One application and a hope is not a strategy in a flat market.
The rise of interim and contract work, including at senior levels
One of the most important shifts we discussed is the increased demand for interim and temporary roles. Geoff noted that interim work is growing, and it’s no longer confined to administrative or junior levels. There is growth in interim roles at the very senior executive level, too.
Why is this happening? Geoff’s view is that uncertainty is affecting both sides. Companies are reluctant to make long-term decisions because they do not feel confident about what is coming next. Candidates are also cautious because they do not know what they are walking into. For executives who have built their careers around permanent employment, this can feel destabilising. But it also opens a door: interim roles can become a fast way back into influence, visibility, and income, especially when permanent roles are moving slowly.
Geoff also shared a crucial point about money. If you step into a role without permanency, you should negotiate a substantially higher rate to reflect that risk. And you should clarify whether there is a realistic pathway to permanency, which often depends on why the interim role exists in the first place.
My practical takeaway: treat interim roles as a strategic asset, not a consolation prize. If you approach them properly, they can become your strongest repositioning tool in 2026.
Flexibility and hybrid work: what is negotiable now
Flexibility has been one of the hardest issues for senior candidates in 2025. I have seen clients walk away from offers because the flexibility on the table did not match what they needed, but Geoff was blunt about the risk: declining an offer in 2025 is something he would only do if you are confident another job will follow.
We also discussed whether the market will return to five days a week in the office. Geoff’s view is that most organisations will not go back across the board. He described that shift as essentially done. In his own organisation, they operate on three days in and two days out. However, he also raised a concern that some employers share: hybrid can create productivity gaps for some people, and leaders are paying attention.
My practical takeaway: flexibility remains possible, but you need to negotiate it like an executive. That means understanding what the organisation fears, proposing solutions, and demonstrating trustworthiness through outcomes, not promises.
Salary negotiation in a tougher market
Another theme that has dominated 2025 is pay. Salaries on offer have often been lower than what was available two or three years ago, and candidates feel the power imbalance. When I asked Geoff whether there is still room to negotiate after an offer is made, he said yes, because receiving the offer means you already stand out.
He shared a story about a 28-year-old who felt the money was under par. The employer told him to do homework by applying elsewhere. He had already done it, and he brought evidence of other offers, which strengthened his position in negotiations.
Geoff also shared a smart alternative when base salary is constrained: performance-linked reward. In his example, he suggested adding incentive structures such as short-term and long-term incentives, aligning pay with outcomes.
My practical takeaway: negotiation is still possible, but it needs preparation. The more senior you are, the more you should expect to negotiate with evidence, options, and commercial logic.
AI, generic applications, and the problem of being “vanilla”
We spent time on AI because it is affecting job searching in two different ways. First, I raised a concern from last year: AI-written applications and cover letters are starting to look the same. Geoff’s observation was interesting: he does not think most job seekers are using AI yet, but he warned that those who do cannot ignore their own creativity. His point was simple. If everyone submits an AI-generated application, nobody stands out. Passion, clarity, and distinctive thinking become the differentiators.
Second, Geoff described what his team struggles with most: candidates who apply in a “vanilla” way, as if they do not care whether they get the role. He argued that candidates need to convey why the role matters to them, why they are a fit, and what they bring beyond a checklist. This matters even more for executives, because at senior levels, differentiation is rarely about technical capability alone. It’s about judgement, presence, integrity, and communication.
My practical takeaway: use AI for structure and speed, but never outsource your voice. Your job is to sound like a decisive human who knows what they want and why.
Executive presence and networking when offices feel half empty
Two topics consistently come up in my work: networking and executive presence. In the episode, I shared that these are the keywords that generate the most engagement from my audience, and I believe they are linked. Geoff framed executive presence as being remembered. If you walk into a room and disappear, you lose the advantage that seniority should give you. He also pointed to a common pattern: the longer someone is out of work, the less confidence they have, and confidence is foundational to presence.
One of Geoff’s strongest views was about relationship-building. He sees reluctance, especially among younger professionals, to build face-to-face relationships. He does not attribute it to laziness, but to reduced confidence and comfort with real-world connections. For executives, this is an opportunity. If others avoid relationship-building, the person who does it well becomes even more memorable.
My practical takeaway: networking in 2026 will reward professionals who are willing to show up, be specific, and be seen.
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Future outlook: what to prepare for in 2026
Geoff’s view is cautious optimism. He believes the market has improved marginally in recent months.
The hallmarks we highlighted for 2026 include:
- Continued growth in interim roles and short-term contracts.
- Ongoing tension around flexibility, where candidates need to negotiate thoughtfully rather than assume.
- A widening gap between candidates who can market themselves and those who rely on applications alone.
- More noise from AI-driven job search, making human clarity and distinctive communication more valuable.
To stay ahead, executives should focus less on volume and more on positioning, relationships, and decisiveness. The market rewards people who are specific about what they want and able to show how they create value.
This article was originally published on The Job Hunting Podcast. Click here to see the episode.
Renata Bernarde is a career coach, podcast host, and former corporate executive. She works with professionals in their 40s, 50s, and 60s to help them secure new roles, change careers, and advance in leadership. Renata hosts The Job Hunting Podcast and teaches career planning at Monash University. Learn more at renatabernarde.com.