Everybody Says They're Hiring - Nobody Actually Is

Kelly is a Director/VP in tech. Strong credentials. 15 years of experience. Stellar track record.

Last year, she made it to "final stage" 11 times.

Eleven times, companies told her: "You're the candidate we want."

Eleven times, she got rejected.

Not because she wasn't qualified.

The reasons:

"We decided to promote internally"
"The role is on hold while we reassess priorities"
"We're rethinking the requirements for this position"
"Budget got frozen - we'll reach out when it unfrees"

Translation: "We got scared and punted."

Joe Procopio writing in Inc. Magazine explained exactly what's happening:

"Companies get excited about a candidate, fall in love with them during interviews, build consensus that this is the person—and then Mom says no."

Mom = the CFO, the CEO, the board, whoever controls spending.

Fear of making the wrong hire. Indecision about whether they really need the role. Concern that AI might replace this position anyway. Every fourth-down situation becomes a punt.

As Joe put it:

"Kelly isn't losing to clones with more experience. She's losing to indecision."

And the data proves this isn't just Kelly's experience. It's systemic.

The Challenger Report for January 2025: 108,435 job cuts announced (highest since 2009). Hiring plans announced: 5,306 (lowest on record).

Companies are cutting. Companies aren't replacing.

Job postings say "We're hiring!" The interview process says "We love you!" The final decision says "Actually, never mind."

This is the new reality of executive job search in 2026.

Traditional job search strategy assumes companies are actively hiring. They're not. They're exploring, considering, getting excited—and then freezing when it's time to commit.

The executives who ARE landing roles aren't waiting for companies to unfreeze.

They're creating demand instead of competing for frozen roles. They're building 90-Day Impact Portfolios showing exactly what they'll deliver. They're targeting 20-25 companies through direct relationships. They're operating like sales reps closing $2M deals, not job seekers spraying resumes into black holes.

Here's why nobody is actually hiring—and what the executives who are landing roles are doing differently.

The Data: It's Not Your Imagination

Let's start with the numbers that prove this isn't just anecdotal frustration.

The Challenger Report - January 2025

Job cuts announced: 108,435
This is the highest monthly total since 2009 (the financial crisis).

Hiring plans announced: 5,306
This is the lowest on record since Challenger began tracking this metric.

The ratio: 20.4 cuts for every 1 hire announced

Think about what that means: For every open role that might exist, 20 people just lost their jobs and are now competing for it.

This isn't a normal market. This is a frozen market.

What These Numbers Actually Mean

Cuts are real and immediate. When a company announces layoffs, those people are gone within days or weeks. The positions are eliminated. The headcount is reduced. It happens fast.

Hiring plans are vague and conditional. When a company announces "hiring plans," that doesn't mean they're actively filling roles. It means they're "planning to potentially consider maybe hiring if conditions allow."

Those plans evaporate constantly.

Budget gets frozen. Priorities shift. The VP who wanted to hire leaves. AI tools get implemented that reduce headcount needs. The board pushes back on spending.

Result: Positions that companies swore they were hiring for vanish into thin air.

The Executive Experience: "Final Stage" Hell

Kelly's experience of 11 final-stage rejections isn't unusual. It's becoming the norm.

Here's what "final stage" actually means in 2026:

Traditional interpretation:
"They're about to make me an offer. I'm competing against maybe 1-2 other finalists. Decision happening soon."

Reality in 2026:
"They think they want to hire someone. They liked me in interviews. But now it goes to the approval gauntlet where it will probably die."

The approval gauntlet:

Hiring manager wants you → Needs VP approval
VP approves → Needs C-suite approval
C-suite approves → Needs CFO budget sign-off
CFO reviews → Needs CEO final blessing
CEO hesitates → "Let's wait a quarter and reassess"

At every stage, there's a 40-60% chance the role gets frozen.

Multiply those probabilities and you get Kelly's experience: Making it through the entire interview process, getting to "final stage," and having the role evaporate.

It's not her. It's not you. It's the frozen market.

Why Companies Are Freezing (Even When They Say They're Hiring)

Let's get inside the heads of the decision-makers who are freezing roles.

Fear Factor 1: "What If We're Wrong?"

The psychological dynamic:

Hiring a $300K executive is a $1.5M+ commitment over 3-4 years (salary + benefits + equity + recruiting costs + opportunity cost if wrong).

If it works out: The company gets value, the executive succeeds, everyone wins.

If it doesn't work out: The person who approved the hire looks incompetent. Their judgment is questioned. Their own position might be at risk.

Result: When in doubt, don't.

"Let's just wait another quarter and make sure we really need this role" is the safe answer. Nobody gets fired for not hiring. They do get fired for bad hires.

Fear Factor 2: "Maybe AI Can Do This"

The conversation happening in every boardroom:

"Do we really need a VP of [Function]? Or can we use AI tools plus a Director-level person at half the cost?"

This isn't fantasy. It's real strategic discussion happening everywhere.

Examples of AI replacement anxiety:

Marketing: "Do we need a CMO or can we use AI content tools plus a Marketing Manager?"

Operations: "Do we need a COO or can we automate most of this with AI workflow tools?"

Finance: "Do we need a CFO or can we use AI forecasting tools plus a Finance Director?"

The result: Every executive hire gets an extra layer of scrutiny. "Can AI + junior person do this cheaper?"

Even if the answer is ultimately "no," that scrutiny creates delay. Delay creates freeze. Freeze creates Kelly's 11 rejections.

Fear Factor 3: "The Budget Might Get Cut"

The CFO's dilemma:

Q1 revenue comes in soft. The board asks: "Where can we cut costs?"

Every unfilled role is an easy cut. Every filled role is a battle.

CFOs are terrified of approving a $350K hire in January only to have the CEO say in March: "Why did you approve that? We need to cut $5M in costs."

The safe move: Leave roles unfrozen until you're absolutely certain the budget won't get cut.

Translation: Roles stay frozen for months.

Fear Factor 4: "What If We Promote Internally?"

The internal pressure:

Every external hire creates internal tension. Someone inside the company thinks they should have gotten that role.

The political calculation:

"If we hire Kelly externally at $320K, we're going to anger Sarah who's been here 8 years and expects to be promoted to that level. Sarah might quit. That creates another problem."

"What if we just promote Sarah at $240K, save $80K, and keep internal peace?"

Never mind that Sarah isn't actually qualified for the role. The political pressure to promote internally is intense.

Result: External candidates get to final stage, then lose to internal politics.

Kelly's 11 rejections include at least 4-5 that came down to this exact scenario.

Joe Procopio's "Mom Says No" Framework

Joe Procopio's Inc. Magazine analysis perfectly captures the psychology:

The hiring process as a teenager asking to go to a party:

Stage 1: Initial excitement
Teenager: "Can I go to Jake's party Friday?"
Mom: "Tell me more about it..."
(Mom is open but cautious)

Stage 2: Building the case
Teenager: "His parents will be there. It's just 20 people. I'll be home by 11."
Mom: "That sounds reasonable..."
(Mom is warming up)

Stage 3: Almost there
Teenager: "So I can go?"
Mom: "Probably... let me think about it."
(Mom is 80% yes)

Stage 4: Mom says no
Friday morning: "Actually, I don't think it's a good idea. Maybe next time."
(Mom got scared and backed out)

The hiring process is identical:

Stage 1: Initial excitement
Company: "This candidate looks great! Let's interview them."

Stage 2: Building the case
Company: "They're perfect! Experience matches. Culture fit is strong."

Stage 3: Almost there
Company: "Let's bring them to final round. We're probably going to make an offer."

Stage 4: Mom says no
Final decision meeting: "Actually, let's hold off. The timing isn't quite right."

Kelly isn't losing to better candidates. She's losing to Mom getting cold feet.

Why "Mom" Gets Cold Feet

Last-minute doubts that kill offers:

Doubt 1: "Is this really the exact person we need? Maybe we should keep looking."

Doubt 2: "What if we wait a quarter and find someone even better?"

Doubt 3: "Can we really afford this right now with everything uncertain?"

Doubt 4: "What if this doesn't work out? That's on me."

Doubt 5: "Maybe we don't actually need this role after all."

Any one of these doubts is enough to freeze the decision.

And here's the brutal part: These doubts often have nothing to do with the candidate.

Kelly could be absolutely perfect for every single role. Doesn't matter. If Mom gets cold feet, the offer doesn't happen.

What Traditional Job Search Gets Wrong

Traditional job search advice assumes a functioning hiring market. It doesn't exist.

Wrong Assumption 1: "Apply to More Jobs"

The advice: "You need to apply to 100+ roles. It's a numbers game."

The reality: Applying to 100 frozen roles doesn't create opportunities. It creates 100 automated rejections plus 10-15 "final stage" disappointments like Kelly's.

More applications ≠ more offers in a frozen market.

Wrong Assumption 2: "Perfect Your Resume"

The advice: "Your resume needs to be flawless. That's why you're not getting offers."

The reality: Kelly's resume is fine. Her credentials are strong. She's making it to final stage repeatedly.

The problem isn't her resume. The problem is companies aren't actually hiring.

Wrong Assumption 3: "Ace the Interviews"

The advice: "You need to interview better. Practice your answers."

The reality: Kelly is acing interviews. She's making it to final rounds. Companies love her.

Then Mom says no.

No amount of interview prep fixes that.

Wrong Assumption 4: "Be Patient - The Right Role Will Come"

The advice: "Just keep applying. Eventually something will work out."

The reality: In a frozen market, patience = prolonged unemployment.

While you're waiting for companies to unfreeze, other executives are creating their own opportunities through different strategies.

What Executives Who ARE Landing Roles Do Differently

Let's be clear: Some executives are landing roles. Not many, but some.

What are they doing differently?

They're not waiting for companies to unfreeze. They're creating demand.

Strategy 1: Building 90-Day Impact Portfolios

Instead of: Sending resumes and hoping companies respond

They're: Creating visual business cases showing exactly what they'll deliver in their first 90 days

Why this works in a frozen market:

When a company is scared to hire, the issue is risk. "What if this person doesn't deliver? What if we waste $300K?"

A 90-Day Impact Portfolio reduces that risk dramatically:

"Here's my diagnosis of your challenges. Here's my strategic plan for the first quarter. Here's what I'll deliver by Day 30, Day 60, Day 90. Here are the metrics I'll move."

This shifts the conversation from:
"Should we hire anyone?"

To:
"This person already knows what they'll do. The risk is way lower. Let's hire them."

Real example:

Michael had 8 final-stage rejections. Built a 90-Day Impact Portfolio. Sent it to his top 10 target companies. Got 4 responses. Landed 2 offers within 45 days.

The portfolio reduced risk enough that companies unfroze.

Strategy 2: Targeting 20-25 Companies Through Relationships

Instead of: Applying to 200 job postings

They're: Identifying 20-25 ideal companies and building direct relationships with decision-makers

Why this works in a frozen market:

Job postings are where companies explore whether they might hire. They're not commitments.

Direct relationships create pressure to hire:

When you're having ongoing strategic conversations with the CEO or hiring executive, they start thinking: "We should hire this person. They understand our business. They're already helping us think through challenges."

That creates internal advocacy that unfreezes roles.

Real example:

Sarah targeted 25 companies. Had conversations with 12. None were "actively hiring." But through strategic discussions, 3 of them decided to create roles for her. She chose the best one.

She didn't wait for openings. She created them.

Strategy 3: Operating Like Sales Reps, Not Job Seekers

Instead of: "I'm looking for a job. Please hire me."

They're: "I solve [specific problem]. Here's the value I create. Let's discuss if there's a fit."

Why this works in a frozen market:

Sales reps don't wait for companies to decide they want to buy. They create urgency and demonstrate value until the company decides they need to buy.

Executive job search in a frozen market requires the same approach:

Traditional job seeker mindset:

"I hope they like me"
"I'll wait for them to decide"
"I need this job"
Passive and desperate

Sales rep mindset:

"I solve expensive problems"
"Let's explore if there's mutual fit"
"I'm evaluating multiple opportunities"
Active and confident

The sales rep mindset creates demand. The job seeker mindset waits for demand that isn't coming.

Real example:

Tom was getting nowhere with traditional applications. Shifted to sales approach: Reached out to 20 CEOs with specific insights about their business challenges. Started consulting conversations. Three turned into job offers.

He created demand by demonstrating value, not by applying to postings.

Strategy 4: Not Competing for Frozen Roles

The key insight that changes everything:

If a role is posted publicly, it's probably frozen or about to freeze.

Think about it: By the time a role makes it to a job board, it's been through multiple approval cycles, budget reviews, and internal debates.

All that debate = high likelihood of freeze.

The executives landing roles aren't competing for those frozen positions.

They're finding companies that haven't decided to hire yet—and convincing them they should.

This is the fundamental shift:

From "competing for jobs" → To "creating opportunities"

From "applying to openings" → To "building relationships that create roles"

From "hoping companies hire" → To "making companies realize they need you"

The Brutal Truth: You're Competing Against Nothing

Here's the most counterintuitive insight:

Kelly isn't losing to other candidates. She's losing to the status quo.

When a company gets to final stage and then backs out, they're not choosing someone else. They're choosing to leave the role unfilled.

You're not competing against other executives. You're competing against:

Fear of making the wrong decision
Budget uncertainty
"Maybe we can live without this role"
"Maybe AI can do this cheaper"
"Maybe we should promote internally"
"Maybe we should wait another quarter"

The status quo (not hiring anyone) is your actual competitor.

And the status quo is winning.

How to Beat the Status Quo

Traditional job search assumes the company has decided to hire and you're competing to be chosen.

In reality, you need to convince them to hire at all.

This requires different strategy:

Strategy that beats status quo:

Demonstrate immediate value - Make it clear you'll deliver results in 90 days, not 12 months
Reduce perceived risk - Show exactly what you'll do through 90-Day Impact Portfolio
Create urgency - "I'm evaluating multiple opportunities" puts time pressure on decision
Make it easy to say yes - Do their work for them by building the business case
Build advocacy - Get champions inside who will fight to unfreeze the role

This is fundamentally different from "applying to jobs and interviewing well."

What This Means for Your Job Search Strategy

If you're using traditional job search strategy in 2026, you're going to get Kelly's results: Lots of "final stage" rejections. Lots of "we loved you but..."

Here's what to do instead:

Stop: Applying to Job Postings

If it's posted, it's probably frozen or about to freeze.

Public job postings mean the role has been through multiple approvals, debates, and reviews. All that scrutiny creates doubt. Doubt creates freeze.

Exception: Apply if you're perfect for the role and it's at a company you're already targeting. But don't make this your primary strategy.

Start: Building Your Target List

Identify 20-25 companies where:

Your expertise solves current challenges
They're growing or in transition (creating need)
You have some connection or ability to reach decision-makers
The culture fits your working style

This is your focused pipeline.

Stop: Waiting for Companies to Decide

Frozen companies don't unfreeze on their own schedule. They unfreeze when someone creates pressure.

Sitting around waiting for "the timing to be right" means indefinite unemployment.

Start: Creating Your Own Urgency

Reach out directly to decision-makers at target companies:

"I've been researching your business and identified three strategic challenges I've solved at similar companies. Worth a conversation to explore if my approach might apply to your situation?"

This creates the initial relationship. Then:

Regular engagement, strategic discussions, sharing insights, demonstrating value.

Eventually: "We should hire this person. Let's unfreeze that role."

Stop: Generic Outreach

"I'm interested in opportunities at your company" = immediate ignore

Everyone sounds like that. You're competing with 100 other generic messages.

Start: Value-First Engagement

"I noticed your Q3 earnings call mentioned challenges with [specific issue]. I transformed the same situation at [Company], delivering [specific outcome]. Here's the framework I used..."

This demonstrates you understand their business and can deliver value. That gets responses.

Stop: Resume-Only Applications

Resumes show what you've done. They don't show what you'll do for this company.

In a frozen market where risk is the issue, resumes don't reduce risk enough.

Start: 90-Day Impact Portfolios

Build visual presentations showing:

Your analysis of their challenges
Your strategic approach to solving them
What you'll deliver in first 90 days
Specific metrics you'll move

This reduces risk dramatically and creates "we should hire this person" momentum.

The Bottom Line: The Market Has Changed - Your Strategy Must Too

Everybody says they're hiring. Nobody actually is.

Kelly made it to final stage 11 times. Eleven rejections. Not because she wasn't qualified.

As Joe Procopio explained: Companies get excited, love the candidate, then "Mom says no."

The data confirms it: Challenger Report shows 108,435 job cuts in January (highest since 2009), only 5,306 hiring plans (lowest on record).

Companies are cutting. They're not replacing.

Kelly isn't losing to other candidates. She's losing to indecision, budget freezes, and companies getting cold feet.

Traditional job search assumes companies are actively hiring. They're not.

The executives who ARE landing roles aren't waiting for companies to unfreeze.

They're:

✓ Building 90-Day Impact Portfolios showing exactly what they'll deliver
✓ Targeting 20-25 companies through direct relationships
✓ Operating like sales reps closing $2M deals, not job seekers spraying resumes
✓ Creating demand instead of competing for frozen roles

The fundamental shift:

From "I hope companies hire me" → To "I create opportunities by demonstrating value"

From "Applying to postings" → To "Building relationships that unfreeze roles"

From "Competing against candidates" → To "Beating the status quo of not hiring"

Traditional job search waits for companies to decide to hire.

Modern executive job search creates the decision to hire.

That's not just semantics. It's the difference between Kelly's 11 rejections and landing your next role in 90 days.

The market is frozen. Your strategy needs to create heat.

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