The job market is hard. And the way it's being talked about isn't helping.

If you’re like me, you’re hearing—and reading—a steady drumbeat of the same messages: no one is hiring, I’m too old (or, on the other end of the age range, I don’t have enough experience), AI is taking jobs, this shouldn’t be this hard.

For many people, the search really has been hard.

I talk with smart, capable, well-educated people every day who are doing exactly what they’ve been told to do—updating resumes and LinkedIn profiles, tailoring cover letters, applying broadly, and pushing themselves to keep going. For a long time, that approach worked reasonably well. For many people right now, it isn’t.

That doesn’t mean people are doing something wrong. It does suggest the market has changed in ways we don’t always name clearly—driven in part by technology, automation, and evolving expectations about how work gets done.

People Are Getting Hired

I see it up close. In the last two weeks, three of my clients accepted job offers—one in her 20s, one in her 40s, and one in her 50s. None of their searches were easy. What stood out to me wasn’t luck or timing, but how clearly each of them could talk about what they brought.

One emphasized learning agility and strong interpersonal skills. Another leaned thoughtfully into her network and articulated a clear point of view about how she would add value. The third drew on deep experience and made her relevance clear by connecting past work to present needs.

They were at different stages of their careers, but the common thread was the same: they made their experiences and strengths tangible.

Effort Isn’t the Differentiator

From what I’m seeing, the people gaining traction are approaching their searches more intentionally. They’re clear about what they’re looking for and why. They’ve thought carefully about how their experience translates into impact. They’re using their networks with purpose rather than panic, and they’re thinking strategically about fit.

They’re also approaching the process with a learner’s mindset—curious about what the market is actually asking of them now, and where they may need to adapt, learn, or rethink how they position their experience. In many cases, they’re building or strengthening skills along the way to demonstrate that curiosity and commitment.

A Different Way to Think About This Moment

Part of what makes this moment so hard is the mix of real change and relentless noise—about age, about AI, about relevance. Some of that change is structural. Some of it is speculative. And it’s not always easy to tell the difference.

It’s easy for that noise to create anxiety that gets in the way of a thoughtful search.

I’ve been in those in-between moments myself, and they’re uncomfortable places to sit. I worried about what might be next, and whether what I knew still mattered. I’m a good worrier—but I’ve learned that worry isn’t much of a strategy. Staying engaged, learning, and getting clearer about my story turned out to be far more useful.

What I’m noticing now is that the people who make progress tend to filter out that noise. They focus less on what they fear the market wants and more on where they can genuinely add value.

That doesn’t make the process easy. But perhaps it does make it more manageable.

The Bottom Line

Yes, this is a hard market. And yes, people are getting hired.

What’s changed is that finding work now requires more intention than it once did. The work of finding work has become more strategic, more relational, and more reflective.

In a market full of noise, knowing what you offer—and why it matters—turns out to be the real advantage.