If You’re Not Getting Job Offers, You’re Not Alone.

We’re hearing that refrain more often. Sometimes in tears, but always from candidates who just a year ago would’ve been a slam dunk for a given role.

That’s the unfortunate reality of the current job market: qualified, competent professionals are getting lots of interviews, but fewer offers.

So if you’re looking for a job right now and aren’t getting any traction, it’s not a reflection of your abilities. It’s actually indicative of broader trends; namely, one of the most competitive job markets we’ve seen in years.

In this article, we’ll walk through why things are the way they are, and how you can adapt your career strategy to increase your odds of success.

Key Takeaways

• We’re in the middle of a historically competitive, slow-moving market. Even highly qualified candidates are struggling to land offers as companies raise standards and delay hiring decisions.
• Today’s hiring landscape is deeply bifurcated: technical, high-skill roles are thriving, while generalist and mid-level positions face limited openings.
• Working with a career partner increases your odds of breaking through the noise. Search firms provide access to hidden roles, present you directly to decision-makers, and help you navigate a chaotic market with clarity and strategy.

Why Is It Hard to Get Offers in Today’s Market?

The job market right now feels like total whiplash, given the employee market we were experiencing just a few years ago. So what’s changed?

First, job growth is slowing due to AI disruption and overall economic uncertainty. What’s more, these uncertainties have made employers more risk-averse than usual, so they now have stricter demands for the people they’re hiring. We’re seeing this with the rise of skills-based hiring and assessments, where employers are looking less at experience and more at capabilities.

On top of that, employers aren’t exactly making it easy for anyone, especially top-tier professionals. Lots of candidates are showing growing frustration with job search processes, especially unrealistic job descriptions and even fake ghost positions. As such, many of these professionals are staying put, further limiting the number of open positions available.

All these factors coalesce around a reality that we see every day. If you’re in the job market right now, odds are you’re seeing it too: candidates who are sharp and skilled just aren’t getting offers, even if they consistently come in as a finalist.

What Should Job Seekers Expect in the 2026 Market?

The first thing to expect is that anything can change at the drop of a hat. For years now we’ve seen one of the most volatile landscapes in a while. So take what we say below with a heap of salt.

That said, there are a few broad trends we’re observing that are good to keep in mind if you’re looking for work.

Hiring Landscape and Job Availability

While the market may have chilled, it’s not stone cold. In fact, there are several reports out there showing that expansion hires outpace replacement roles by a 2-to-1 margin.

That said, a few dynamics make this a complicated picture for job seekers:

• There’s an appetite for replacing employees with AI, as high as 30% for some firms
• Expansion roles are highly clustered around technical skills and in-demand niches (e.g., analysts, auditors, tax managers, etc.), not generalists
• The tightening of the employee market fosters intense competition, which means employers can raise their hiring standards, sometimes to unrealistic levels
• As AI takes over more admin and technical functions, the demand for soft skills is becoming even stricter; adaptability, creative thinking, and a “solutions-oriented mindset” are becoming table stakes

The result is a bifurcated market where, for example, technical FP&A managers, financial analysts, and directors with strong data modeling, tech fluency, and leadership experience are in-demand, while entry-level and even mid-tier candidates are seeing fewer openings.

Hiring Processes

Everyone knows that hiring processes are growing longer and more complex. This is a natural consequence of the factors mentioned above, namely higher application volumes and increased scrutiny of candidate skills.

Part of the reason for this is the increased use of contract or contract-to-hire roles that serve as a stopgap for urgent projects. Without a sense of urgency, companies can afford to drag their feet until they find the “right” hire.

Interviews, but No Offers

We mentioned this above, but the most frustrating part of the job market right now is the “all interview, no offer” phenomenon.

Now, given that only 2-3% of job applications end up getting an interview (depending on which studies you cite), the fact that you’re even getting an interview is actually impressive. It means your resume is solid enough that it’s getting past the AI screening tools and other automations and filters hiring managers use to sift through hundreds of applications.

In fact, we’re seeing several external factors that are contributing to this pattern that have nothing to do with candidate quality:

• More interviews conducted per job offer, usually because employers are writing unclear job descriptions (often with AI) and there’s uncertainty among hiring teams about what they want
• Economic uncertainties and overall volatility mean employers start with the best of intentions of hiring people; but when the time comes to pull the trigger and extend an offer, they get gun-shy
• HR managers and internal recruiters are often incentivized to maintain a steady interviewing process and keep pipelines filled; however, they aren’t the final decision maker. Leaders who are will often be incentivized for greater caution.

Urgency and Speed Are Critical

Given how competitive the market is, the need for speed and urgency is more important than ever. In the past, candidates would often reserve that sense of urgency for premier employers; say, the JPMorgan Chase’s of the world. Now, it’s no exaggeration to say that you should treat every client like they’re a JPMorgan Chase.

This means you should:

• Respond to feedback as soon as you can (don’t sit on an email for 24 hours)
• Be ready for quick scheduling and to attend meetings with limited notice (within reason)
• Be prepared, organized, attentive during all meetings; show that they’re a priority
• Work with a recruiter who has direct access to the hiring manger, thus enabling faster back-and-forth

Why It’s Easier to Navigate These Challenges with a Career Partner

So how do you and a job in a market that’s so obscenely competitive? It helps if you aren’t going it alone. A career partner, like Grayson, can help you set yourself up for success:

• Setting realistic expectations based on current market realities
• Direct access to hiring managers (i.e., HR isn’t a gatekeeper)
• Tailoring your resume and pitching to a more outcomes-focused market
• Creating an actionable plan for applying to jobs
• Helping you to prepare for interviews, digest feedback, and answer questions
• Serving as a sounding board during an emotionally difficult time

More than that, a career partner can help you find positions that haven’t even made it to the job boards yet. Everyone is going after the public roles; you’ll have less competition and can increase your odds of success.

Let Grayson help you land your next great career move amid a challenging market. Contact us to get started.