Wondering how the market is reacting heading into May? I’ve got you covered.

Hey, a few quick things:

1. I hope you/your community are doing well. John and I (and Rosie) are hanging in, enjoying lots of neighborhood walks and the latestBachelorspin-off “Listen to Your Heart” (it’s so bad … yet, so good).
2. I’m extending my free 1:1 virtual coaching sessions through May. So, if you (or someone you know) want to talk I’m here for you. Sign-up at calendly.com/engagedpursuit. Feel free to forward to folks in your network.

Wanted to also give you a quick update on what I’m seeing in the (virtual) market. I’m continuing to gather data points from my community + clients and wanted to give you the latest/greatest.

Here’s my top take-aways heading into May:

• Hiring has slowed (across most organizations). As I experienced during my corporate days, uncertainty brings a pause in (most) hiring, and I’m seeing this across companies. Lots of organizations are on “hiring freezes” (both internal and external) and some have continued to interview with final decisions “coming soon.” Some companies are certainly continuing to hire, but the vast majority are on pause.
• Professionals are heads-down. Short-term commitments are taking priority. “I’m taking things day-by-day” is definitely the theme I’m hearing from folks (myself included). Child-care, schooling, immediate projects, current priorities, etc are where people are focusing. And because of this….(see next bullet)
• Networking is weird. It’s still happening, but a different “vibe.” What I’m hearing: Focus is on current work + initiatives with little knowledge around future stuff (which totally makes sense). Video is also challenging for some (staying focused) so I’m recommending clients get to the core of their intent early, with specific questions ready to go. Also, 30 minutes is the maximum for these type of conversations.
• Virtual is becoming accepted. The cool thing coming-out of this experience: I do think remote work will become much more accepted. Work is getting done and impact to culture seems limited (will have to monitor the longer-term impact). So, if you’ve always dreamed of moving to Hawaii and working remotely, this could be your chance (after this is all over, naturally)!
• Articulating your “Story” is now more important than ever. Because hiring has slowed and networking is a little weird, getting your Story to a compelling, confident, and concise place is critical. This applies to your resume and Linked-In profile too – you want the person you’re speaking with (or reading) to quickly understand what you’re all about and the potential impact you’ll make. Having a clear Story will also help YOU with intent around future roles (especially if they continue to be limited in the near future).
• There is a sense of optimism. Generally, there’s a lot of hope that we’ll come out of this stronger. I couldn’t agree more.

What are you (virtually) seeing out there? Send me a note or sign-up for some time to chat.

Take care of yourself and here’s to your Engaged Pursuit!