"Many workers felt the need to stay put in 2025, but we’re beginning to see signs of a thaw as we head into the new year," -- Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half
If your new year’s resolutions include changing jobs, you will have increased competition. Almost four out of ten professionals plan to look for a new job in the first half of 2026, according to recruiting firm, Robert Half, in a survey of 2,000 employed and 450 unemployed job seekers. This is up from 29% a year ago.
Who Is Your Job Search Competition
According to the Robert Half survey, the workers most likely to launch a job search in early 2026 include tech and healthcare workers (44%), Gen Z professionals (42%), and working parents (42%). When asked about the top motivators for their job search, workers cited:
- A desire for better benefits (36%)
- Limited career advancement opportunities at their company (34%)
- More competitive pay (33%)
- Burnout (24%)
If you’re a manager, these findings give you a window into who might be a flight risk and why. Check in with your team to understand each individual’s situation. Even if you can’t move company-wide decisions on benefits, advancement, or compensation, you might have latitude to offer spot bonuses, stretch assignments, high visibility introductions or other career boosters.
How To Stand Out In A Competitive Job Market
If you’re a job seeker, you’ll need to do more to stand out in a competitive job market. Employers read the same news that you do, and they might get even pickier, assuming that more job seekers gives employers the advantage. This is not the time to spray and pray with lots of generic, unsolicited job applications. You’ll need to launch a proactive and tailored job search.
Tap your network to escape the resume pile
59% of the unemployed respondents to the Robert Half survey reported that “too many applicants and competition for positions” was the top obstacle in their current job search. When a company is besieged by unsolicited applications, it’s just law of numbers that some candidates will be overlooked. Instead, if you have a friend (or even an acquaintance) share your resume with the recruiter or hiring manager, you escape the resume pile and get a longer look. If you don’t have anyone who can introduce you, make your own introduction by connecting to the hiring manager or team on LinkedIn. If you can’t find specific people at the company, network in the broader industry via conferences and professional associations to find someone who may know someone.
Conduct exhaustive research to find the best fit for you
Another top obstacle, cited by 46% of the unemployed respondents to the Robert Half survey, is “difficulty finding a job that matches their workplace preferences”. Research into the company and broader industry can uncover the information you need to discern if a prospective employer is a good fit. The job description is a sales pitch. Do your own due diligence during the interview process, in your own networking with current and former employees, and by reviewing the company website including other job descriptions and their press releases, as well as other published sources. Not only will research help you make better decisions, but it also helps you appear more credible as a job candidate since you can tailor your interview responses to working with a particular employer and not just working anywhere.
Tailor your marketing specifically to your dream employers
A final obstacle reported by 37% of unemployed survey respondents was “skills not matching the job requirements”. To stand out in a crowded job market, you have seconds to wow prospective employers into considering you. Does your LinkedIn headline match the functional and industry expertise of the roles you want? Do your LinkedIn, resume and cover letter include the key words and phrases that are found in the job descriptions? When you introduce yourself (yes, your networking pitch is part of your marketing arsenal!) can you concisely and clearly show your value to your dream employers?
Full article @ https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2025/12/19/the-2026-us-job-market-will-be-competitive--how-to-stand-out/