By Rick Ducey
In my recent Leading Local Insights podcast with Robert Hawthorne, CEO of Hawthorne Search, we explored how hiring dynamics are shifting across legacy media, SaaS, and advertising technology.
The good news is that what feels volatile on the surface is actually a market resetting and becoming more disciplined, more bifurcated, and more focused on measurable impact.
Here are a few key insights Robert shared during our conversation.
Two Markets Moving in Different Directions
Today’s hiring environment is operating along two distinct tracks.
Legacy media companies are consolidating and tightening headcount. Hiring decisions increasingly favor candidates who can demonstrate immediate revenue contribution, particularly in local markets where performance is visible and accountable.
At the same time, digital-first firms in SaaS, data, and ad tech continue to invest in scalable growth. Roles tied directly to revenue, customer retention, and product development remain active areas of expansion.
Knowing which side of this divide you are on shapes everything, from hiring strategy to how candidates position themselves.
Timing Is Strategic
Hiring does not move at a steady pace throughout the year. Momentum tends to build in the first quarter and again in early fall, when budgets are aligned, and leadership teams have clarity around performance goals. Outside those windows, searches often slow.
Organizations that plan around these cycles reduce friction. Candidates who understand the rhythm can time their moves more effectively.
From Resume Matching to Outcome Definition
One of the most important shifts is how roles are being defined.
Traditional job descriptions often prioritize mirrored experience, including identical titles or narrowly defined backgrounds. That approach can prolong hiring cycles and unnecessarily narrow the field.
More forward-looking organizations are defining roles around measurable business outcomes. What needs to be accomplished in the first 90 days? What impact should be visible within six to twelve months?
Framing roles this way sharpens decisions, expands viable candidate pools, and strengthens accountability after hiring.
Compensation and Team Design Are Adjusting
Compensation models are evolving alongside this reset.
Revenue contributors are seeing stronger base pay paired with balanced incentive structures. Leadership compensation is becoming more performance sensitive. Some organizations are redesigning teams to blend experienced producers with high-impact talent, supported by clear enablement and measurable benchmarks.
Across these shifts, the emphasis remains consistent: impact over tenure.
Navigating the Reset
Bottom line, the hiring reset in 2026 is not just about contraction. Legacy media is consolidating while still hiring in critical areas. Digital-first firms are expanding selectively, and across the board, hiring is becoming more strategic and outcome-driven.
If you are forming a team or contemplating your next move, take some time to listen to this discussion with Robert. It provides a clear perspective on the true direction of the job market.
Robert can be reached directly at Robert@HawthorneSearch.com.
