Preparing Your Career for 2026: A Practical Guide for Mid- to Senior-Level Leaders

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The job market continues to evolve, and many professionals are paying closer attention to what this means for long-term career stability. If you are a mid- to senior-level leader, you may feel secure in your current role, but you also understand the value of staying ready and intentional in a slower and more selective market.

This is not about anticipating the worst. It is about keeping your career strong, visible, and aligned with where the economy is heading.

Below is a look at the 2025 landscape, followed by 4 practical steps you can take now to stay prepared for 2026 and beyond.

A Quick Snapshot of the 2025 Labour Market

Here are the most relevant and grounded data points you need.

Canada

What this means:
The market is still moving, but hiring is more selective than it was during the very tight 2021 and 2022 job market.

United States

  • U.S. unemployment is around 4.3 to 4.4 percent, which is the highest level in a few years yet still healthy overall.

  • Only 22,000 jobs were added in August 2025.
    Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

What this means:
The market remains stable, but companies are cautious. Hiring cycles are longer, expectations are higher, and competition is stronger.

Layoff Indicators

  • Restructuring continues across sectors such as tech, retail, logistics, media, and finance.

  • Canada’s long-term unemployment remains elevated.

Overall:
We are in a steady but slower market. It is a good time to invest in your career positioning, not because something is wrong, but because intention matters more in a selective economy.

How to Prepare Proactively

Here are four practical steps that help leaders stay grounded, confident, and well-positioned for whatever comes next.

1. Build Quiet External Readiness

This is not job searching. It is simply keeping your options healthy and visible.

  • Keep your LinkedIn profile current and aligned with your goals.

  • Update your résumé with recent achievements and metrics.

  • Maintain relationships with a few trusted recruiters in your field.

  • Set aside one or two hours a month to nurture your network through small check-ins.

Small and steady actions create long-term visibility.

2. Use the “3 Cs” Networking Framework

(Contact, Curate, Contribute)**

Networking is most effective when it feels natural and thoughtful. The 3 Cs help you stay connected without pressure.

C1: Contact

Reach out in a simple and genuine way.
Hi [Name], I hope you are well. I would enjoy catching up and hearing how things are evolving in your world. Are you open to a short chat this month?

C2: Curate

Share something meaningful or relevant.
I came across this article on [topic] and thought it aligned with the work you are doing. Let me know if you would like the link.

C3: Contribute

Offer a small insight or perspective.
We have been working on improving our [process or outcome]. If you ever want to exchange ideas, I am happy to share what has been working for us.

This keeps relationships warm without feeling transactional.

3. Create a Simple Career Safety Kit

Think of this as staying organized, not preparing for the worst.

Your kit can include:

  • Your top 8 to 12 achievements with clear metrics

  • A list of 20 to 30 companies aligned with your future goals

  • A short roster of references and trusted peers

  • A basic financial plan that gives you breathing room if needed

This brings clarity and peace of mind which every leader benefits from.

4. Future-Proof Your Story Through Your Current Role

Your current work is your strongest foundation for your next step.

Ask yourself:

  • What am I doing today that reflects where my industry is heading

  • How am I demonstrating results that connect to revenue, operational improvement, customer experience, or transformation

  • Which cross-functional relationships can I strengthen

The goal is to ensure your day-to-day work supports the future narrative you want to carry forward.

Small and consistent steps create meaningful momentum. Stay connected and keep investing in your growth. The market may be shifting, but you are more than equipped to navigate it with clarity and confidence.

If you would like help building your networking scripts, refreshing your LinkedIn, or shaping your career safety kit, I would be happy to support you.

When Your Career Feels Like It’s at a Crossroads

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You don’t always see it coming. One day, your work just starts to feel different. You notice your energy shift. The things that used to motivate you don’t land the same way. Meetings feel repetitive. You’re doing everything right, but it doesn’t feel right anymore.

It’s not burnout. It’s not boredom either. It’s that quiet realization that you might be at a crossroads.

For many leaders, this moment creeps in after years of achievement. You’ve built a solid career, earned respect, delivered results. But then, somewhere along the way, you start asking different questions. Not “Can I do this?” but “Do I still want to?” Not “What’s next on the ladder?” but “What actually feels meaningful to me now?”

And right now, with all the shifts happening in the workplace, from AI to restructurings to tighter markets, that feeling is even more common. There’s uncertainty everywhere, and it’s easy to internalize that as self-doubt.

When this happens, most people go straight into problem-solving mode: update the résumé, check job postings, maybe talk to a recruiter. But that rarely fixes the root issue, because the real answer isn’t out there. It’s in here.

Sometimes, the next chapter starts by getting quiet enough to listen.

What still gives you energy? What’s been feeling forced? When do you feel most like yourself?

The clarity you’re searching for often comes from noticing patterns, not from rushing into decisions.

And if you’ve outgrown something that once fit perfectly, that’s not failure. That’s evolution. What fulfilled you five or ten years ago might not align with who you are today. That’s a sign of growth, not confusion.

When I work with clients in this place, I often give them reflection questions, not as an exercise, but as a way to reconnect with themselves. It helps them see that they’re not stuck, they’re simply realigning.

And that process takes honesty, not speed.

Here are a few things that actually help when you’re in this space:

  • Revisit your wins. Pull out your old performance reviews, your achievements, your proud moments. Seeing them in black and white reminds you of your value when doubt starts to creep in.

  • Talk to people who know your work. Not just your inner circle, but former peers, clients, mentors. Ask what they see as your strengths. You’ll notice themes you might have forgotten.

  • Update your LinkedIn, not to leave, but to reflect. Writing your story in your own words helps you see your career with fresh eyes. It’s amazing how clarity shows up when you start describing your impact.

  • Start with low-risk exploration. Before leaping into a new role or industry, test your curiosity. Attend an event, take a short course, shadow someone in a different area. Exploration often reveals direction.

  • Protect your energy. When you’re uncertain, it’s easy to overthink and drain yourself. Set small boundaries. Step away from the noise. Give yourself space to think clearly.

  • Keep one thing that grounds you. Whether that’s journaling, walking, talking with a mentor, or simply getting outside. Consistency gives stability when your career feels in flux.

So if you’re at that crossroads right now, don’t panic. You haven’t lost your drive or your edge. You’re just being called to redefine what fulfillment looks like in this season of your life.

Give yourself permission to pause, to recalibrate, to trust that the path will become clearer once you stop forcing it.

It always does.