Every hiring process is sending a message. Is it the one you intend?
Earlier this week, I shared a post about why your best candidate probably isn’t applying. That conversation led me to another thought. If many of the people that you hope to hire aren’t actively looking, every interaction they have with your organization shapes their impression of what it would be like to work there. The application. The job description. The communication between interviews. The number of interview rounds. The speed of decisions. Individually, they may seem like small details. Collectively, they’re telling candidates something about your organization. Some messages inspire confidence. Others unintentionally create hesitation. The candidates who are actively looking may stay engaged regardless. The candidates who are already succeeding where they are have a different decision to make. They’re asking themselves: “Is this opportunity worth leaving something I already enjoy and where I’ve been successful?” That’s why the hiring experience can become a competitive advantage long before an offer is made. Every interaction should reinforce the kind of organization you’re asking someone to join. Because long before someone accepts an offer, they’re already deciding whether they can see themselves as part of your team. As you think about your next search, here’s one question to consider: If you viewed your hiring process through a candidate’s eyes, what message would it send?
Middle of the road, which direction do you go with the offer?
Let’s keep the money conversation going. On Nicole Jamal’s page this week, she covered how candidates can navigate comp during the interview process. Today, what happens when an offer’s on the table and the number isn’t quite there. She was talking with someone in her network recently catching up, and she was telling me how she had an incredible internal candidate but the search was at risk over a few thousand dollars. Not a massive gap. Just enough to stall things. Here’s something we lean on often in that exact moment: if the base truly can’t move, look at the shape of the offer instead. A sign-on bonus to bridge the gap in year one. A written commitment to revisit base salary in six months. It doesn’t always mean spending more long-term, just structuring the offer differently than a straight base bump. But here’s what matters more than the dollars: when a company gets creative to close a gap, it tells the candidate something money alone can’t. It says we want you enough to problem-solve for you. Even if it doesn’t come together, that effort is remembered. A few thousand dollars shouldn’t be the reason a great hire falls through, especially when there’s usually more than one way to close the gap.
Clarity isn’t just a hiring strategy. It’s a brand strategy.
If you’ve been in this industry awhile, and have found yourself on either side of the hiring table, you know there can be more cost to a broad search than just time. And that is what I want to talk about today. When a job description is vague, everyone sees themselves in it. And I mean everyone. The pipeline fills fast, the volume feels promising, and then the real work begins. Sifting through hundreds of applications trying to find the handful that actually fit. For most hiring teams that are already stretched thin, that’s not a pipeline. That’s a mountain. And the candidates who were the right fit all along? They’re still out there, but the longer a process runs without clarity, the harder it becomes to keep them engaged. But here’s the piece I don’t think gets talked about enough. Every candidate who applies to a broadly written posting does so because something in that description made them feel like it was written for them. That’s not a small thing. That’s hope. That’s someone updating their resume, crafting a thoughtful response, maybe even telling their family they found something exciting. When that process stalls, or the feedback never comes, or the door quietly closes, that lands harder than a standard rejection. Because they weren’t just applying to a job. They were applying to something they genuinely believed was the right fit. A more specific job description changes that dynamic entirely. It narrows the pool to the people who actually belong in it. It speeds up your internal process. It brings in candidates who self-selected because they recognized themselves in what you wrote, which means the conversations are sharper, the decisions are faster, and the offers are more likely to close. But it also does something that rarely gets credited as a business outcome: it protects your brand. When candidates who were never truly the right fit walk away from your process feeling like they should have been, that shapes how they talk about your company. In an industry as connected as ours, that perception travels. A focused search doesn’t just find the right person faster. It leaves everyone else with a better experience of who you are as an organization. Clarity isn’t just a hiring strategy. It’s a brand strategy.
US Publishing Jobs Market Snapshot for 2026 Q2
We talk to hiring leaders in ed tech and publishing every single day. Not about trends in the abstract. About the real stuff. The roles they can’t fill. The candidates they keep losing. The gaps that are quietly costing them more than they realize. The pressure their team is feeling (including themselves). When you have enough of those conversations, patterns start to surface. What’s shifting in the market. What the strongest teams are doing differently. And where the real opportunities are for companies ready to move strategically. We’ve been sharing those observations one conversation at a time, so finally put it all in one place. Not a salary guide. Not a polished industry report. An honest look at what our team is seeing from the front lines right now, something we hope is useful the next time you’re in hiring mode. US Publishing Jobs Talent Market Snapshot Q2 2026
The “Scheduling Hack” That Saves Your Top Talent 💡
In my conversations with hiring managers lately, one question keeps coming up: “How many interview rounds does it typically take to fill a role today?” From what we’re seeing, most professional roles have an average of 3–5 rounds: 1️⃣ The Initial Screen Call: HR/Recruiter intro. 2️⃣ The Connection: 1-on-1 with the Hiring Manager. 3️⃣ The Gut Check: Alignment with a Senior Leader. 4️⃣ The Proof: A panel presentation or performance task. 5️⃣ The Closing: A final wrap-up to address questions, discuss benefits, and (hopefully) extend a verbal offer. We all know timelines vary, but the #1 reason a 4-round process feels like a 10-round marathon? Calendar Tetris. 🧩 Here’s a simple approach I recommend to keep things moving: When the role launches, have every interviewer block off specific “Interview Windows” in their calendars 2–3 weeks in advance. Don’t wait until a candidate passes Round 1 to start looking for Round 2 availability. If those blocks aren’t used, the team gets the time back. If they are used, you move at lightning speed. Why it Matters: Blocking time upfront does more than just speed up the clock. It sends a clear signal to candidates that you value their time. In a competitive market, the companies that stay ahead of the scheduling chaos are the ones who keep top talent engaged.
When Technology Meets Hiring
If you are like me, I feel there has been a lot of conversation lately about how technology is changing hiring, but often at a surface level. What I don’t think we spend enough time on is the practical side of how candidates and hiring teams can work with these tools more effectively. As applicant volume grows, many teams are using technology to support the early stages of review while still keeping people at the center of the process. What I’ve seen trip up even highly qualified candidates usually comes down to two things: 1️⃣ Keyword matching isn’t the same as skills matching If a resume doesn’t reflect the language of the job description, systems may miss real alignment, even when the experience is a strong match. Same background, different wording… very different outcome. 2️⃣ Formatting matters more than you may realize Columns, tables, graphics, and heavily designed layouts may look great to humans, but they don’t always translate cleanly through automated screening. Often, clarity and simplicity travel the farthest. A simple place to start: compare your resume to the job description and make sure the core skills and responsibilities are reflected in the same language, no overhaul required. The encouraging part? This isn’t about criticism or “beating the system.” It’s about adapting thoughtfully to how hiring works today so great experience doesn’t get lost in translation.
Why “We’ll wrap this up after the holidays” usually means starting over.
We are officially entering the “Year-End Paradox” in hiring. I see it every year: A Hiring Manager loves a candidate. We are in the final stages. The goal is to close before December 31st. But then, reality hits. Calendars get gridlocked. “Final interviews” get pushed a week. Then two. Suddenly, we hear: “Let’s just put a pin in this and finalize it mid-January.” Here is the hard truth: Silence is not a pause button. It’s an eject button. While internal teams are “pausing” for the holidays, candidates are sitting in anxiety. By the time the team resurfaces on January 15th, that perfect candidate has often mentally checked out or signed elsewhere. If you can’t close before the holidays, you have to build a bridge across the “Drop Zone.” The strategy is simple but crucial: 1) Be Transparent: Admit today if a 2025 start date is the reality or if it will push into the new year. Candidates appreciate honesty more than silence. 2) The “Keep Warm” Cadence: Don’t let them go two weeks without a touchpoint. Even a quick update during the break keeps them engaged. 3) Lock it in Now: Pre-schedule the January final round before everyone logs off for the year. Put it on the calendar so they know the finish line is real. The Reality Check: If you have a candidate in the “mid-to-final” stage right now, look at your calendar. If you can’t get them an offer by Dec 20th, do you have a plan to keep them interested until Jan 10th? Don’t let a scheduling delay turn into a restart in February.
Building Ahead of 2026 Kick off Meetings
As the year winds down, conversations are shifting from wrapping up 2025 to setting the stage for what’s next. Across the industry, many leaders are knee-deep in 2026 planning. Budgets are finalized, team structures are under review, and prep for kickoff meetings is in full swing. This is the moment when strong organizations look beyond headcount and focus on readiness. They’re asking: who’s in the right seat, which regions need attention, what products are being refined or launched, and where deeper leadership bench strength could drive growth. If you’re mapping out next year’s goals, take a fresh look at whether your current structure truly supports where you want to be by midyear. Small shifts now can create the alignment you’ll need when growth plans start moving. Leaders who plan ahead don’t just meet the new year, they hit the ground running with teams already focused on what matters most for 2026.
Riding the RIF Wave
It’s no secret our industry has been through yet another tough wave of RIFs. Just when many of us hoped to see light at the end of the tunnel, things shifted yet again —affecting so many of us in different ways. A senior leader I talked to after their recent RIF shared that it was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.” I completely understood, and from speaking with many of you, I know just how much these moments weigh on everyone—the people leaving, the people staying, and, of course, the leaders who have to make the call. But even in these moments, I’ve seen strong leaders do more than just restructure. They’re using the challenge to reset. Someone said to me, “when resources shrink, priorities sharpen”—and I’m seeing that show up across teams who are stepping up in new ways: Getting crystal clear on what success looks like now Doubling down on their people—offering recognition, stretch roles, growth Keeping the long view, even in a lean season The surprising thing? While RIFs do create movement in the market, they can also open unexpected doors for those who remain—doors to step into new challenges, grow skills, and help shape a stronger culture for what comes next. Even in a season of less, many are finding ways to create real momentum heading into 2026—not just in numbers, but in clarity, capability, and connection.
The Interview Journey: What to Really Expect in Today’s Market
I wanted to tackle this question as it has been coming up a lot in recent conversations — especially now that we’re seeing more job opportunities hit the market. What does the interview process really look like right now, and how long is it taking? The good news: after a slower summer, we’re not only seeing more openings but also faster movement in interviews as companies work to get new hires onboarded before the holiday season. That means candidates have a real advantage right now — but only if they’re ready to move when the opportunity comes. That said, mid-to-senior level roles are still averaging about 6–8 weeks from application to offer (and a bit longer for senior executive searches). Here’s what we are seeing: Weeks 1-3: Getting Started Initial response (can take 2-3 weeks after applying or personal outreach) Phone/video screening with HR Weeks 3-6: The Interview Sprint- averaging 4-6 interview rounds, including: Hiring manager conversations Senior leadership meetings Peer and direct report meet and greets Board/ELT interviews (for senior roles) Skills assessments or Panel Presentation Round Onsite Visit Weeks 6-8: Decision & Offer Multi-level sign-offs and approvals Reference checks Offer negotiations and final offer acceptance While this process has many steps, here’s why it works: For Candidates: Those 4-6 rounds aren’t hoops to jump through– they’re your chance to meet the team, understand the culture and evaluate the role from multiple angles. Companies investing this much time in the process are serious about long-term success. For Hiring Teams: Bringing key voices into the process leads to better hires, stronger alignment, and higher retention. The time investment up front pays off in the long run. How to Make It Work Now Candidates: Ask about timelines early Send thoughtful follow-ups after each conversation, and check in periodically to stay top of mind (Fridays before the weekend are a great time). Keep exploring other opportunities (smart strategy, not disloyalty) Hiring Teams: Map your interview process before you start Share realistic timelines from day one Provide regular updates — even if there’s “no news” The Bottom Line This fall hiring window is short but powerful. Acting decisively now means new team members can be hired, onboarded, and contributing before year-end. Wait too long, and you’ll be scheduling interviews in January.