Recently, a former colleague started reaching out to our shared networks. She had been let go almost a year ago, after spending 20 years as a marketing executive. “I had no idea it would take this long to find another job, I feel completely unprepared. Why is it taking this long to find a job with my background and qualifications?”

What my former colleague is feeling isn’t unusual or entirely unique. According to J.P. Morgan analysts, the labor market isn’t predicted to improve until at least the back half of 2026, with the potential impact of tax cuts and Fed rate reductions. The rates at which people say “I quit” are lower than pre-COVID, reflecting the lack of confidence individuals may feel in finding new roles. And, in a world that feels uncertain, including changing trade policies, tariffs, and more, businesses aren’t willing to as easily commit to new hires.

“As a result, both long-term and short-term business planning has remained difficult, and layoff and hiring rates have been low,” says Michael Feroli, Chief U.S. Economist at J.P. Morgan. “Businesses are hesitant to make sweeping changes to either grow or shrink their payrolls when they’re unsure what the next six months might hold.”

So where does that leave those of us embarking on a job search? Or if we still find ourselves in the middle of one? It’s time to mentally and physically prepare for a longer timeline than we may have anticipated. Here are three ways to focus on finding that right next opportunity, on a longer timeline that we would have liked:

1. Create your sounding board

As you go through this journey to find what’s next, you will need people you trust along the way. This is your opportunity to create your sounding board. You want to surround yourself with people you trust, who can help assess your strengths and weaknesses and push you to stretch yourself. Family and friends may not be the right fit if you find them wanting to please you, agree with you, and constantly say “yes.” Or they have a very narrow and rigid view of what they think you should do.

Instead, here are some examples of sounding boards to explore:

Partnering with an executive coach

This can be a good way to ensure you improve your outcomes and also the quality of your decision-making in your search. A good coach can help you take a step back and really assess what you want to do next, along with what roles fit your strengths and background. They can also help you pinpoint tradeoffs you aren’t willing to make and why. They can work with you to sharpen your leadership story, help you prepare for interviews, and identify red flags you might not see in the process. They can also support you in maintaining momentum after rejections or ghosting. And, they can help you negotiate the offer as you step into the next chapter.

Reach out to trusted former bosses

Not everyone can afford an executive coach, but they would still benefit from one-on-one time. In this case, consider reaching out to former trusted bosses. You could send a note and include the following: “I’m thinking through my next career move and I would really value your perspective either over email or a 20-minute call.”

You could ask the following when you get time with them (send in advance so they have time to think about it):

  • Reflecting on our time together, what do you think I excelled in? What are some gaps you wanted me to close?
  • What kinds of environments do you think I thrive best in?
  • What kind of role do you think would be a good next step for me?

Finally, ask them if they would recommend someone else to meet with to get a perspective on your job search. This helps broaden your network without asking, “Can you help me get a job and introduce me to your friends, please?”

Thank them for the time and let them know how helpful this was. Ask if they would mind if you checked back in once you have had time to reflect on their feedback and refine some of your thinking. You can also broaden this process to include trusted former colleagues and direct reports as well.

Join a career networking group

When my husband was in the middle of his job search, he joined an alumni career networking group offered by his business school. The group met once a month, practiced elevator pitches, debriefed on interview processes, and asked each other for introductions. Each person in this group was in the middle of a job search process or career pivot. This group was across sectors and served as group coaching. He made some contacts from this group that he’s still in touch with today.

Check in with your alma mater to see what support they may offer for alumni via their career services office or alumni office. If nothing exists, you may be able to help start a career networking group. You can also search LinkedIn to see what groups like this may be active that you can join. You can also post that you would like to create a group like this for yourself and others.

2. Test how flexible you really are

I’ve been guilty of saying I’m “very flexible” during a job search process. I’m flexible in writing until I finally test what I am willing to do or not do next. If you are in a contracting industry, or find yourself with an expertise companies are willing to pay far less for, it may be time to do a career pivot. You may have to invest time and money in reskilling yourself to go and land a role in an entirely new field, where jobs are readily available and in demand.

Not everyone wants to be a founder, entrepreneur, or a consultant full-time. And given the instability in the job market, we all have to have a portfolio strategy and consider multiple streams of revenue until we land that full-time role. Do an audit of things you are known for and are good at. Resume writing? Building a YouTube channel? Preparing executives for media interviews? You may be able to turn this skill into consulting on an hourly basis or for projects a company needs help with.

Only you can assess your current financial situation and what it might look like a year from today. I have had friends who are in the middle of job searches sign up as substitute teachers in their local schools, offer tutoring hours for students, house sit, dog walk, and more. They found things that energized them, where they could earn additional income, while continuing to search. They pushed how flexible they really were and then acted on it. You have to assess for yourself what makes sense and how flexible you can and are willing to be.

3. Take care of yourself

As you create your daily routine for your job search, make sure taking care of yourself is something that you put on the calendar. It can’t fall to the wayside, be an afterthought, or get repeatedly cancelled. This could include everything from learning a new skill, going for walks or taking an exercise class, meditating, reading a book, listening to music, journaling, seeing a friend for coffee, baking, and more. Make sure you find at least 30 minutes a day to focus on you. You can keep the same time on the calendar or rotate the time depending on the day of the week. Consistency and keeping this commitment to yourself is key.

When we feel good about ourselves, our confidence shows up in interviews. When we exercise, hydrate, and get enough sleep, we keep up the momentum. When we find moments of joy and gratitude during the day, we stay optimistic about our futures. That doesn’t mean we won’t have days when we are down, upset, and dejected. Or that we won’t worry about our bills, struggle with identity loss without our former titles, or wonder if we will ever land another role we enjoy again. We also need to make space to grieve the loss of what was and make space for what is meant for us and coming our way. Taking care of yourself both mentally and physically is fundamental to how you prepare for an unexpectedly long job search. And in an uncertain market, taking good care of ourselves is one of the few things we have control over.