For a few years now, I have probably sounded like a voice in the wilderness. But this will not be the first time I am flying solo on firm beliefs…so I will bring it here again.

We are no longer in a job market. We are in a skills market.

If you are serious about safeguarding your earning potential and relevance, you need to pay close attention to this conversation.

The job market is the old world. It is shrinking.

The skills market is where value lives now, where people build and trade their skillsets.

Look around. Entry level opportunities are dropping. Some estimates say by as much as a 30%.

Big tech layoffs in the first quarter of 2026 are already in the tens of thousands.

A recession is in the works. Which means harder economic conditions. Lower spending. Slower hiring. Less patience for mediocrity. More demand for value.

Yet people are still chasing jobs, while organisations have already moved on.

Don’t get me wrong, the work is still there, but it has been repackaged…it is no longer in jobs.

To thrive, not survive (no pun intended, Elizabeth) you need a high level of agency.

No excuses. No waiting. Agency.

You decide: “I will influence what happens to me”

Then you act.

More and more, organisations are not just looking for qualifications. They are looking for value.

People who can solve problems.
People who can deliver results.
People who can operate with minimal supervision…without being chased.

You must not lose your job before the coin drops.

Notwithstanding, all is not doom and gloom. There are opportunities. e.g. Entry level talent will be rebuilt through academies with structured learning paths and practical incubators.

Companies will build talent pipelines this way, but they will also look for free agents; highly skilled, independent and ready to deploy talent.

Talent acquisition and deployment models are evolving. It is so clear in my mind’s eye.

So, let me ask you a question.

If your job disappeared today,
what exactly are you trading in the market?

Not your job title, not your company brand. Your actual value in the market?

What skills? What expertise? What problem can you solve? By yourself.

If your income stopped today, how long would you last?

What are you doing about it?

Or are you still relying on the job market?

The shift is already happening. The signals are everywhere.

The only question is:
Are you paying attention?

This serves as a reminder.

I will be back…prophesy is eventually fulfilled.

Your thoughts?