In 2025, the executive hiring landscape has shifted in ways that feel both familiar and deeply new. We’re continuing to see economic uncertainty, fewer leadership openings, and a more cautious approach from both employers and jobseekers. Many leaders are staying put, competing for internal promotions rather than external opportunities. And for those who have been impacted by workforce reductions, the search for a new role is more competitive than ever.

At Briefcase Coach, our team of expert resume writers and career strategists is always tracking how the market evolves so our clients can stay one step ahead. Here’s what 2025 has taught us:

Style Matters, For the Human Eye and for Applicant Tracking Systems 

Every year, I tell executives the same thing: your resume needs to be friendly to the human eye and also machine-readable by Applicant Tracking Systems. 

But in 2025, we’re still seeing jobseekers drawn to over-designed templates, especially the two-column resumes so popular on Canva and similar platforms. As Susannah Kayat, Briefcase Coach’s legal narrative expert, pointed out, a two-column design may look sleek at first glance, but it’s harder for the human eye to read because you have to jump back and forth to follow the content. This format confuses the applicant tracking systems that screen most resumes long before a recruiter ever sees them.

A clean, purposeful design is the way to go. Lindsay Koons, a Briefcase Coach Career Strategist and a former Senior Vice President and Senior People Strategist at Truist Financial, recommends avoiding over-designing by skipping the sidebars, text boxes, and color blocks, reminding us that your resume should guide the reader—not distract them.

AI Is a Tool, But Not a Writer

AI is reshaping resume writing, but perhaps not in the way people assume. 

It’s true that AI is cheaper than hiring a professional writer. And while it can be helpful, especially for early brainstorming, the challenges quickly emerge. 

“The output of AI generators is always clunky and half misinformed,” says Nicole Eshelbrenner, Lead Executive Resume Writer and Instructor. “It takes substantial editing to make AI language work in a resume.” And as Lindsay notes: “Clients are seeking writing that doesn’t sound like AI. They want nuance and a partner who can guide them, pull out their best work, and position it effectively.”

Also, while AI may generate content, it can’t help surface key insights to help tell your career story in a compelling way. Caitlin Weaver, a seasoned talent management professional and a Briefcase Coach Senior Executive Resume Writer, finds that it often takes several layers of questions with a client to get to the root of their key accomplishments. AI, on the other hand, can’t ask the right follow-up questions. It can’t read between the lines of a long career story to help build connective tissue between experiences. It can’t understand what matters strategically or emotionally, or what will resonate with a hiring committee.

The bottom line: AI is a tool. The human element is the differentiator.

Clients Are Staying Put In 2025

This year, hiring volatility has led to a noticeable behavioral shift: fewer executives are willing to take risks by striking out for new companies. Nicole observes that 2025 is the year of staying put, noting that, “Many clients are going for internal opportunities or have been impacted by reductions in force. Those with jobs aren’t taking as many risks, and those who are unemployed are facing fewer opportunities.”

This reality raises the bar for resume strategy. When opportunities shrink, differentiation matters more. Storytelling, clarity, and measurable results are becoming nonnegotiable. As Lindsay puts it, “As the market gets more competitive, candidates need to focus on results and differentiators—not just responsibilities.”

Titles and Resume Language Are Shifting

One of the more subtle—but powerful—resume trends this year is the evolution of job titles and vocabulary. 

For one thing, organizations are introducing increasingly nuanced titles, many of which don’t align with the broader job market. More and more often our resume writers are finding themselves translating a title to its closest market-recognized equivalent. For example, updating a government Deputy Director title to Director of Operations or Strategy.

The second big shift in language is the notable move away from explicit DEI language on resumes. Even executives deeply committed to equity work are finding that DEI phrasing may trigger unconscious bias. Currently, companies are far less likely to advertise DEI as a priority, even while still caring about the outcomes behind it. 

My guidance is to keep the impact but shift the language. Instead of “Led DEI initiatives,” I recommend clients emphasize employee engagement, team building or culture transformation. This reframing maintains the core of your accomplishments while aligning with current market reception.

A New Emphasis on “Fixers”

Executive resume writer Rae Yan has observed a striking trend in job descriptions and candidates leaning into ambiguity, challenge, and crisis management.

Terms like “ambiguous” and “ever-evolving” l have long existed in certain fields. But now, resumes increasingly emphasize leaders as “fixers”—those with the ability to stabilize, rebuild, and guide organizations through disruption and change. 

Sustainability, too, is shifting. Rae notes that the word is becoming less about climate and more about organizational survival. 

Resume Length: Three Pages Are Becoming More Common

For years, job seekers were told to keep their resume to one or two pages. But 2025, I’m advising people to rethink that norm. Many leaders have complex, multi-organization career histories or cross-industry careers that require additional framing beyond two pages. 

The role of AI in resume screening also needs to be accounted for. Approximately 88% of companies now use AI for initial candidate screening (source: World Economic Forum), scanning resumes for keywords, context, and patterns—not page count. 

While the goal isn’t to cram more into your resume simply for the sake of it, job seekers need to realize that because you’re being screened on the words you use to describe your work, brevity is no longer your ally. 

Three pages, when done well, can be the most strategic choice.

What All These Trends Mean for Executives in 2025

If there’s one theme that ties together everything we’re seeing this year, it’s this:

Career storytelling has never mattered more.

2025 may be a cautious year, but it’s also a clarifying one. It’s teaching us that great resumes aren’t just well written, they’re thoughtfully positioned, deeply human, and strategically aligned with where the market is headed.

At Briefcase Coach, we don’t just capture milestones on the page, we help leaders understand and articulate their value in a way that resonates in a complex, fast-shifting hiring environment.

If you’re ready to craft a resume that reflects the full arc of your leadership story, we’re here to partner with you and support your success every step of the way.