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You’ve completed your degree, landed your first job, and are ready to start building your career. On the surface, the job market seems fine. But underneath, it’s a different story.
Hiring is sluggish, fewer people are leaving their positions, and companies are trimming entry-level roles in favor of AI automation. So, how do you advance when the usual career paths are blocked?
Traditionally, you’d move forward by securing promotions or switching jobs. But in today’s landscape, neither of those is guaranteed. To get ahead, you need a new strategy.
After spending more than 20 years analyzing career growth and mentoring early-career professionals, I’ve learned that simply performing well isn’t enough. To advance, you need to show you can do more. In a competitive market, it's not just about completing tasks—it’s about signaling your value.
Here are three strategies to move your career forward—even when the job market is frozen.
1. Leverage Employer-Sponsored Training To Demonstrate Your Skills
In a stagnant job market, doing your job well is the baseline. To stand out, you need to prove you have the skills that align with your company’s goals. Employers reward performance, but they also reward relevance.
One often-overlooked way to do this is by taking advantage of employer-sponsored training. Less than half of employees make use of it, but consistently opting in can signal your commitment to developing the skills that matter most to your company.
For example, becoming an early adopter of new software like Asana or Salesforce can make you a go-to resource as your colleagues learn how to use it. This kind of visibility is invaluable.
2. Use AI To Do Higher-Value Work And Get Noticed
AI skills are quickly becoming a baseline expectation in the workforce. In fact, demand for AI proficiency is growing seven times faster than any other skill in U.S. job postings. And many companies are now requiring it for promotions. Accenture CEO Julie Sweet, for instance, has said that AI fluency is essential for advancement at the global tech consultancy.
Unfortunately, not all employers offer upskilling in AI. In this case, you may need to take the initiative and create your own learning plan. I was fortunate to have access to AI training from my employer, but I also supplemented that with the Google AI Essentials course on Coursera.
The goal isn't to become an AI expert—but to use AI to drive real business improvements. Whether it’s streamlining workflows, saving time, cutting costs, or increasing revenue, it’s critical to demonstrate how your AI-driven work makes an impact—and communicate that impact to your boss and coworkers.
In a frozen job market, advancement isn't just about acquiring new skills. It's about ensuring those skills are visible, understood, and appreciated by the right people.
3. Build Social Capital To Get Hired or Promoted
In a frozen job market, advancing your career requires investing in what sociologists call “social capital”—the value that comes from positive relationships and networks. It’s not just about knowing people, but about making sure people know you.
Many job opportunities are never formally posted. I got my start through a referral—my resume was passed directly to the hiring manager. This isn’t unusual; half of workers say they found their jobs through referrals.
Social capital also plays a huge role in promotions. You're more likely to advance when people are willing to vouch for you. These relationships often stem from the visibility you create by acquiring new skills—like becoming the go-to person for a new system across departments.
Once you’re visible, you can start building relationships with mentors and sponsors, two powerful allies who can help you climb the career ladder.
None of these strategies guarantees a promotion, but standing still in a frozen job market is a risk. The people who advance are the ones who actively adapt—making themselves more valuable, more visible, and better connected.
Just because the job market is frozen doesn’t mean your career has to be.