From Talent Grind Live - April 3rd, 2025
We're still tumbling in the washing machine. Nobody can tell which way is up, and as we sit here in April 2025, recruiters are still in hell—and it's not getting better.
But here's what I'm seeing that gives me hope: a fundamental shift toward fractional work that could change everything for senior professionals who've been locked out of traditional employment.
I've been having conversations with incredible talent—people who were CMOs at Microsoft, hardcore product marketers who've done the work and built real businesses. These aren't people who lack skills or experience. They're getting shut out of a broken hiring system that's forgotten how to recognize value.
But here's the thing: fractional work isn't just a consolation prize. It's often better than traditional employment.
I've been working with fractional executives, and it's been one of the greatest pleasures of my career. Just this week, I talked to someone who followed up after Transform and said, "Tell me about this fractional thing." The curiosity is there. The opportunity is real.
Think about it from a business perspective: it's so much easier to work with a company as a consultant first. You add value, offer reasonable prices, and prove your worth before anyone has to make a massive commitment.
You never know where it's going to go. That fractional engagement might turn into something bigger, or it might lead to three other opportunities. The network effects are powerful.
We're building fabs in Arizona—Intel, TSMC, massive manufacturing investments. But here's the catch: they don't need as many people as they used to. Everything's getting automated. We've got androids walking around that can identify things they've never seen before and organize your refrigerator.
So where's the promised economic growth? Where's the explosion of abundance for everybody?
The answer isn't in waiting for traditional job markets to recover. It's in creating your own opportunities.
I'm a progressive Christian from the Bay Area whose oldest kid is going into the Army—I don't fit neatly into anyone's political box. But here's what I know: this culture war we're stuck in isn't helping anything. This over-legislated environment we're living in isn't helping anything.
We need to get back to business. Let's make money. Let's grow again. Let's start building businesses and doing work together.
I see companies that could have smaller recruiting departments but give them longevity instead of constant layoffs. I see businesses that could augment their teams with fractional experts instead of trying to hire full-time for everything.
There are tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of incredible professionals out there right now who can't find traditional jobs. That's not a talent problem—that's a systems problem.
I believe we're slowly marching toward a bright new future, but right now we're still in the foam. The transformation isn't complete, and the old systems haven't fully given way to the new ones.
But for senior professionals who feel like they're getting "too old" or can't find their place in traditional hiring: contact me. Let's talk about how you can build a fractional business.
The future of work isn't about fitting into someone else's org chart. It's about creating value on your own terms, building relationships that matter, and proving your worth through results rather than résumés.
The washing machine is still spinning, but some of us are learning to swim.
Michael Doran is the founder of Team Sourced and Talent Grind. If you're a senior professional interested in exploring fractional opportunities, reach out through michael@teamsourced.com.
Alex Mann is a sales growth expert. Learn more about him here.
This post is based on insights from Talent Grind Live, our weekly conversation about the future of talent and recruiting. Join us every week for unfiltered discussions about where this industry is heading on LinkedIn, Youtube and Facebook.
Aug 7 202526 min