When Industries Shift, Mindsets Matter Most
The headlines can be maddening: dying industries, disrupted jobs, whole sectors on the brink. It’s scary. It’s frustrating. And it leaves leaders wondering what comes next.
But here’s the truth: industries don’t just “die” overnight. They shift. They morph. They demand new skills. And the people who thrive through those shifts tend to share one trait: an entrepreneurial mindset.
Agility Is a Superpower
In recruiting, we spend a lot of time evaluating experience in job titles, years in role, bullet points on a résumé. Easy to measure. But not always the thing that matters most.
What’s harder to measure, and far more valuable, is capability plus willingness to learn. That combo is gold. It’s rare, it’s highly marketable, and it’s tough to recruit for. But when you find it, you’re not just hiring for today. You’re hiring someone who can grow with your business tomorrow, no matter what the world throws at you.
I’m often surprised at how many talented people don’t lean into that curiosity. Sometimes it looks like stubbornness. More often, it’s fear – fear of the unknown, of tech, of AI. Change is overwhelming. And not everyone naturally pushes against the status quo.
Disruption Is Everywhere
- AI is rewriting job descriptions in real time. Some roles will disappear. Many more will evolve. The people who lean in and learn the tools will win.
- Tariffs and trade shifts force companies to rethink sourcing and supply chains. The flexible thinkers who see constraints as challenges, not dead ends, are the ones who keep business moving.
- Grants and short-term funding pop up as lifelines for innovation. Teams willing to experiment, even with imperfect resources, are often the ones who uncover the next big thing.
And then there’s everything else: sustainability pressures, consumer behavior swings, the shift to remote work. Each one might feel manageable on its own, but together they can feel relentless. That’s exactly why agility matters.
What Leaders Can Do Right Now
Here’s the short-term play: stop over-weighting yesterday’s experience. Start looking harder at learning agility.
- Ask candidates how they’ve adapted when things changed.
- Look for curiosity, side projects, and patterns of growth.
- Reward resilience
Reclaiming Control
The hardest part of working in a “dying industry” is the sense of having no control. But adaptability is control. People who build it have options. Leaders who hire for it build resilient teams. And companies that cultivate it weather storms.