(October 2025) With AI Now Commanding Two-Thirds of Venture Capital, Executive Hiring Hits a Post-Pandemic High as Job Growth Stagnates — Ushering in a New Era of Selective, Disciplined Scaling
The executive hiring landscape in 2025 hasn’t cooled — it’s gotten selective.
AI now commands nearly two-thirds of all U.S. venture capital, while traditional SaaS funding continues to shrink. Executive hiring just hit a new post-COVID high (+14% QoQ), even as job creation stalls and official data remains delayed by the government shutdown. The result? A market that’s cautious but competitive — where founders must move fast to secure top leadership before the next wave of volatility hits.
In Q3, we saw executive search demand rise for the third straight quarter, reaching record post-pandemic levels. Leadership roles are trending higher (+19% YoY), while director-level searches are declining as companies prioritize impact over headcount. Meanwhile, unemployment claims (218K) and private-sector job data (–32K in September) point to a broader slowdown — but not collapse — in the U.S. labor market.
So we pulled together what we’re seeing — across live searches, investor updates, and founder conversations — into a tight, high-signal deck:
(October 2025) Bearhug Recruiting – Market Trends & Talent Insights
Here’s a quick preview of what’s inside:
Why AI now absorbs 64% of U.S. venture funding, and what it means for founders without an AI-core strategy
How executive hiring is up 14% quarter-over-quarter, marking a new post-COVID high
What shutdown delays and ADP data reveal about the real state of U.S. jobs (–32K in September, 4.3% unemployment)
Why tech layoffs (~98K YTD) are slowing — but the ripple effects still shape the talent market
How the top 1% of AI startups are raising at 3–10x higher valuations, creating a two-track venture economy
Why selectivity is replacing speed in hiring — and what leaders must do to stay ahead before the window closes
You’ll also get a closer look at Bearhug’s Search Blueprint & Scorecard System — showing how startups can build disciplined hiring workflows that cut time-to-close and increase placement precision, even in uncertain markets.
It’s timely, and built for founders making critical executive hires — and the investors guiding them.
👉 Click here to view our newly updated October 2025 deck
And if it hits, forward it — or shoot me a note. I’d love to compare notes on what you’re seeing in the market too.
