A More Deliberate Hiring Market: What We’re Seeing Across the Art World

Art world hiring feels noticeably different. Searches are moving more slowly, conversations are more measured, and decisions are being taken with greater care. From the outside this can be interpreted as a sense of hesitation or uncertainty, particularly when compared with the more reactive hiring cycles that defined much of the post-pandemic period. But this shift is not necessarily a negative one.

What we are seeing instead is a market in recalibration. After several years marked by rapid change, restructuring, and volatility, organisations and candidates alike are approaching the hiring process with greater intentionality. The emphasis has moved away from speed and toward alignment, clarity, and long-term thinking, a change that, when handled well, can result in stronger appointments and more resilient teams.

What has Changed Over Time

One of the most noticeable differences is the decline in reactive hiring. Post-COVID, many organisations were responding quickly to sudden departures, internal reshuffles, or growth opportunities, often bringing roles to market before fully defining them internally. While this allowed for agility, it also introduced risk.

Today, decision-making cycles are longer. Leadership teams are taking more time to assess whether a hire is truly necessary, what gap the role is intended to fill, and how it fits into the wider organisational structure. Budgets are being scrutinised more closely, and roles are frequently paused, reshaped, or delayed rather than rushed to market.

At the same time, senior candidates are approaching opportunities with greater discernment. The balance of evaluation has shifted: employers are no longer the only ones assessing fit, as candidates are conducting their own due diligence with equal rigour.

Shifting Candidate Behaviour

At the senior level in particular, talent has become more selective. Many professionals are staying put unless a new role represents a clear step forward, not just in title or compensation, but in scope, leadership alignment, and long-term security.

Candidates are looking closely at organizational vision, governance, leadership cohesion, and financial footing. Ambiguity around reporting lines, expectations, or decision-making authority is increasingly seen as a red flag rather than something that can be “figured out later.”

Where Hiring Processes Break Down

Despite good intentions, many hiring processes falter at familiar pressure points.

Rushed or unclear role definitions remain a common challenge. When responsibilities are too broad, poorly prioritised, or internally misaligned, it becomes difficult to attract the right level of candidate, or to assess them fairly once they are in process.

A lack of benchmarking can further complicate matters. Without a clear understanding of market-aligned compensation, working models, and role scope, organisations risk positioning opportunities unrealistically, leading to stalled searches or late-stage drop-offs.

Finally, misalignment between expectations and reality, on both sides, can undermine even well-run processes. When candidates receive different impressions of the role from various stakeholders during the interview process, it can create confusion and weaken confidence in the opportunity, highlighting the importance of clear internal alignment from the outset. When this is coupled with organisations realising late in the process that they require a different skill set, momentum is easily lost and decision-making becomes increasingly fragile.

What Strong Organisations are Doing Differently

Organisations navigating this market most successfully are starting earlier and planning more strategically.

Rather than moving straight into a search, they are investing time in advisory conversations that clarify what is truly needed, stress-testing role design, and considering how a new hire will interact with existing leadership and teams. This process also creates space to secure early buy-in from key stakeholders, ensuring shared understanding and alignment before the role is taken to market. This upfront work often leads to sharper briefs, stronger internal alignment, and more confident decision-making once a search is live.

There is also a noticeable shift toward longer-term structural thinking. Instead of hiring for immediate gaps alone, organisations are asking how today’s appointment will support where they want to be in three to five years, whether that is through leadership succession, expanded commercial reach, or increased operational resilience.

How SML Supports Clients in This Market

In this more deliberate hiring environment, our work with clients has increasingly focused on partnership.

Through advisory and benchmarking, we help organisations understand how roles are positioned in the market, how compensation and scope compare across geographies and organizational types, and how to refine opportunities before they are presented to candidates.

Executive search is undertaken and approached as a strategic tool; one that supports long-term organisational goals rather than simply filling a vacancy. This allows for thoughtful candidate engagement, clearer communication, and ultimately stronger, more sustainable appointments.

Above all, our role is to act as a trusted partner: helping our clients navigate uncertainty, make informed decisions, and build teams with confidence, even when the market feels quieter than before.

Looking Ahead

While hiring may feel slower right now, it is also more intentional, and that creates opportunity.

Organisations that invest in clarity, preparation, and long-term thinking today are laying the groundwork for resilience in the years ahead. Thoughtful hiring decisions made in a recalibrated market often prove to be the most enduring ones.

For the art world, this moment is less about pulling back, and more about building forward with care.