The problem no one names out loud

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When it’s time to explore what’s next, the entire system feels like a maze built upon advertisements.

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• Recruiters represent their companies and clients.

• Coaches teach and encourage, without the burden of execution.

• Online applications disappear in the void.

 

What's this mean to you? You’re left somewhere in between — qualified and interested, but invisible and unrepresented.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median U.S. worker has been with their employer for just 3.9 years — and even shorter in private industry. For professionals earning six figures or more, that often means being deeply invested yet quietly restless by year five. You’ve grown, but the opportunity path inside your current company hasn’t.

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So what happens?

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The Wall Street Journal reports voluntary quits have dropped to 1.9%, a sign of how hesitant even high performers have become to make moves in a cooling market. Meanwhile, Korn Ferry’s 2024 Executive Search Pulse Report found that nearly 60% of executives feel heightened pressure to deliver results faster — and one in three are considering a career move within a year.

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The problem is clear: Career mobility is a complex balancing act that most people desire; but the traditional systems in place are not designed to advance individual goals, rather they're purpose built for organizational objectives.

 

 

What a Career Advocate really is

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A Career Advocate is the professional you hire to represent you — not a company.

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Think of a Career Advocate as your personal agent in the professional marketplace: part strategist, part negotiator, part campaign manager.

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Whereas recruiters are paid by the employer and measured on “time to fill,” and coaches are paid to help you process what you want into an action plan, a Career Advocate’s incentive is completely aligned with your success in securing the right opportunity.

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This model borrows from industries that already recognize the need for representation — like entertainment, sports, or law — where visibility, deal flow, and negotiation strength all improve when an agent advocates for the individual. The difference? Career Advocates apply that same structure to leadership, strategy, and knowledge-work professionals.

 

 

Where Career Advocates align with others

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A strong advocate doesn’t replace the recruiter or the coach — they collaborate across the ecosystem.

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• Like a career coach, they clarify your goals and help position your narrative. (The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as helping clients “maximize their personal and professional potential.”)

• Like a recruiter, they leverage networks, data, and timing to open doors — often the ones you can’t access directly.

• Like a branding consultant, they ensure your story lands clearly, from résumé to executive bio to the way you show up online.

 

Each of those roles operates within their lane.

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A Career Advocate operates across lanes — and through friction — to ensure your goals stay centered.

 

 

Where the traditional models breaks down

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Recruiters, for all their skills and empathy, don’t work for you — they work for whoever signs their check.

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The American Staffing Association is clear about this distinction: recruiters and staffing firms are employer-paid service providers. Their client is the company, not the candidate.

That incentive shapes everything.

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In the U.S., contingent agency fees typically run 20%–30% of first-year salary (a $150K offer = $30K–$45K in fees), and the average time-to-fill is 60 days. Both metrics serve the employer’s interests.

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Career coaches, meanwhile, do important work — but most stop before market execution begins. They help you decide what you want and give you guidance, but most don’t advocate for you outside your 1 on 1's.

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Career Advocates fill that space.

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They navigate the messy middle: outreach, visibility, negotiation, and persistence through silence or setbacks. They ensure your candidacy doesn’t vanish at the first sign of resistance — whether that’s a stalled recruiter, a slow-moving hiring team, or an awkward compensation gap.

 

 

When working with a Career Advocate makes the most sense

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For many professionals, the “perfect time” to work with an advocate isn’t during crisis — it’s during crossroads.

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Here’s where advocacy adds the most measurable value:

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1. Strategic pivots — You’ve built a strong career in one function or industry but want to reposition without starting over.

2. Confidential searches — You’re currently employed, exploring options quietly.

3. High-stakes transitions — You’re considering a relocation, a new leadership scope, or a board role.

4. Burnout recovery — You’re accomplished but disengaged; you want clarity, not just another job.

5. Executive-level representation — You’re navigating scrutiny, politics, and compensation structures that make direct outreach difficult.

 

McKinsey and Deloitte both report that automation, skill-shifts, and economic uncertainty have created “persistent pressure” on the professional workforce. Even seasoned leaders are reconsidering alignment, not just advancement.

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That’s where advocacy becomes a strategy.

 

 

HIP Insight: The Alignment Advantage

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At Higher Impact People (HIP), we believe the modern job search is broken not because people lack talent, but rather because they lack visibility and representation.

 

Our philosophy is built on one simple triangle — Unique  |  Important  |  Defensible.

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• Unique: We work solely for you — not the hiring company. There’s no hidden allegiance or split commission.

• Important: Your visibility is measurable. Every outreach, introduction, and conversation is tracked and reported, so you know your campaign’s real reach.

• Defensible: We stay with you through resistance — from first message to first day. While recruiters often step back once an employer hesitates, advocates lean in.

 

It’s career advocacy, not candidate placement.

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And it’s how you turn the quiet question — “What’s next?” — into a confident answer.

 

 

Sources

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1. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employee Tenure Summary (2024) https://www.bls.gov/news.release/tenure.nr0.htm

2. Society for Human Resource Management – 2025 Recruiting Benchmarking Report https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/business-acumen/pages/recruiting-benchmarking-report.aspx

3. SHRM – The Real Costs of Recruitment https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/cost-per-hire.aspx

4. Korn Ferry – Executive Search Pulse Report 2024 https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/executive-search-pulse-report-2024

5. McKinsey & Company – Empowering the U.S. Workforce https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/empowering-the-us-workforce

6. Deloitte – U.S. Labor Market Spotlight (2025) https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/economy/issues-by-the-numbers/labor-market.html

7. LinkedIn – Global Talent Trends (2024) https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/research/global-talent-trends

8. Employ / Jobvite – 2024 Job Seeker Nation Report https://www.employinc.com/resources/report/2024-job-seeker-nation-report/

9. Employ – 2024 Recruiter Nation Report https://www.employinc.com/resources/report/2024-recruiter-nation-report/

10. Harvard Business Review – Build a Stronger Employee Referral Program https://hbr.org/2023/11/build-a-stronger-employee-referral-program

11. American Staffing Association – Staffing Definitions https://americanstaffing.net/fact-sheets/staffing-industry-statistics/

12. International Coaching Federation – Core Competencies https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies

13. Wall Street Journal – Cooling Market (2025) https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/unemployed-americans-endure-longer-job-searches-in-a-cooling-market-4ab9fce3

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