KEVA DINE INTEL™ FALL 2025
Companies in Stealth Mode Create New Opportunities
and Challenges
The creative shift is here, and it's reshaping everything. From the roles getting filled to the way leaders lead, I'm breaking down what's really happening across the industry: no fluff, just facts and field notes from the front lines. Innovation and growth aren't one-size-fits-all: they demand a custom approach. Here's how it's showing up this season:
#1 Clients: Get the right talent to drive growth.
#2 Candidates: Position yourself to get hired.
#3 Career Dreamers: Do the work. Level up. Repeat.
Let's kick it off with the ones steering the ship: the clients building teams geared up for what's next.
#1 Creative Leaders & Hiring Managers:
Your HR team doesn't have the reach you need.
So, you say you're starting a new, innovative business and aren't ready to go public yet. However, you need a marketing and creative team that can help you establish a brand image and messaging that will make a lasting impression in your industry.
You've probably asked your internal team to reach out to their networks, scour LinkedIn, and identify the talent you need. If you haven't already, you'll soon reach a limit to your internal team's reach.
Next Steps:
Send me an NDA. This is where Team KDA shines! We have a curated list of vetted candidates. We can step in. Align your goals with Candidate experience, expertise, and designs, and deliver top talent in a matter of weeks. So, call me.
Salary adjustments are overly deflated
So we know the days of bloated compensation packages are over. But lots of organizations are on the verge of being unrealistic about salaries. It's time to have a conversation to level-set your expectations with the role requirements and compensation.
Misalignment is creating chaos!
I can't tell you how often I'll meet with a new client who needs a senior graphic designer. But guess what? The compensation is set at a Junior Graphic Designer level, and the job description is inconsistent.
What's the remedy?
Stack ranking. I know I sound like a broken record here, but you need to decide, as an organization, as a hiring manager:
What are your core values?
What's the most important thing?
What is truly the skill set that's going to drive your business forward?
Are your answers emotional or based on business goals? We can help you figure that out, and we can find the candidate that meets your skill and experience needs while aligning with your core business values.
Your job is to do your job, not my job. So reach out and ask me the hard questions.
Red flag! Your job rec has been open for months
If you're not filling roles in less than two months, you're either not moving fast enough or your internal team isn't equipped to effectively screen candidates
What's the problem?
The wrong people are applying: your job description isn't aligned.
Too many people are applying: you're not reaching the right people.
You don't have the infrastructure: the right candidates are getting filtered by AI.
You have too many requirements: only a few are on track for the title.
Having a problem filling roles quickly, getting the right candidate in the right roles? Call us. We specialize in Creative, Marketing, and Design. We know the people you want to hire. We're tapped in and ready to roll.
#2 Candidates: Position yourself to get hired.
The layoffs are here. The move to AI has been blamed for this. And it's true. But here's another truth. There are entrepreneurs working in the shadows to launch innovative companies. And guess what they all have in common? They need a brand look and feel that will help them launch with impact when they are ready.
Creatives and marketers! This is good news for you. BUT only if you are getting trained on using AI to help you become more productive, effective, and competitive.
Here's the challenge. These organizations are hiring quietly. They are in stealth mode. They are searching through their connections, asking their internal teams to tap into their connections, and calling recruiters to access their databases.
If you aren't using LinkedIn as a strategic digital marketing tool to promote yourself and your candidacy, you can't get found.
Salaries and compensation are complicated
Salaries are all over the place right now. Things are changing dramatically because companies are seriously studying salary trends to make sure they aren't overpaying for talent. And they're reducing compensation packages. Gone are the days of a $400K base salary for the creative director. We're looking more at $170K plus perks and benefits, bonus, and growth potential.
That is a hard nut. It depends on the region, of course. However, people are having to do more with less, and companies are cutting their bottom line and trying to maximize the output of everyone on the team. And now candidates are cut immediately if their comp isn't aligned.
Get aligned and get hired
I've been getting lots of questions from job seekers about why they aren't getting traction. They're doing all the "right things" and spinning their wheels.
Before you apply to every job opening that you find on LinkedIn, you need to get aligned. First, ask yourself the hard questions.
What are your must-haves (non-negotiables) and negotiables?
What are your strengths?
Where are your gaps?
How does your experience/expertise align with the job and company?
What is your unique offering?
How can you help the company you are applying to solve a problem?
It's a lot of work, but once you gain clarity and start telling your story as a solution to a problem, you will get more traction. (Trust me on this).
Just like a product that goes to market, you need a brand strategy.
And I'm filling jobs all the time. If you're my database, we will reach out if you are a fit. And if you need to pivot and level up, I have Career Labs to help.
#3 Career Dreamers:
If you're not writing your own smart story, AI is crafting a profile for you.
How is this possible? Let's break it down.
Recruiters, HR departments, and organizations have tools to help them find and sort qualified candidates. Those tools are powered by AI technology.
That AI bot is looking through your LinkedIn profile, engagement, comments, and posts to create a profile of who you are.
IF you've been paying attention, the results will accurately reflect your expertise, experience, and the value you bring to an organization. If you've left your LinkedIn profile to gather dust while you engage on your other social media platforms, like TikTok, the AI bot will dismiss you as irrelevant.
Harsh? Yes. True? Absolutely. I've seen it. I know.
It boils down to this. If you're not writing your smart story, if you are not crafting your brand message, and if you don't have a brand market fit for who in the market needs to hire you, you will continue to get ghosted. Why? Because AI is creating an inaccurate image of your value.
Want to take the next step toward relevancy? Start with a LinkedIn Tune Up.
A recent LinkedIn Tune Up client experienced a nearly 40% increase in followers and a whopping 38,371 impressions in just 30 days.
Ready to level up?