Compete Smarter in Today’s Market

Hiring and dealmaking dynamics are evolving fast.

AI is accelerating M&A activity as companies pursue acquisitions to scale technology and stay competitive, highlighted by major deals like Google’s acquisition of Wiz. At the same time, job seekers face a crowded market where strategy matters as much as credentials.

In a new guide, Colby Griffin of KBW Financial Staffing & Recruiting explains why tailored applications, clear storytelling, and consistent follow-through are what truly set candidates apart.

Smarter Job Searching: Key strategies for standing out

The modern job market can feel overwhelming, especially for candidates who are applying consistently but not hearing back. This guide, written by our own Colby Griffin, outlines mindset shifts, practical tactics, and common pitfalls to help job seekers move through the process more effectively.

Mindset That Drives Results

  • Your resume opens doors; your story wins offers.
  • Targeted applications beat high volume.
  • Silence often reflects timing or internal factors, not your ability.
  • Employers rarely hire someone who meets every requirement.
  • Candidates with similar resumes often see different results based on how clearly they explain their impact.
  • Define target roles, industries, and non-negotiables before applying.
  • Track progress like a project: applications, interviews, follow-ups, and offers.
  • Organized pipelines help reveal what’s working.

Resume & Application Essentials

  • Use quantified achievements, not task lists.
  • Keep formatting simple for applicant tracking systems.
  • Mirror the job description keywords truthfully.
  • Use cover letters selectively and strategically.

Online Presence Matters

  • Your LinkedIn profile should match your resume.
  • Clear headlines and work samples help demonstrate value.
  • Occasional engagement shows professional involvement.

Interview & Networking Fundamentals

  • Prepare concise STAR stories showing results and problem-solving.
  • Build connections through warm introductions and informational conversations.
  • Ask thoughtful interview questions and send prompt follow-ups.

The core message: success often comes down to strategy and preparation rather than perfection.

READ MORE HERE

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You’re invited to join us for the 6th Annual Trivia Night hosted by the Manchester Area Human Resource Association!

This event has been a blast year after year, and we’re excited that it’s now open to more than just HR professionals. It will be general trivia, so anyone can jump in and have fun.

🗓️ March 3rd, 2026

⏰ 6:00pm – 9:00pm

📍 Harpoon Brewery – Manchester, NH

All proceeds from the evening will benefit Waypoint, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening individuals and families across New Hampshire.

Register Here

AI’s Expanding Role in M&A strategy & execution

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the mergers and acquisitions landscape, influencing both why deals happen and how they’re executed. Experts told CFO Brew that organizations across industries face mounting pressure to adopt AI to improve productivity and profitability, prompting many to view acquisitions as a faster path to transformation than building technology internally.

According to Josh Putnam of EY-Parthenon, companies increasingly turn to M&A to accelerate technological advancement and stay competitive. This trend has been especially pronounced in the technology sector, where deal value rose 77% last year, driven in part by major AI-focused transactions such as Google’s $32 billion acquisition of Wiz, reported by Bain & Co. The largest announced deal of 2026 so far is the merger between SpaceX and xAI.

“It’s a question of, do you have a team and capital available to build something yourself, or do you need to go buy it? If a company opts for the M&A route, it’s tasked with accurately valuing the target AI company. I think that’s the problem we’re all trying to solve, is organic versus inorganic, and then if inorganic, [setting] reasonable valuation expectations.”

– Chris Miorin (COO and CFO of Apexanalytix)

While AI demand is a major driver of deal activity, Putnam emphasized that broader economic factors, such as asset appreciation, consumer spending, and investment trends, also contribute, alongside strategic motivations like reducing supply chain or geopolitical risk.

Beyond motivating acquisitions, AI is also transforming the dealmaking process itself.

Miorin explained that AI tools can assist with…

  • Early-stage strategy development
  • Rapidly build detailed deal pipelines
  • Automate outreach
  • Analyze target company data
  • Draft initial legal document edits

As a result, AI can now be integrated into nearly every stage of an inorganic growth strategy, streamlining processes that once required extensive manual effort and specialized expertise.

READ MORE HERE

When the market shifts,the partner you choose matters most.

KBW Financial