By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
If you’re an information worker under 50 with a college degree, you’ve probably spent your entire career believing that your “intellectual capital” is your armor. You think of automation as a problem on the factory floor, not in the corner office or on Zoom calls.
You are wrong.
As 2026 approaches, these numbers are no longer theoretical. Artificial intelligence is not just about “augmenting” work; It’s eating away at the task of justifying your salary in the past. We are witnessing a white-collar carnage, with entry-level jobs disappearing and middle managers being squeezed. If your job involves “processing,” “analyzing,” or “summarizing,” you’re standing on melting ice.
The Myth of Occupational Immunity
For years, the “big game” was climbing the ladder. But ladders are being replaced by models that don’t require a 401(k) or lunch break. If you’re under 50, you still have at least 15 to 20 years of “working” time left. Do you really think your current role (in its current form) will still be around in 2035?
The “no nonsense” reality is that many of you are currently helping a system that is learning how to help itself. Companies are already using AI to do grunt work such as research, legal discovery, accounting and even software development. They don’t just want you to be more productive; They wanted to see how many people actually needed to keep the lights on.
Please be aware of this when using artificial intelligence
Step 1: Get in when the time is right
If you are currently unemployed or feeling a “vibe shift” at your current company, your first priority is Find your seat before the music stops. Don’t wait for the perfect role. In the contracting market, “perfect” is the enemy of “pay.” You need a base of operations.
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Targeting the “human” gap: Focus on roles that require high-stakes negotiation, complex empathy, or “tacit knowledge”—the kind of judgment that comes from years of seeing things go wrong. AI is good at “book learning” but terrible at office politics and navigating the human ego.
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Correct your narrative: Stop talking about your ability to “manage data.” Talk about your ability to solve problems that data cannot explain.
Step 2: Build the exit ramp
Once you’ve secured the bag, don’t get comfortable. Complacency in 2026 is a career death sentence. You need to think of your current job as a subsidized transition period.
When you get your paycheck, you have to look for your Exit ramp. This is not just another job; this is not just another job. It’s about moving to working models that artificial intelligence cannot easily replicate.
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Equity and salary: Look for opportunities where you have an output and don’t just get paid for the time you put in.
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“Physical” pivot: It may sound counterintuitive to the college-educated elite, but roles with real-world relevance—professional trade, high-end hospitality, complex logistics, or on-site healthcare—have a much longer shelf life than “digital content strategist.”
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The transformation of individual entrepreneurs: Use your current corporate access to build a network that supports you as a professional advisor. As large companies complete their “AI-driven reorganization,” they will still need humans to sort out the chaos AI creates. Be that person.
bottom line
The Big Game Hunter perspective is simple: Employers hire because they have a problem. Currently, many employers view “expensive labor” as their biggest problem.
If you’re under 50, you can’t afford to defend for the next two decades. Find a job now to stabilize your finances, but keep your eye on the door. Our goal is not to retire from our current company; Get out on your own terms before the algorithm decides you’re an “unnecessary expense.”
Be the hunter, not the prey.
Ⓒ Big Game Hunters, Asheville, NC 2026
About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
People hire “Big Game Hunter” Jeff Altman to provide no-nonsense job coaching and career advice around the world because he makes your job search and career success easier.
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