Recruiting isn’t just changing—it’s accelerating at breakneck speed. The trends we once called “emerging” have become the new reality, and talent leaders who cling to old playbooks risk falling behind. To help you stay ahead as we enter the new year, we’ve identified five trends that will define hiring in 2026.
Artificial intelligence is now embedded in every stage of recruiting: 87% of talent teams use AI for tasks like writing job descriptions and screening resumes, while nearly 70% of job seekers leverage AI to tailor applications. This surge creates new challenges, including an influx of AI-polished resumes that leave recruiters wondering if their candidates are qualified or really interested. Expect conversational AI and prompt-based job searches to become mainstream, forcing recruiters to rethink career sites and candidate engagement.
Economic uncertainty, tariffs, and stricter immigration policies are deepening familiar hiring challenges. “Standing up” jobs (physically demanding, on-site roles) remain hard to fill, while demand for “sitting down” (deck-based) positions is softening. At the same time, AI talent is in high demand, with compensation packages rivaling those of professional athletes. Recruiters
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