CV-Library Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026

Each year, CV-Library surveys jobseekers and recruiters alike to shed light on what’s happening in the UK recruitment market and how candidate confidence, motivations and expectations are evolving. The latest Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026 from CV-Library explores the changing behaviours shaping the hiring landscape and what they mean for employers and recruitment professionals.

The last few years have made these reports much more volatile. We’ve had a continually tough market, which has impacted candidate confidence in the job search. We’ve seen changes in return-to-office policies, alongside shifting expectations from candidates and businesses about where people should work. And, of course, we’ve had the explosion of AI, bringing its own impact on the market and the hiring process.

CV-Library’s 2026 research looks at these developments and how they are influencing candidate behaviour, including differences across demographic and career-stage groups. The findings cover everything from salary transparency and workplace preferences to application processes, candidate ghosting and the growing influence of AI on recruitment.

One thing is clear: the research points to an emerging trust gap on both sides of the hiring equation. Candidates and employers are experiencing the recruitment process differently, and closing that gap will require greater transparency, communication and understanding from both sides.