From Doomjobbing to Quiet Cracking – where is hiring in 2026?

Working in the recruitment industry allows me to speak and engage with a wide range of people.  Everyday I speak with professionals seeking a new role, hiring managers on their requirements and In-house Recruitment and HR professionals who are sourcing and managing a range of processes. 

Since the start of this year, I have hear some very catchy references used by jobseekers and hirers to common behaviours, the list includes:

• Doomjobbing – Constantly applying for jobs or endlessly browsing vacancies out of anxiety rather than strategy.
• Career Cushioning – Building a backup plan while employed—upskilling, networking, updating CVs, speaking to recruiters “just in case.”
• Job Hugging – Staying put because the market feels uncertain, even when unhappy. The opposite of job hopping.
• Quiet Quitting – Doing exactly what’s required and no more.
• Resenteeism – Remaining in a job you dislike because you don’t feel confident leaving.
• Career Catfishing – Accepting a role and then never turning up, or disappearing during the hiring process.
• Quiet Cracking – Staying productive outwardly while internally feeling overwhelmed or burned out.

My nature means I always seek out evidence to support a position – in order words, are these terms of reference (which I do quite like) made up?

So using a number of online sources, I have tried to find evidence of UK jobseeker behaviour. The statistics that follow are relevant to graduate, semi-professional and professional level hiring. You do not need to look too hard to see why Doomjobbing, Resenteeism, Career Catfishing (my personal hate) etc, exist!

Let’s start by looking at the UK employment market in 2025-26, key characteristics include:

• Candidates becoming more selective despite a softer market.
• Hybrid/flexible working remaining a major attraction factor.
• Salary transparency becoming increasingly important.
• Graduate hiring becoming significantly more competitive.
• AI changing both candidate behaviour and employer screening processes.
• Professional candidates remaining predominantly passive and relationship-driven.
• Northern Ireland regional unemployment consistently low.

Now lets look at the effects on each of our groups.

Graduate Jobseeker Behaviour.

Graduate hiring demand has weakened

• Graduate hiring fell by 8% year-on-year according to the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) 2025 survey.
• Indeed data shows graduate job listings were down 33% from previous levels, creating the toughest graduate market since 2018.

Experience is now a major barrier

A recent UK study found:

• 37% of entry-level vacancies require prior experience
• The average requirement is 2.5 years’ experience
• 33% of graduates have been rejected due to lack of experience
• 20% avoid applying altogether when experience requirements are listed.

Graduate outcomes remain stronger than non-graduates

Despite tougher hiring conditions:

• 60% of graduates aged 21-30 work in high-skilled occupations
• Only 21.5% of non-graduates achieve the same outcome.

Graduate priorities are changing

Graduates increasingly value:

• Career progression
• Work-life balance
• Mental health support
• Flexible working
• Employer values and culture

Salary remains important but is no longer the sole decision factor despite the ongoing concerns from many on tuition fee repayments.

Recruitment implications

• Graduates are applying for significantly more roles than in previous years and competition for entry-level positions has intensified. The numbers game is on for graduates for sure.
• Internships, placements and transferable experience have become critical selling points for graduate candidates.
• Graduates remain highly employable long-term, but are facing a difficult entry point.

Semi-Professional Jobseekers

Flexibility is a top attraction factor

CV-Library’s Candidate Barometer found:

• Hybrid working is now the most desired working arrangement across all demographics.

Many candidates now rank flexibility alongside salary when evaluating opportunities.

Candidates are increasingly mobile-first internet users

UK candidate insight studies show growing use of:

• Mobile applications
• One-click apply functionality
• Simplified application processes

Purpose and culture matter more

Research indicates:

• 65% of workers want a role that provides a sense of purpose.

Recruitment implications

• When salary bands are similar, these are the deciding factors for this group:
• Hybrid working
• Reduced commuting
• Flexibility around hours
• The easier the application process, the higher the conversion rate. Long application journeys continue to drive abandonment.
• Roles that illustrate purpose gain higher response rates, particularly among younger professionals and Gen Z candidates.

Professional-Level Candidates

Most quality candidates remain passive

Industry research consistently shows professional-level hiring is dominated by passive candidates rather than active jobseekers. While active applications increase during economic uncertainty, senior professionals are still primarily moved by:

• Career progression
• Leadership opportunities
• Better management
• Greater flexibility
• Increased earning potential.

Salary transparency is becoming expected

Indeed data shows:

• Only 55% of UK job adverts disclose salary information, down from 65% a year earlier.

However candidate demand for salary transparency continues to increase.

Career progression remains a key trigger

Across professional populations, the strongest motivations for moving remain:

• Better salary
• Career advancement
• Improved work-life balance
• Better leadership/culture
• Greater flexibility.

Recruitment implications

Professionals are now very familiar with modern recruitment practices such as:

• Headhunting
• Relationship-led recruitment
• Talent pooling

Professional candidates are increasingly likely to ignore adverts with:

• No salary range
• Vague progression
• Generic benefits

Professional level candidates know they are in demand and know their value, they will not waste time applying to a role unless they feel their chance of success is high.

AI’s Impact on Jobseeker Behaviour

AI is now influencing candidate behaviour at all levels, from creating a CV to identifying ‘best-fit’ opportunities. The majority of employers are unable to keep pace with this changing landscape or effectively implement systems to keep pace. Evidence is showing:

• Graduate job volumes have reduced partly due to AI-driven efficiency.
• Candidates at all levels increasingly believe recruitment processes are overly automated.
• UK employers are increasingly using automated CV screening tools to speed up processes.
• HR Professionals are using AI to draft job adverts, specifications and even assist with workforce planning.

Recruitment implication

Candidates unsurprisingly and increasingly value:

• Direct recruiter contact (to be clear a human not a bot!)
• Human feedback at all stages
• Transparent hiring processes with clear timelines

In closing, some stats that again should provide food for thought to those of use involved in hiring.

Key Statistics anyone involved in hiring should know:

Statistic	Figure
Graduate hiring change	-8% YoY
Graduate job listings decline	-33%
Entry-level jobs requiring experience	37%
Graduates rejected for lack of experience	33%
Graduates avoiding applications due to experience requirements	20%
Graduates in high-skilled employment	60%
Non-graduates in high-skilled employment	21.5%
Workers seeking purpose in a role	65%
UK adverts displaying salary	55%
Foreign interest in UK jobs	6.1% (Indeed)