CV-Library’s Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026 surveyed 1,043 candidates, and several of its findings describe habits that damage your own chances. We have talked about AI in CVs for some time, and the numbers suggest the message needs repeating

CV-Library’s Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026 surveyed 1,043 candidates and 233 recruiters and employers in August. Its central finding is a trust gap: both sides look at the same hiring process and see something different, and several of those differences are costing businesses good hires.

The UK government is consulting on whether employers should be required to publish salary information in job adverts. The consultation closes on 27 October 2026, so nothing is law yet, but the direction is clear.

September has a way of sharpening the mind. Holidays are over, the kids are back at school, businesses get back into gear, and a lot of people start thinking: I really do not want to be doing this job by Christmas.

This summer is a genuinely difficult one for job seekers across Dorset, Hampshire and further afield. Hiring has slowed, clients are taking longer to make decisions, and the days of applying to a handful of roles and fielding three offers are, for now, behind us. That does not mean good candidates go unnoticed. It means the approach has to change, and I want to tell you plainly what I am seeing work and what is not.

AI-generated CVs have gone from being unusual to being the norm in a relatively short period of time

Is your CV being read by a human... probably not. 78% of UK employers now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and these systems are getting increasingly sophisticated. That means before a recruiter or hiring manager ever sets eyes on your CV, an algorithm has already scanned it, scored it, and decided whether you make the cut.

There is a lot of noise in the market right now, and most of it is not particularly helpful if you are a business owner trying to get the right person into the right seat. So let me cut through it and tell you what we are actually seeing.

if you've been putting off filling that vacancy, this is the update that should make you pick up the phone today. Stephen Simpson's recent article for HR Review sets out the changes coming through the Employment Rights Act 2025, and the headline for any business owner is this: the qualifying period for unfair dismissal drops from two years to six months.

The UK job market has shifted, and if you're looking for a permanent role this year, you need to shift with it. This is the toughest market I've seen in a long time, and the candidates who succeed are the ones who face that with honesty and prepare accordingly.

Your job description matters more than a lot of employers give it credit for. It is the first impression a candidate gets of your business, your culture, and the opportunity itself. If you get it wrong, you will either attract the wrong people or put the best ones off entirely. Time and again, we see vague job adverts with long wish lists, no salary information, and nothing about company culture or employee benefits. Then the employer wonders why the application quality is poor!

You have had a great interview. You walked out feeling confident. Then... nothing. Days pass. Your inbox stays empty. Does that sound familiar?