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.
The AI polish problem
Some 70% of candidates say widespread AI use makes it harder to stand out, and 69% of recruiters say AI-generated applications make strong candidates harder to identify. When everyone submits the same polished, generic wording, nobody is memorable. We read every CV by hand, and we can tell when AI has written it. Your CV then reaches the client with our doubts attached, and 36% of recruiters say they trust CVs less than they did a year ago. Use AI to check spelling and tidy the structure if you wish, but the achievements, figures and voice must be yours.
Writing for a machine
Around 29% of candidates have changed a CV because they thought AI might screen it, and 17% have decided against applying for that reason. Only 29% of recruiters use AI to screen at all. You may be rewriting your CV for a reader who does not exist, or skipping roles you could have won.
Ghosting works both ways
Some 68% of candidates say they have been ghosted after applying, and that frustration is fair. Yet among employed candidates open to a move, only 48% say they always reply after an interview or offer, and 38% admit to ghosting. Hiring managers talk to each other, and in Dorset and Hampshire the circles are small. A candidate who disappears is remembered when the next role comes up.
Accepting an offer and carrying on looking
Over half of candidates (52%) would accept an offer and continue searching, up from 24% last year, and 54% would use a competing offer to negotiate or already have. Negotiating is reasonable when you mean it. Accepting a role while hunting for another risks a withdrawn offer, a damaged reputation with the employer and with us, and a short stay on your CV. If you want to stay in the market, tell us before you accept.
What to do now
- Write your own CV, with real examples and figures.
- Finish applications for roles you want, and tell us if a process is putting you off.
- Reply to every interview request and every outcome, even a decline.
- Decide before accepting an offer whether you will take it.