68% of HR candidates are more likely to apply for skills-based roles, higher than the national average66% of HR hiring managers are adopting skills-based hiringShift to skills-based hiring influenced by AI: 81% of HR candidates and 70% of HR hiring managers are using AI in the recruitment process4th June 2026, London: The UK hiring landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift from credentials to capabilities, as organisations and candidates increasingly prioritise skills over traditional qualifications. New research from Michael Page’s 2026 Talent Trends report shows this shift is particularly pronounced among HR professionals, responsible for both shaping hiring strategies and participating in them, with 68% more likely to apply for roles defined by skills – above the national average. This shift comes during a pivotal time for the profession. AI is now embedded on both sides of the hiring process, used by 81% of HR candidates and 70% of HR hiring managers. As a result, there is a growing premium on real human capability – for businesses, the ability to identify the skills they genuinely need, and for candidates, a process that accurately reflects what they can do in a sea of AI-generated applications. HR candidates drive demand for skills-based hiring as employers see clear value While 66% of HR hiring managers have adopted a skills-based approach, appetite for skills-based hiring among HR candidates sits ten percentage points (68%) above the national average (58%), highlighting an opportunity for businesses to attract top HR talent via a skills-focused process. Among those already doing so, the benefits are clear: 99% of HR hiring managers report clear advantages. Reducing bias is the most widely cited benefit (51%), noticeably higher than the national average (44%), followed by improved identification of candidate capabilities (47%). Together, these reflect a growing emphasis on what people can do, rather than where they’ve worked. This shift is unfolding against a backdrop of rising employment costs, cautious candidate movement, and continued economic uncertainty – an environment where the margin for error on hiring decisions is smaller, and assessing demonstrable capability has clear long-term commercial value.AI use is embedded, reinforcing the need for human-led assessmentAlongside the skills-based shift, generative AI has become a fixture of day-to-day HR work. 82% of HR professionals now use GenAI in their role – a threefold increase from 27% in 2024. Within the recruitment process, 70% of HR hiring managers report using AI tools, most commonly to draft or improve job descriptions (35%) and generate or refine interview questions (33%).AI is just as prevalent among candidates, with 81% of HR professionals saying they’ve used AI when applying for roles, whether to summarise their achievements (44%), tailor applications (43%), or optimise their written content (43%).As a result, almost a quarter of HR hiring managers (23%) say they now struggle to determine whether an application has been AI-assisted. In response, many organisations are turning to skills-based hiring to assess real-world capability more directly, while candidates are doing the same to stand out against a backdrop of AI-generated applications.Doug Rode, Michael Page regional managing director, UK and Ireland, says:"In today’s market, hiring decisions are under considerable scrutiny. Employers are operating with tighter budgets and less room for error, while also adapting to a recruitment process that’s being shaped by AI. “Within HR, we’re seeing particularly strong demand for a skills-based approach. Candidates are more likely to apply for roles that are clearly defined by skills, reflecting a shift in how professionals want to present their experience, and be assessed. “That puts HR in a unique position – both shaping how hiring is done and experiencing these changes first-hand. As applications become easier to produce and harder to evaluate, understanding what someone can actually do is becoming far more important than relying on job titles or career history alone. “For employers, that creates a clear opportunity. Those that take a more skills-based approach will be better placed to attract the right HR talent.” To explore more insights from Michael Page's 2026 Talent Trends report, click here.-Ends-About Michael PageMichael Page is one of the world’s best-known and most respected recruitment consultancies. We put people into jobs and build careers. We are customer-led, people-powered and insight driven. With operations in 36 countries, Michael Page provides recruitment services and career opportunities at a local, regional, and global level.Methodology All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from an online survey conducted by Michael Page and UNLIMITED (now part of Accenture Song).Talent Trends 2026 is a 20-minute, quantitative online survey, conducted by UNLIMITED on behalf of Michael Page between 5th November 2025 and 17th December 2025.A total of 59,820 surveys were completed with candidates of which 9,217 were also clients. This includes 47,727 through Michael Page’s database, and a further 12,093 via a research panel partner.Data has been weighted by country to the known proportion of each country based on Michael Page's database.
