Our latest Candidate Insights Market Report - drawn from 9,500 surveyed candidates across 21,000 vacancies in 18 sectors - reveals layers of insight built for actionable strategy. Here are 10 more insights (not covered in our earlier blog) that every recruiter and hiring manager should know.
1. Accessibility tools boost completion - especially for Gen Z
While it’s common knowledge that accessibility matters, our report uncovers that 60% of applicants say visible accessibility features (like screen readers, contrast controls, text resizing) make them more likely to complete an application - and that climbs to 43% for Gen Z. It’s no longer a UX perk - it’s fundamental for capture and inclusion.
2. Application completion drops sharply after 15 minutes
Time is of the essence. Our data shows that completion rates can fall by around 50% when application forms exceed 15 minutes. This shows candidate friction that directly converts into lost hires.
3. A cooling market is amplifying candidate selectivity
Vacancies have decreased significantly - 17% year-on-year - meaning candidates now have more choice and higher expectations. Employers who invest in candidate experience now are setting themselves up for better long-term attraction and retention.
4. Strategic channel spend beats volume for hires
While platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and company websites lead in application volume, they’re not always the top-converting for hires. Our data emphasizes the need to allocate advertising spend based on hire conversion, not just clicks.
5. Increased granularity in DE&I tracking by identity groups
For the first time, our report dives deeper geographically and demographically: DE&I outcomes are broken down by ethnicity, disability, and gender, offering nuanced insight on where inclusion efforts are succeeding and where gaps remain.
6. Sector-level benchmarking offers clear performance insight
Our benchmarks include applications per vacancy, application-to-hire ratios, and mobile vs desktop usage across 18 sectors. This means you can compare performance, gauge health of your funnel, and prioritize digital UX where needed.
7. Labour market intelligence signals early careers and skills hot spots
Beyond candidate behavior, the report highlights growing or slowing sectors, technical skills demand, early-career trends, and experimentation in people strategy (like four-day-week pilots). These broader signals are useful for talent planning and future-proofing recruitment.
8. Evolving candidate motivations go beyond traditional perks
Today’s candidates are more intentional - they’re ranking motivators in more nuanced ways than before. While salary, benefits, and flexibility remain, emerging priorities like commuting tolerance and application relevance are gaining clarity in how candidates weigh roles.
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9. Candidate experience feedback reveals form fatigue
The new report includes qualitative data on perceived complexity, relevance, and form overload during applications. This layer of insight helps recruiters redesign forms for clarity and efficiency, keeping only what matters most.
10. A step-by-step action plan to reduce drop-off and improve hiring
This isn’t just data. The report delivers a practical action plan covering everything from your EVP and sourcing strategy to accessibility enhancements and analytics - so you can turn insights into immediate improvements.
Why these insights matter
Taken together, these ten revelations move beyond high-level trends to illuminate how thoughtful adjustments - speed, accessibility, targeted spend, and identity-aware inclusion - can transform your candidate experience into a competitive advantage.
What to do next
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Download the full Candidate Insights Market Report for the full dataset, benchmarks, and action playbook.
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Map these insights against your current recruitment strategy - from job ad content to channel spend.
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Start with quick wins: shorten applications, embed accessibility, and test messaging for values beyond pay.
Armed with these ten deeper insights plus the full playbook in the report, you’ll lead recruitment that’s smart, intentional, and exactly aligned with what candidates expect right now.
Quick benchmarks to sanity-check your funnel
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Share of applications by origin: external vs internal vs agency, with sector spreads to show where agencies still play a role
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Number of applications per vacancy and application-to-hire ratios by sector, so you can see if your conversion is healthy or heavy-going
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Mobile vs desktop usage across 18 sectors to prioritise where to optimise first
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FAQs
What is the Candidate Insights Market Report?
A data-rich view of UK hiring, combining our ATS data, external labour market sources and a 9,500-respondent candidate survey, with benchmarks and a practical playbook.
Which sectors are covered?
Eighteen sectors from health and social care to professional services, retail and utilities, with application and hire ratios to compare performance.
Is there a webinar where I can ask questions?
Yes - join our live session, Turning insights into hires, on Thursday 9 October 2025, 10:00–11:00. We’ll unpack the findings and answer questions.
Save my webinar seat • Download the report