IrishJobs highlights salary transparency and skills-first hiring as 2026 recruitment priorities

E-recruitment platform IrishJobs has identified salary transparency and skills-first hiring as defining trends for 2026 in Ireland’s recruitment landscape.

Christopher Paye, country director of The Stepstone Group for Ireland, said salary transparency is “quickly” becoming a competitive differentiator, moving beyond compliance to become “a strategic advantage in talent acquisition”.

With the EU Pay Transparency Directive set to take effect in June 2026, Paye said employers can “harness the opportunity ahead to strengthen their employee brand and establish trust and credibility with job candidates”. Salary remains the top consideration for candidates when evaluating roles.

Employers are also shifting focus from credentials to capabilities. Nearly seven in ten businesses reported that finding candidates with the right skills is their biggest hiring challenge.

IrishJobs found 73 per cent of employers plan to prioritise skills-based hiring in 2026, using structured interviews or case studies. Paye noted this opens access to “more diverse high calibre talent from non-traditional pathways”.

AI adoption is rising: almost half of employers use AI to draft job adverts, and 35 per cent use AI for interview scheduling. Paye expects “more recruiters leverage AI tools and technologies in 2026,” adding that AI “is enabling recruiters to streamline administrative tasks, enhance efficiency and ultimately identify the right candidates for roles more quickly”.

Recruiters still face hurdles: screening poor-quality applications slows hiring, with ten weeks now the median time to fill roles. Optimising job descriptions, prioritising in-person interviews, and project tasks will be key.

With unemployment forecast under 5 per cent, 71 per cent of candidates would consider leaving roles that lack flexible working. Paye said employers combining competitive pay, transparency, and flexibility will secure the best talent.

Explore the full insights and research from IrishJobs for a detailed look at recruitment strategies in 2026 in the complete story.

Photo credits to Christopher Paye’s LinkedIn