Reporting Period: This report covers data from February 2026 and is published as the March 2026 Recruitment Trends Snapshot.
March 2026 marks a return to growth following February’s slowdown. Job postings increased by +24%, applications rose by +7%, and placements also climbed by +7%. Despite this, average applications per job dipped slightly to 16 (-1), suggesting that while activity is increasing, candidate competition has eased slightly.
Market sentiment has shifted back to Improving, indicating renewed confidence from both recruiters and candidates.
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Monthly Stats (vs February 2026)
- Jobs Posted: +24%
- Applications: +7%
- Average Applications per Job: 16 (-1)
- Placements: +7%
Demand vs Candidate Availability
This section highlights where hiring demand is strongest and where candidate competition is highest.
The top industries by jobs posted were:
- Education (29%)
- Health & Nursing (23%)
- Construction (8%)
- Manufacturing (7%)
- IT & Internet (7%)
The industries with the highest average applications per job were:
- Retail & Wholesale (59)
- Catering & Hospitality (59)
- Accountancy (31)
- Human Resources (24)
- Manufacturing (24)
Oversupplied Roles: Retail and Hospitality continue to attract the highest levels of candidate activity, with both sectors reaching 59 applications per job, indicating strong competition.
Sustained Demand Sectors: Education and Health & Nursing remain dominant in job postings but are absent from the most competitive sectors, reinforcing ongoing candidate shortages.
Key Takeaways
Key insights from March’s recruitment data highlight where demand is rising and where candidate shortages remain most acute.
- Recruitment activity has recovered across all key metrics after February’s decline.
- The increase in placements (+7%) suggests hiring processes are stabilising again.
- Candidate competition has slightly eased, with average applications per job falling to 16.
- Retail and Hospitality remain highly competitive, while Education and Healthcare continue to face supply challenges.
