In the last quarter of 2023, 85% of candidates accepted the job offer they were given. By the end of 2025, that figure had fallen to 48%, according to Gartner research.
In other words, more than half of the people employers chose, interviewed, and made an offer to said no. So, what changed?
The explanation most hiring teams assume is money, but that is not always the case. What candidates look for in an employer has changed considerably since 2023. Financial security now matters more than it has in years, candidates expect to see the salary before they apply, and they want a clear route for progression.
Candidates are paying close attention to how they are treated during the hiring process itself. When someone with options turns a role down in 2026, they are usually making a judgement about the organisation rather than about the job.
Below, we look at each of these shifts in turn, what the latest research says about them, and what you can change in your brief and process to give your next vacancy the best chance of success.
Of job offers accepted by the end of 2025, down from 85% two years earlier
Of applicants would avoid applying for a job that did not list pay
Of candidates have dropped out of a process after finding the interview was AI-led
Sources: Gartner (offer acceptance); Totaljobs Salary Trends Report 2026 (pay in adverts); Greenhouse 2026 Candidate AI Interview Report (AI interviews).
Why Are Candidates Turning Down Offers They Would Have Accepted Two Years Ago?
The same Gartner research mentioned above found 30% of employees would rather remain in their current job because of economic volatility, even when offered something better. Highly skilled employees were 39% more likely than less-skilled colleagues to stay where they are.
The wider economy explains much of this. The war in Iran has pushed up energy and business costs, and businesses are still failing at a steady rate. For a candidate with a mortgage and a family to support, leaving a stable employer for one they know less about feels like a genuine risk.
That caution is not stopping people from looking. Even saying yes to an offer is no guarantee: a separate Gartner survey found that 35% of candidates who accepted an offer in early 2025 later backed out.
When hiring for critical roles, build a clear case for why changing jobs is worth the risk. The candidate has not necessarily gone off the role, they simply have not seen enough to justify leaving.
We can tell you what a senior candidate needs to see in your brief, your salary range and your process before they will consider leaving a job they feel safe in.
What Has Replaced Work-Life Balance at the Top of the List?
Financial security, by a clear margin, and it is not the same thing as a bigger salary.
Gartner surveyed 10,055 employees in May 2026 and found reward preferences had shifted towards stability and financial protection, ahead of both work-life balance and career growth.
The 15 most valued offerings were dominated by things that protect people over time: future base pay increases, long-term incentive targets, medical benefits, and flexible financial benefits.
Among the least valued were short-term incentives and individual wellness benefits.
Do You Lose Candidates by Leaving Out the Salary?
The Totaljobs Salary Trends Report 2026 found 80% of applicants would avoid applying for a job that did not list pay, while only 42% of HR job adverts included it.
There is a regulatory version of this arriving too. The UK government is consulting on a statutory requirement to include pay information in job adverts, or to provide it in writing before interview where no advert exists, with the consultation closing on 27 October 2026.
The UK is not the first to move in this direction. Under the EU Pay Transparency Directive, member states had until June 2026 to bring into national law, employers must share pay information with candidates before interview. The UK consultation suggests a similar approach may be on its way here. We wrote a full blog on the EU directive, which marks a significant step forward for transparency in hiring and for employees’ rights. You can read about it here.
What Does Your Hiring Process Say About How You Run the Business?
It gets treated as a sample of your management, because it is the only direct evidence a candidate has.
A vague specification gets read as a business that has not yet worked out what it wants, and four weeks of silence gets read as a preview of how you will treat someone once they are inside.
Companies may not be aware of the conclusions candidates are drawing from their behaviour during this time. Greenhouse’s 2026 Candidate AI Interview Report found that 30% of candidates have dropped out of a hiring process after discovering it involved an AI-led interview, and 82% of UK jobseekers interviewed by AI were not told beforehand.
So, when that offer finally comes, they choose the other company that moved quicker, opted for a human first approach and kept them engaged throughout.
How Much Does Career Development Still Matter?
It remains a dealbreaker, and it has taken on a specific new meaning.
Randstad found 53% of UK workers treat career development as a dealbreaker and 32% leave when they feel stuck, with 61% of digital specialists wanting clear progression set out in advance.
What Should You Change in the Brief?
Start with the parts of the role a candidate can verify before they accept.
How We Can Help
If you are hiring for a business-critical role in the next few months, your brief is where the offer is won or lost. The candidate you want is probably secure where they are, cautious about the economy, and weighing up whether you are worth the risk. Your brief, your process and your offer all need to answer that question for them.
97% of our clients hire from the first shortlist. That comes from agreeing the requirement, the salary range and the progression route with you before a single candidate is approached.