Two-Thirds of UK Organizations Adopt Skills-Based Hiring as AI Floods Recruiters With 140 Applications
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Sep 30
Two-Thirds of UK Organizations Adopt Skills-Based Hiring as AI Floods Recruiters With 140 Applications
2 articles · Updated · CNBC · Sep 30
Summary
Two-thirds of U.K. organizations now use skills-based hiring, with employers increasingly judging candidates through direct assessments rather than CVs, according to 2026 research from Michael Page.
140 applications per graduate vacancy in 2025 — the highest in three decades — have intensified the shift, as AI can rapidly tailor resumes and cover letters to almost any role.
Taktile and PMG say they now test judgment, communication and real-world problem-solving through practical exercises, customer-facing scenarios and questions about how candidates are using AI tools.
Nearly 60% of candidates said they were more likely to apply for roles defined by skills, while recruiters argue the approach can surface nontraditional talent and reduce bias embedded in resumes and conventional interviews.
Hiring leaders still want humans making final decisions, but see AI as better suited to screening at scale as work changes faster and traditional career histories reveal less about future performance.