Tools will help to streamline the hiring process
AI is enabling recruiters to identify the right candidates for roles more quickly. Photo: Getty
Artificial intelligence will play a bigger role for Irish employers recruiting staff during 2026 as they increasingly look to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the hiring process, it has been predicted.
Christopher Paye, country director of The Stepstone Group for Ireland with responsibility for recruitment site IrishJobs, thinks that many companies will move from a phase of AI experimentation in the recruitment process to formal enterprise strategy and implementation.
“With more than half of recruiters struggling with time-intensive manual and administrative tasks, I expect to see more recruiters leverage AI tools and technologies,” he said.
“From drafting job adverts to scheduling interviews, AI is enabling recruiters to streamline administrative tasks, enhance efficiency and ultimately identify the right candidates for roles more quickly.”
He said 73pc of employers will prioritise skills-based hiring during 2026, adding that the majority will be using either structured interviews or case studies to assess candidate skills.
By switching the hiring focus from credentials to capabilities, employers can expand talent pools and access more diverse, high-calibre talent from what Mr Paye said are non-traditional pathways. He said that focus on capability comes as employers continue to tackle a competitive jobs market.
Research from IrishJobs has shown that for almost 70pc of businesses finding candidates with the right skills is the biggest hiring challenge they face.
Growing skills requirements in many sectors is also intensifying that difficulty.
The unemployment rate is expected to remain at about 4.6pc in Ireland during 2026, meaning the country is effectively at full employment.
IrishJobs data shows that with that backdrop, it is now taking up to 10 weeks to complete a successful hiring process. The firm said more candidates are now using AI to develop applications for jobs.
That has left recruiters struggling to process a growing number of poor-quality applications and trying to filter out candidates who are not a fit.
“The solution for employers will lie in adapting current hiring processes to focus on higher quality applications. Optimising job descriptions, prioritising in-person interviews, and setting project tasks all have a part to play in strengthening the quality of candidate applications in 2026,” said Mr Paye.
Flexible opportunities continue to be important for job seekers, despite a push by some employers for a return to the office. IrishJobs said it remains a dealbreaker for candidates balancing home responsibilities with long commutes.
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