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The brutal hunt for qualified candidates
+IT staffing rebounds & AI transformation reality check
Keith Weightman
January 12, 2026
In partnership with
Signal Summary: Recruiters can’t find qualified candidates, IT staffing shows signs of life, and most companies are faking AI transformation. Meanwhile, a candidate gets divine guidance on an offer, then ghosts God for a counteroffer.
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All images hand-drawn with an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and Procreate.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK ↓
SIGNAL 1
Finding qualified talent just got brutally harder
Recruiters are struggling harder than a cat trying to use a touchscreen.
The damage:
78% of recruiters say finding qualified candidates is harder than before
91% are drowning in unqualified applicants (resume spam has reached peak chaos)
Top barriers: lack of required skills (53%), unrealistic salary expectations (44%), and location restrictions (38%)
The twist: Companies want unicorns while offering donkey wages. Recruiters are stuck playing mediator between fantasy job descriptions and reality.
Signal → Strategy: Build skill assessment partnerships immediately. Package pre-vetted candidate pools with verified certifications that short-circuit the qualification nightmare.
SIGNAL 2
IT staffing indicator climbs for first time since 2022
The IT market just showed a pulse after flatlining for two years.
Breaking: Bullhorn's IT Staffing Indicator rose to 97.5 in December, up from 95.4 in September. First quarterly increase since Q4 2022. Translation: IT staffing might not be dead after all.
Why this matters:
New job orders increased 4% (companies are finally hiring again)
Placements up 2% (candidates are actually accepting offers)
Still 10 points below pre-COVID peak (we're recovering, not partying)
Signal → Strategy: Target mid-market IT companies expanding development teams now before competitors wake up. Focus on cloud migration, cybersecurity, and AI implementation roles where demand is spiking fastest.
Go deeper: Bullhorn IT Staffing Indicator Report
SIGNAL 3
Companies fake AI transformation harder than gym attendance
Most "AI transformations" are basically slapping ChatGPT on your website and calling it innovation.
The disconnect:
Companies treat AI like bolt-on software instead of operational redesign
Real AI transformation requires rebuilding workflows, not buying tools
Legacy firms struggle because they're trying to renovate while living in the house
What actually works: Start with one workflow (like candidate screening), rebuild it completely around AI capabilities, measure the hell out of results, then expand. Anything else is expensive theater.
Signal → Strategy: Research and evaluate your current vendors’ innate AI capabilities. If they don’t have any, evaluate alternatives. At this point, you’re already 6-12+ behind your competitors who have already started.
Go deeper: HR Executive - AI Transformation Strategy
RECRUITING CONFESSIONAL
When God’s Plan Meets Counteroffer Season
Recruiting Confessional A weekly series featuring anonymous stories from recruiting and staffing professionals. Submit yours here.
The Setup: Candidate says he needs to "pray on it" before accepting the job offer. Calls Monday morning all pumped up.
The Divine Guidance: "I prayed on it and God told me to take the job! My wife and I are so excited. God really helped me decide." Gives notice that same day. Everything's golden.
The Plot Twist: Next day, calls back. His company made a counteroffer for basically the same money. He's staying. I asked, "So you're going against God's word? God was wrong? You said you prayed on it." He started yelling and hung up on me. Haven't heard from him since.
Have a story? Submit it here
WEEKLY POLL
What's your biggest challenge finding qualified candidates right now? |
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SHARE THE SIGNALS
3 people you should share these signals with:
Your recruiter who's drowning in unqualified applicants and needs validation
That IT staffing friend who's been waiting for the market to recover since 2022
Your boss who thinks "AI transformation" means buying LinkedIn Recruiter Premium