2026 Talent Pulse

We asked professionals on LinkedIn within IT, EDI, Engineering, Accounting, Finance, HR, Administration, Sales, Marketing, and more to participate in our 2026 Talent Pulse Survey to capture a real-time pulse of where professionals are searching for work, which tools they’re using, how responsive employers are being, and what truly matters when it comes time to hit "apply."

Questions asked:

• What type of work are you currently looking for?
• What field are you searching in?
• How long have you been actively job searching?
• Which of the following platforms have you used to search for jobs?
• Which platform do you use MOST often?
• If you applied for a job, how long did it take for you to receive feedback?
• If you received feedback, how did you receive it?
• Have you worked with a staffing agency before?
• If you have worked with a staffing agency, how did you find it?
• What matters MOST to you when choosing where to apply?
• What’s your BIGGEST frustration with job searching right now?

We collected more than 700+ responses over the course of July.

For employers competing for talent, understanding these priorities can help create opportunities that stand out – and give qualified candidates a reason not only to apply, but to choose your opportunity over another.