UK Job Market News
UK unemployment at 5.0% — ONS, January–March 2026 705,000 UK vacancies — the lowest level since 2021 (ONS) 2.5 jobseekers for every live vacancy — up from 2.1 a year ago (ONS) Employers receive 280 applications per advertised role on average (Tribepad) Youth unemployment at 14.7% — ONS, June 2026 Graduate hiring down 15% year-on-year — entry-level competition at its highest since 2009 67% of UK recruiters now using AI in screening or sourcing — CIPD 2025 Vacancies falling in 13 of 18 industry sectors (ONS)

DHM Digital Services

Premium career
coaching. Made
affordable.

The recruitment industry is broken. Good people are being filtered out every day by systems they don't understand and processes they can't see. DHM helps you navigate all of it.

Start with your CV — £80 + VAT Step 1 of the DHM Journey · Delivered in 2 working days

The Problem

The rules changed.
Most job seekers haven't been told.

The job market of 2026 looks nothing like the one most professionals planned for. The tools that worked five years ago are now liabilities. Here is what the data actually shows.

The market right now

280
Average applications per role
▲ 124% since 2022
90%+
Large employers screen with ATS first
Before any human review
2.5x
Jobseekers per vacancy
▲ 32% vs 2024
56
Days — average hiring process
Your application must survive every stage

What jobseekers are actually experiencing

75%
Of CVs filtered out before a human ever sees them
ATS screening — not a recruiter — decides your fate
70%
Of applicants receive an automated rejection
Often within minutes, before any review
60%
Of candidates are ghosted after applying
No response. No feedback. No explanation.
3%
Average CV-to-interview conversion rate
A tailored CV can double or triple this

Source: ONS Labour Market Statistics Q1 2026 · KPMG / REC Report on Jobs May 2026 · Jobscan UK Survey 2024 · CIPD Recruitment Trends Report 2025 · Reed UK Time-to-Hire Report 2025 · JobLabs UK Job Search Statistics 2026

The DHM Journey — The Solution

One system. Built around how hiring actually works.

Each service targets a specific stage of the process. Together they give you the best possible chance from the first screen to the final round. Start wherever you are — or work through them in order.

Every service is built on the same expert lens — tailored to your career, your goals, your situation. Not a template applied to everyone.

Start with your CV — £80 + VAT Step 1 of 4 · Delivered in 2 working days

Digital Services

Four services. Expert-built. Delivered to your inbox.

Done-for-you. Delivered to your inbox. Built on the kind of senior HR expertise that most professionals never get access to — until now.

Step 01 of 04

Live Now

CV Optimisation.

Before a hiring manager reads your CV, software decides whether they ever will. DHM optimises for both filters — ATS and human — in one document. Built on deep knowledge of how Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, and every major ATS platform actually scores your application.

£80 + VAT · Delivered in 2 working days

Optimise My CV

Step 02 of 04

Waitlist Open

LinkedIn Optimisation.

LinkedIn’s AI now sources candidates for recruiters automatically — before roles are even advertised. Your profile needs to be findable, credible, and compelling to the algorithm and the person reviewing it. This is your CV’s digital twin, optimised end-to-end.

Pricing on launch · 10% off for waitlist

Join the Waitlist

Step 03 of 04

Waitlist Open

Job Search Strategy.

Most job searches fail before they start. A done-for-you strategy report that shows you exactly which roles to target, how to access the 70% of jobs that are never advertised, and how to position yourself so your application gets seen — especially if your career is complex, non-linear, or has gaps.

Pricing on launch · 10% off for waitlist

Join the Waitlist

Step 04 of 04

Waitlist Open

Interview Preparation.

Generic interview prep doesn’t work. Role-specific preparation that covers the questions you will actually be asked, the frameworks to answer them well, and the things that hiring managers notice that candidates never think to prepare for. Built on experience interviewing at every level, across every sector.

Pricing on launch · 10% off for waitlist

Join the Waitlist

Why DHM

Advice from someone who has made hiring decisions — not just read about them.

Both sides of the table

Brendan has been the candidate and the decision-maker — interviewing tens of thousands of people as a Chief People Officer, and navigating his own career moves. Every DHM service is built on that dual perspective.

Deep ATS expertise

25 years designing, buying, and operating ATS platforms at scale. Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS — we know how they score, and how to make yours win.

Premium coaching. Affordable price.

The quality of advice that has historically been the preserve of executive coaching engagements — delivered as a digital service, at a price that works for professionals at every stage of their career.

Brendan Johns — Founder, Dear Hiring Manager

Built by Brendan Johns

Former Chief People Officer. Now on your side.

I spent 25 years as a Senior HR Professional — the last role as a Chief People Officer for global businesses across APAC, EMEA, the UK, and North America. I have set up Talent Acquisition functions from scratch, worked with every major ATS platform, trained hiring managers, and personally interviewed tens of thousands of candidates at every level across almost every industry.

I built DHM because I kept seeing the same thing: talented people being filtered out before a human ever saw their name — not because they were wrong for the role, but because their CV was written without knowing how the system actually works. I know how the system works.

25+

Years in senior HR roles

10,000+

Candidates interviewed

CPO

Last corporate role

Every Monday

The Monday Brief

The job market moves fast. The Monday Brief lands every Monday — written by Brendan Johns, former Chief People Officer, so you always know what is actually happening and what it means for your search.

  • What is moving in the UK job market this week
  • Industries and companies actively hiring
  • News and trends that affect your job search
  • A direct editorial from Brendan on what it all means for you

Free. Unsubscribe any time. No sales pitch — just signal.

Subscribe to The Monday Brief

Ready to start?

Start with your CV.
Everything else follows.

Step 1 of the DHM Journey. Delivered in 2 working days. Takes around 15 minutes to complete the form.