What I Learned at the Job Boards Connect Conference and What It Means for Your Job Search

Last week, I attended the Job Boards Connect conference in London – an event for professionals and leaders who work in the job board/recruitment industry. I left with some interesting insights that might be useful for anyone who is actively (or passively) job seeking.

1. AI is prevalent, but maybe not as much as you feared

One eye-opening stat was that 26% of employers report using AI in their recruitment process. That’s significant, but also a lot lower than I and perhaps many job seekers might have assumed. So, what does this mean?

AI tools are being utilised for screening, matching, and maybe even initial outreach, but the majority of hiring processes are still not dominated by AI alone.

I’m often explaining to senior job seekers that at the top end of the market, CVs/resumes are usually landing in headhunters’ inboxes and being screened by a human. There’s more automated intervention for less senior roles, but AI and ATS are a trifle overplayed.

This means you’ve got more control than you might assume – human judgment still matters. One particular speaker (Alex Chukovski) addressed what this means for the future and spoke about the fears that AI would destroy jobs en masse. His view is that it will change what jobs are available rather than simply eliminate opportunities.

My take is that employers will redeploy staff into roles where they add value, not just add cost. In other words, the ‘profit-centre’ jobs (where you have impact) will matter more.

2. What job-seeker activity is telling us

There’s been a reported 26% reduction in job seeker activity. This implies that many people in ‘safe’ jobs have decided not to risk a move in this uncertain market. When vacancy levels are falling and competition is high, staying put seems less risky.

3. Changing job volumes – what the data shows

The latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) / KPMG “Report on Jobs” shows that overall job vacancies across the UK continue to fall markedly. The pace of the fall has eased slightly in recent months, which may sound positive, but a word of caution – when you’ve had 3 years of declining vacancies, you’ll inevitably reach a plateau simply because there are fewer jobs to lose. Fewer openings mean smaller drops.

Employers are cautious, budgets are tight, and pay inflation is stagnating. In short, the job market is still challenging, and the days of quick wins are behind us. Finding a job really is a full-time job.

4. The flood of applications & the CV problem

Another key point from the conference is that some job openings (especially remote roles) are now attracting thousands of applicants. I heard accounts of job seekers having applied for 3,000 jobs to get only a handful of interviews. It was reported that it’s taking 4-8 months to secure something.

So why is it so tough (despite the obvious lack of jobs and tons of job seekers)? A big factor is the use of AI and mass-application tools by job seekers. The one-click, spray your CV everywhere strategy is causing mayhem.

Employers are drowning in identical CVs. They read as though they were all written by the same tool (or person). Recruitment decision makers are up in arms about getting hundreds of CVs, all in the same format, same wording, with the same tone and style. Tailoring matters, and if every application looks the same, no one stands out.

5. What this means for job-seekers in 2025/26

If you’re actively looking (or thinking of it), here’s how to position yourself:

Be multi-faceted and flexible. In a changing world, being a one-trick pony may limit you. Generalists or hybrid skills candidates (someone who can shift between tasks/roles) could have the edge (in certain scenarios).

Be AI-enabled, not a tech-luddite. Understand enough of what’s happening to speak the language and show you can work with AI/tools, not be replaced by them.

Don’t rely on spray-applications. Tailor your CV/resume for each opportunity. Show how you add value, especially in the ‘profit-centre’ sense (how you deliver outcomes, not just what you did). It’s about ability as much as it is about skills and experience.

Invest time in your personal brand and visibility (especially on LinkedIn). When the competition is high, being visible and differentiated counts.

Be realistic about the timeframes and process. If your job search is longer and tougher, plan accordingly (financially, mentally, and career-wise).

In short

The job market is tougher. What used to work (post-COVID) doesn’t necessarily work now. If you’re serious about your next role, treat it like a project and apply rigour, strategy, and differentiation. A decent CV/resume template or an AI-generated one isn’t going to cut it when every applicant is using the same tools.

Want to know how job-market ready you really are?

I’m offering a FREE confidential 1-2-1 review of:

◽ Your personal brand and positioning

◽ Your job-seeker value proposition

◽ Your CV/resume, benchmarked against 2025 best practice

◽ Your LinkedIn profile and visibility

◽ Your LinkedIn authority score (your SSI)

◽ AI detection scan – will your CV/resume be rejected due to AI?

If you’d like to schedule one you can request one here: https://cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk