Finding qualified candidates remains a challenge for many organizations. ManpowerGroup’s 2026 Talent Shortage Survey, based on more than 39,000 employers across 41 countries, found that 72% reported difficulty filling roles. This business research does not mean that 72% specifically cannot find “qualified candidates”; it shows that hiring difficulty remains widespread. The challenge often combines changing skill needs, incomplete candidate information, and competition for critical capabilities.
1. The Widening Skill Gap
Technology and AI continue to change how work is performed. In the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report, employers estimated that 44% of workers’ skills would be disrupted over the following five years. This business research is best read as a sign of changing skill requirements, not as evidence that every employee must replace 44% of their skills.
As roles evolve, employers need to separate capabilities that are essential on day one from those that can be developed after hiring. ManpowerGroup’s 2026 survey also identified AI-related capabilities as the hardest skills to find globally. For HR leaders, business research therefore points to clearer role requirements, reskilling, and greater attention to learning potential.
2. CVs Do Not Always Show Candidate Quality
Resumes and interviews remain useful, but neither provides the full picture. Forbes reported on a ResumeLab survey of 1,914 participants in which 70% said they had lied on a resume and 80% said they had lied during a job interview. Because these are self-reported findings, they should not be generalized to all workers. Instead, this business research reinforces the value of verification, structured interviews, and consistent job-related criteria. A resume summarizes selected experience and achievements, but may not fully reveal how quickly someone learns, what motivates them, or how their behavioral tendencies align with a role. Relevant assessment data can add another source of evidence alongside other information.
3. Increasing Competition for Talent
Employers are not only competing for people; they are competing for specific capabilities. With AI skills now among the hardest to find globally, organizations may be targeting similar talent pools at the same time. Taken together, the business research suggests that hiring difficulty can reflect a mismatch between available capabilities and employer needs, rather than a complete absence of talent. Organizations can respond by widening talent pools, investing in development, and reviewing which requirements are truly essential.
How Can Companies Overcome This Challenge?
A practical lesson from this business research is to define job requirements clearly and combine multiple sources of evidence. Deloitte describes personality assessments as tools that can help leaders understand themselves, peers, and direct reports, showing the broader value of structured personality insight at work.
In hiring, Prevue’s Job-Fit Report adds role-specific context by comparing a candidate’s abilities, motivations and interests, and personality with a benchmark for a particular role. Its results can also guide interview exploration and should support, not replace, professional judgment.
How Prevue Job Fit Helps Identify Qualified Candidates
The Prevue Job-Fit Report places assessment results in the context of a role-specific benchmark. This helps hiring teams examine where a candidate’s profile aligns with the position and where further exploration may be useful. The focus is therefore not on finding a universally “ideal” person, but on understanding fit with defined job requirements.
Used as part of a consistent selection process, the broader business research message is clear: better hiring depends on relevant criteria and multiple sources of evidence, not application volume alone. Resumes, interviews, skills evaluation, practical exercises, and assessments are most useful when they complement one another.
Learn more about the Prevue Job-Fit Report from Quintave at quintavekinerjamulia.com/prevue-hr.
Sources:
https://www.manpowergroup.com/news-releases/news/global-talent-shortage-reaches-turning-point-as-ai-skills-claim-top-spot
https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2023/digest/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2023/11/05/70-of-workers-lie-on-resumes-new-study-shows/
https://action.deloitte.com/insight/3121/what-role-should-personality-assessments-play-in-your-organization
https://www.prevuehr.com/resources/insights/job-fit-assessments-key-component-successful-hiring-strategy/
