European Hiring Market Update: What Our Team is Seeing From Q2 2026

Our consultants on where the European market stands in the second quarter. 

The European market has split in two this quarter. Operational, support, and entry-level roles are facing longer approval processes and tougher questions about whether a role is needed at all. Whereas for the revenue drivers and the strategic appointments, demand is as strong as ever. Firms are placing greater emphasis on getting the important hires right. Here is what the team is seeing across France, Brussels and the wider European markets. 

Caution at the Bottom, Competition at the Top

At the cautious end, there has been a slowdown across operational, support and entry-level roles. Hiring has changed to 18-24 months ago, with approvals taking longer and headcount decisions being questioned far more than they used to be. Clients are also asking: Does this actually need a new hire, or can the work be automated, outsourced, or picked up by the team we already have?  

The other end of the market looks very different. Anything tied to revenue or long-term strategy is moving fast. Commercial leaders, AI talent, transformation specialists, senior marketers who can show real business impact and executives who can drive growth are all still attracting serious money. The headcount may be smaller, but the stakes on each key hire are higher. 

AI Is Now Expected, Not Optional 

AI is one thing that comes up repeatedly, from clients and candidates alike. It is no longer treated as an emerging technology. It has become a basic professional skill, much like Excel, CRM systems and social media did in their time. Clients want to hear how a candidate uses AI to work faster, decide better and get more done. 

The twist is that this has made human skills more valuable, not less. Leadership, judgement, stakeholder management, influence, communication and relationship-building are coming up more often in hiring conversations. Employers are looking beyond technical know-how and weighing adaptability, an appetite to keep learning, and the knack for operating when nothing is certain. 

Candidates Are Back, but Choosy 

Candidate confidence has recovered from where it sat in late 2024 and early 2025, though people are picky about what they will move for. Flexibility, a stable employer, the quality of the leadership they would report to and a genuine path to develop tend to count for more than the salary on its own. 

Across Europe, employers care less about traditional credentials and more about what someone has done, the results they can point to and the skills they can carry into a new setting. This shows most in technology, AI and growth roles, where proof beats pedigree. 

Brussels: Busy and Increasingly Crowded 

Brussels is in good shape. However, it is getting more crowded as many new consultancies open. The exceptions are the specialists, the delivery-focused firms, with some of them posting genuinely strong numbers. 

There is plenty going on. EU affairs are busy, the Irish presidency of the Council is adding to the workload this year, and as in the UK, the geopolitical backdrop keeps feeding demand for advice. 

What to Expect for the Rest of 2026 

The shape of the rest of the year is fairly clear. Companies will be slow to add headcount in the support functions and quick to compete for the people who move the numbers. AI fluency will keep climbing the wish list, and the human skills around it will stay just as prized. Candidates will weigh far more than pay. 

If it comes down to one line, it is this. Companies are hiring fewer people but placing bigger bets on the people they do hire. 

Whether you are hiring senior talent or weighing up your own next move, our team would be glad to help. We work across Europe, with businesses that need to move quickly and secure the right people in a market where the strongest candidates do not stay available for long.