Thinking of Quitting Your Job in 2026? Here’s What a Recruiter Wants You to Know

January does this thing every year.
The pace slows. The noise drops. You finally get a minute to breathe, and your brain uses that space to click into overdrive.
That was a big year.
Where did all that time go?
Why do I feel stuck?
Am I still learning?
Am I growing or am I just running the same week on repeat?

For a lot of people, January is when restlessness turns into action. And in 2026, its no different.

To help make sense of it, I sat down and debriefed with recruiter Mollie-May Bennett from Brightside Recruitment, who’s spent six years hiring across multiple industries and markets, working with everyone from entry level candidates to senior leaders.

She sees the job market from the inside.
The patterns.
The pitfalls.
The stuff job ads never tell you.

Here’s what we want jobseekers to know right now.

The Job Market Is Tighter, But Smarter

Hiring hasn’t stopped. It’s just become more deliberate and yes, slower as a consequence.

Across industries, employers are being far more intentional about who they hire, why they hire, and how they hire. That means fewer rushed decisions, more interviews, and a bigger focus on long term fit.

For candidates, that’s frustrating. Last year was full of layoffs, uncertainty, and a tough economic climate, which meant hiring slowed right down for a while.

But now, it’s also an opportunity to stand out if you know what actually matters and use tools like AI and social platforms properly, not lazily.

Culture Is Beating Salary More Often Than You Think

This is one of the biggest shifts recruiters are seeing.

People aren’t just chasing money anymore. They’re chasing good leaders, flexibility, development, and workplaces that don’t leave them emotionally cooked by Thursday.

Salary still matters, obviously (hello cost of living), but it’s no longer the only lever.

The smartest candidates are asking better questions about how it feels to work somewhere, not just what it pays.

The Resume Mistake Almost Everyone Makes

Most resumes read like job descriptions.

Which, let’s be honest, are f#%king boring and never quite get to the point.

What recruiters and hiring managers actually want to see is impact.

What changed because you were there?
What did you improve, fix, grow, or lead?
Why did your role exist?
What problem did you solve that someone else couldn’t?

Your resume isn’t a history lesson. It’s a sales document. A pitch.
And the product is you.

Your Public Profile Is Your Silent First Interview

If your LinkedIn is outdated, empty, or reads like a corporate obituary, you’re missing opportunities you don’t even know about.

Recruiters are checking LinkedIn and other public profiles before, during, and after interviews. A strong profile builds trust before you ever speak.

It doesn’t need buzzwords or AI generated thought leadership. There’s already enough of that floating around.

It needs clarity, consistency, and a bit of personality.

Who are you?

AI Is Changing Hiring, But People Are Still Making the Big Calls

Yes, AI is being used more in recruitment.
No, it’s not replacing human judgment.

AI helps sort, screen, and speed things up in a world where recruiters are drowning in applications and AI enhanced profiles. But relationships, intuition, and trust still decide who gets hired, especially for roles that involve leadership, collaboration, and communication.

The human element still wins. Every time.

Candidate Experience Is Your Reputation

For businesses, how you present yourself matters. Your reputation matters.

How you communicate matters.
How you follow up matters.
How you show up in interviews matters.
How you make people feel from the beginning matters.

And yes, this goes for candidates too.

Recruiters remember the people who are clear, respectful, and engaged.
They also remember the ones who ghost, ramble, spray applications, or abuse them and then apply again a month later like nothing happened. Bold strategy, that one.

Every interaction leaves a mark, whether you realise it or not.

If You’re Thinking About a Move This Year

Take a step back.

Get clear on what you want, not just what you want to escape.
Tell your story properly.
Update your LinkedIn, your resume, your public profiles.
Apply with intention, not desperation.

The job market rewards clarity and consistency. Panic just creates noise.

If you want the full conversation, including market predictions, common jobseeker mistakes, and practical advice you can use immediately, listen to Episode 17 of Dropped Balls & Big Calls with Mollie-May Bennett. (You can find it on the home page).

Because changing jobs shouldn’t feel like gambling your future. It should feel like taking control of it.