Marvin OnumonuUK employers are holding out for ‘perfect fit’ candidates rather than investing in training, with 53% saying they want ‘unicorn’ hires, as found by research from Robert Walters.
Only 17% said they were willing to train new recruits.
Daniel Harris, director of Robert Walters London & South East, said: “As economic pressures mount and budgets remain tight, leaders are increasingly prioritising ‘safe’ hires who can guarantee instant value.
“However, this short-term thinking could put the next generation of UK talent at risk.”
Three-quarters (75%) of business leaders reported smaller hiring budgets compared to last year, with 40% saying cuts were significant.
The cost of hiring the wrong person has increased, with 65% of employers saying changes to the Employment Rights Act, such as reduced qualifying periods for unfair dismissal and other day-one rights, are making them rethink hiring strategies.
This has led to more interview rounds and longer probation periods.
Employee tribunal claims rose by 11% from 2024 to 2025, according to figures from July to September.
Harris added: “Employers are tightening their safety nets by applying greater scrutiny and guardrails to hiring decisions.
“This, in turn, is raising the stakes for professionals, placing more pressure on them to hit-the-ground-running and deliver immediate results.”
Robert Walters’ 2026 Salary Survey found pay rises for mid-level staff in accounting & finance and technology are around 4%, while legal services professionals are seeing increases between 3-6%.
Harris said: “Stricter cost bases are also influencing wages and, in turn, employers’ abilities to secure ‘unicorn’ hires.
“While in-demand areas such as senior security roles or risk and compliance leadership may represent outliers, when adjusted for inflation, yearly wage increases for many professional roles in 2026 seem to signify market stablisation rather than any real growth.”
Additionally, the survey found 77% of UK professionals noticed longer hiring processes over the past year.
Nearly half (49%) of UK professionals said not hearing back about a role a week after applying puts them off.
Harris said: “Employers hold many of the bargaining chips in the current hiring market, giving them the confidence to demand more.
“However, interviews are a two-way process; many top professionals pursue multiple opportunities simultaneously and quickly disengage when hiring timelines are slow.
“We are already seeing the ripple effects of reduced investment in early-careers talent play out, in a trend that will continue to thin out UK talent pools for years to come.”
Harris added: “For businesses to build strong teams capable of achieving long-term success and not just quick wins, they must strike the balance between hiring top talent and also investing in the skills and abilities that support sustained business growth.”
