Brainfood Live On Air - Ep366 - The State of the TA / HR Job Market 2026 - Q1

Mar 11, 2026

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THE STATE OF THE TALENT ACQUISITION & HR JOB MARKET Q 2026 The talent acquisition and HR profession is facing its own reckoning. After years of contraction, cautious hiring, automation investment, and cost discipline, the very functions built to fuel growth are now navigating scarcity themselves. In this livestream, The State of the Talent Acquisition & HR Job Market Q1 2026, we’ll unpack exclusive data from AspenTech Labs to examine what is really happening inside the TA and HR labor market. How deep are the cuts? Which roles are stabilising? Where is AI augmenting versus replacing? And what does this mean for practitioners planning their next move? What we’ll cover:

Three Years of Contraction
The AI Effect
Shrinking Teams, Expanding Scope:
Which Roles Are Resilient:
The Geography Shift
Compensation Trends
What Employers Want Now

TA and HR functions traditionally scale with expansion. In a prolonged slowdown, they are forced to justify value in sharper, more measurable terms. This session will translate AspenTech Labs’ data into practical insight: whether you’re a TA leader defending budget, an HR executive redesigning structure, or a practitioner navigating career risk. If you want clarity on where opportunity remains—and how to future-proof yourself in a leaner market—this conversation will provide the signal you need. We're on Wednesday 11th March, 2pm GMT. Register by clicking on the green button (save my spot) and follow the channel here (recommended) Episode 366 is sponsored by Oleo AI is now used by 62% of companies for hiring, but rapid efficiency shouldn't come at the expense of fairness. Oleeo and Aptitude Research’s new report highlights a major gap: only 20% of employers have fully established AI governance frameworks, which can lead to unintended bias. To keep things fair and compliant, 85% of recruiters demand final decision-making authority. Download 'Setting the Standard for Responsible AI: A Guide For Modern Recruiters' today to build a transparent, human-led strategy that uses AI responsibly.