AI is changing Swiss recruiting - faster for candidates than for employers
The Talent Trends 2026 Switzerland Report by Michael Page shows that artificial intelligence is changing recruitment practices at a rapid pace - but job seekers are adapting much faster than companies. The study is based on surveys of over 60,000 professionals worldwide, including 1,220 in Switzerland.
According to the Talent Trends 2026 Switzerland Report by Michael Page, 86 % of Swiss job seekers already use AI in their job search - compared to 69 % of employers who use AI in recruitment processes. At the same time, only 39 % of employers state that AI-assisted applications increase the likelihood of being hired. This shows a growing discrepancy between the two sides of the labor market.
«AI hasn't rewritten the rules of recruitment - but it has increased the pace,» says Yannick Coulange, Managing Director of PageGroup Switzerland. «Candidates have already adapted; recruitment processes are only slowly catching up.»
Perfect applications - more difficult assessment
While candidates are using AI to optimize CVs and cover letters, employers are using AI for screening and communication. The result: applications are becoming more polished - and assessing real skills is becoming more difficult. Four in ten hiring managers (41 %) say they are unsure whether a CV or cover letter has been created or revised using generative AI.
«The more perfect AI makes applications, the less meaningful the »perfect CV« becomes,» adds Coulange. "The focus shifts to what AI cannot replicate: Judgment, communication and decision-making skills in real-life situations."
The use of generative AI has clearly developed from hype to habit: in 2024, 32 % of professionals still used GenAI regularly at work, in 2025 it was 55 %, and in 2026 this proportion was already 71 % - well above the global average of 64 % and the European figure of 60 %.
Competencies more important than degrees
Accelerated AI penetration is driving the transition to skills-based recruiting. 56 % of candidates say they are more likely to apply for a job if skills are the most important element of the job posting. On the employer side, 38 % of hiring managers prioritize skills over education or work history, while 30 % struggle to find candidates with the skills they actually need.
For organizations already taking a skills-first approach, the consensus is almost unanimous: 97 % see clear benefits - including better skills recognition (48 %), clearer assessment criteria (42 %) and easier alignment with current and future needs (42 %).
Hiring managers increasingly value adaptability (42 %), social skills (39 %) and continuous learning (36 %) - qualities that can hardly be automated. «Technology can support recruiting, but it cannot define potential,» says Coulange. «For organizations that assess actual skills and not just perfectly worded applications, the talent pool becomes wider and better.»
Work-life balance beats salary and job security
In addition to AI, flexible working has a significant impact on the decisions of professionals. 65 % of respondents would consider changing jobs if they had to be in the office more often. Work-life balance is now more important than salary and job security - it is named as the top priority by 24 %. At the same time, 41 % of professionals fear losing their work-life balance if they change jobs.
«Clarity and trust are becoming increasingly important in recruiting,» says Coulange. «Candidates not only want to understand the role exactly, they also want to know how the job fits into their life.»
Pay transparency plays a central role in this context: 49 % of active job seekers come from organizations with non-transparent pay structures. At the same time, almost half of respondents with management responsibility are convinced that more pay transparency would actively support recruiting.
Human judgment remains crucial
Although AI speeds up processes, the report makes it clear that recruitment remains a process characterized by human components. Trust that is built up in recruiting is fragile: 45 % of respondents consider changing jobs on the first day of work due to poor onboarding. Onboarding should therefore be seen as the final, trust-building step in the recruitment process - not as pure administration.
«AI should support human judgment - not replace it,» summarizes Coulange. «Successful organizations are those that combine speed with trust - and technology with genuine human proximity.»
The Talent Trends Study 2026 is based on an online survey of more than 60,000 professionals worldwide, including 1,220 in Switzerland.
Source: www.michaelpage.ch
