Posted on 30/03/2026 by Charlotte Frank
Across many industries, the hiring landscape across business support professionals is becoming increasingly uneven. While mid-career and senior business support professionals continue to see a steady demand in job vacancies, entry-level candidates are facing a highly competitive landscape.
A combination of technological change, economic caution, and evolving organisational structures are reshaping how companies approach hiring, particularly at the entry level.
Understanding these nuances in the market critical for both job seekers and organisations thinking about their long-term talent strategies.
Entry-Level Hiring Is Declining
Multiple factors are contributing to the tightening of the entry-level job market:
AI and automation: Many tasks traditionally performed by entry level individuals and now graduates, such as administrative work, customer service support, and basic data processing, are increasingly being automated. As a result, roles are changing and employers are placing greater value on candidates who can work alongside technology, interpret information, and contribute to higher-value activities such as analysis or client-facing work.
Economic caution: Many organisations are operating with tighter budgets and increased scrutiny around headcount. In this environment, where more transactional activity can be automated. Many organisations are therefore utilising headcount/budget for roles that directly influence workplace productivity.
Entry level Opportunities Amid the Challenges
Despite these challenges, entry level opportunities remain strong in areas where technical and practical capabilities are in demand. Fields such as data analytics, AI literacy, cybersecurity, and sustainability/ESG continue to see growing hiring activity. However, employers are increasingly looking for candidates who can demonstrate practical experience rather than relying solely on academic qualifications. Internships, project portfolios, certifications, and exposure to real-world problem solving are becoming critical differentiators for those entering the workforce.
Mid-Career Hiring Remains Strong
While entry-level hiring has tightened, recruitment at the mid-career and senior level has remained far more resilient. In some sectors, demand is even increasing. Reflecting this trend, 65% of roles registered by Charlotte Frank in the past year were at the mid-to-senior level. A key reason is the growing focus on immediate impact. Experienced professionals can contribute quickly with minimal supervision, making them a more efficient investment during periods of economic uncertainty. At the same time, many organisations are evolving their internal structures. Rather than expanding junior teams, companies are strengthening middle-management layers to oversee operations, manage workflows, and drive productivity. AI is also playing an important role in shaping demand. While automation is replacing certain junior tasks, experienced professionals remain essential for supervising AI outputs, interpreting complex results, managing exceptions, and making strategic decisions.
This combination of domain expertise, leadership capability, and digital fluency continues to drive demand for experienced hires.
Sector Demand Remains Strong in Key Areas
Several industries are showing particularly strong hiring activity at the mid and senior level. In financial services, roles in compliance, risk, treasury, AML, and regulatory functions remain highly active. The technology sector continues to hire specialists in AI implementation, cybersecurity, and advanced data analytics. Meanwhile, professional services firms are planning workforce expansion in 2026, and demand for talent in sustainability and ESG roles is rising due to regulatory pressures and global trade changes.
These areas require specialised knowledge and strategic oversight — capabilities typically developed through years of professional experience.
Navigating the Changing Hiring Landscape
These trends all highlight how hiring is evolving:
For entry level individuals and graduates, standing out increasingly requires practical skills, adaptability, and real-world experience that demonstrate immediate value to employers.
For mid-senior level individuals, having solid relationships with providers pays off. Over 68% of individuals that we placed into positions in the last year were from our established networks. Not those who had applied to adverts or that we headhunted.
For organisations, prioritising experienced hires may be necessary in the short term. However, maintaining a long-term view remains essential. Developing sustainable talent pipelines, even during cautious economic cycles, will be critical to future growth.
At Charlotte Frank, we are seeing these dynamics play out across the market. We work closely with candidates to help them articulate their “immediate value” while also advising organisations on hiring strategies that balance short-term priorities with long-term capability building.
In an evolving labour market, striking that balance will be key.