Skilled Labor Hiring Strategies for 2026

Get Exclusive Findings from Hireology’s Combined Applicant and Employer Research.

April 8, 2026

2:00PM CST

Save your seat

The Career Ladder Is Burning. Your Industry Could Be the Escape Route.

AI is pushing talented workers out of knowledge jobs. Are you ready to hire them?

Something unprecedented is happening in the American labor market. Artificial intelligence isn't replacing the jobs we expected. It's displacing knowledge workers—the marketers, analysts, HR professionals, and consultants who were told their skills made them irreplaceable.

Meanwhile, industries built on hands-on, human work face chronic staffing shortages. Automotive dealerships need 90,000 new technicians annually. Long-term care facilities can't fill caregiver roles fast enough. Hospitality employers blame a "labor shortage" that doesn't actually exist.

The workers are out there. They're just not finding you. Our research reveals why and what to do about it. 

This webinar walks through Hireology's 2026 Applicant and Employer Research, a first-of-its-kind analysis of what 900+ job seekers and 400+ employers across automotive, hospitality, and long-term care actually think about career switching, AI in hiring, and what makes them choose one employer over another. Attendees will be the first to access the exclusive Hireology research.

Each industry has its own challenge

Automotive

You need 90,000 new techs every year. Many qualified people don't know dealerships offer stable careers.

Senior Care

Almost half your applicants are actively getting new training. Your hiring process might be blocking them before you ever see their applications.

Hospitality

Workers think hotels are unstable (even though wages are up 8%). The jobs have gotten better—the perception hasn't.

Hireology – 2026 Research Stats 2026 Research Findings

The Numbers That Will Change
How You Hire

25^%

Skilled labor applicants came from knowledge work backgrounds

25 75^%

Of applicants research your company's reputation before applying

75 40^%

Of applicants have completed or are actively pursuing reskilling

40 ~50^%

Of workers are comfortable with AI in hiring — but only with human oversight

50 Webinar Details

Who Should Attend

Auto Dealerships If you run auto dealerships:

You're competing for technicians while 28% of your applicants now have white-collar backgrounds. Learn how to spot and hire people with transferable skills.

Hotels & Restaurants If you run hotels or restaurants:

You're fighting a perception problem. We'll show you the data that proves hospitality is more stable than people think — and how to actually say that to candidates.

Senior Care If you run senior care facilities:

You're losing great people because your process can't handle career switchers. Learn how to screen for potential, not just experience.

All Industries If you hire for any of these industries:

Learn what's actually stopping good candidates from applying — and how to fix it.

Join Us for This Webinar

Free registration. Recording sent to everyone who signs up.

You'll Learn:

• The employer brand gap that's costing you candidates before they apply
• Why applicants now come from white-collar backgrounds
• How workers across three industries actually feel about AI in hiring
• Practical strategies you can implement immediately

Register for This Event