State of Candidate Behavior & Motivations 2025

The hiring market is changing fast, and so are candidate expectations. Economic uncertainty, AI-powered application surges and a push for meaningful work are reshaping candidate behavior in 2025.

This white paper combines third-party research, Radancy data from 2.5 million+ candidate interactions and insights from Potentialpark to reveal what’s driving today’s candidates – and how employers can respond with relevance, transparency and trust.

What You’ll Learn: 

• Why more candidates are prioritizing stability – and how employers should adapt 
• How AI is increasing application volume without improving candidate quality 
• Why reskilling is now the #1 motivator for job seekers under 35 
• How employee advocacy can increase candidate perception and reduce time to hire 
• What candidates expect from career sites – and how information gaps hurt NPS 
• Why compensation, purpose and flexibility are non-negotiable in 2025 

Gain the insights you need to meet evolving expectations, improve hiring outcomes and build stronger, more meaningful connections with today’s talent.