New Year, New Hiring Game

Every January, we make the same promises: less doomscrolling, more gym time, finally organizing your home office... By February, we’re back to our old ways, telling ourselves “next year.” 

But in 2026, neither job seekers nor managers can afford this. The rules have changed, and if we want to find legitimate matches in public relations recruitment, we all need to get a lot more honest about what we’re really looking for in our workforce.

The ‘AI elephant’ in the interview room 

The reality that nobody wants to say out loud: Your candidates are using AI. A September 2025 Udacity survey of 2,000 professionals across industries, job levels and generations, reported that 90% of workers are using AI in their work. In public relations, that means AI-assisted press releases, research summaries and media monitoring reports. The question for hiring managers isn’t whether candidates know how to use ChatGPT; it’s whether they know when not to. 

Interviewers should ask applicants about AI literacy but frame it around judgment. “Tell me about a time you used AI as a starting point but had to significantly reshape the output.” Your business likely has policies in place and clear expectations about where human creativity and instinct are non-negotiable, such as in crisis management, client relationship navigation or understanding when a brand voice is about to veer into inauthentic territory. 

Job seekers should not treat AI use like a secret. It is assumed that you’re using it, so it would be sensible to position yourself as AI-fluent and human-focused. Talk about how you use it for efficiency on routine tasks so you can spend more energy on strategic thinking. 

Emphasize what AI can’t do that you can, such as read the room when a client is unhappy, understand the reporter who needs more background information, or know when to kill a campaign idea that’s legally fine but culturally tone-deaf. Besides, AI still can’t take a journalist out for coffee. 

Values aren’t just for mission statements

According to Resume Now’s Ethics Fallout Report, a survey of 1,000 employees revealed insights into the reasons why employees quit, with nearly 47% stating that they have considered quitting because their employer’s actions didn’t align with its stated values. 

For an industry that shapes company narratives, this matters exponentially. When your team members don’t believe in what they’re promoting, authenticity dies.

Hiring managers should expect candidates to ask tough questions about client rosters, how you’ve handled past crises and what your DE&I commitments look like in practice. Saying “we value integrity” on your careers page isn’t enough. All interview panel participants need to be prepared to specifically discuss the work you do, don’t do and why. 

And job seekers, do your homework before the interview. Check recent campaigns, scroll through leadership’s LinkedIn posts, and ask your network what they’ve heard.

Skills-based hiring vs. specialized degrees 

Good news for career-switchers: Skills-based hiring is still on the upswing, which opens doors for talented people with nontraditional backgrounds. The challenge? Proving you have PR chops without the portfolio that comes from the field. 

Hiring managers should work with their talent acquisition teams to audit job descriptions. Do you need “five years of agency experience,” or do you need “ability to craft compelling narratives under deadline pressure?” Consider portfolio reviews, writing tests or scenario-based interviews that reveal how someone thinks and what their capabilities are. 

Job seekers can lean into freelance projects, volunteer PR work and even well-documented personal campaigns. Get granular about transferable skills from other industries. If you spent five years in hospitality managing guest complaints, you understand crisis communication and stakeholder management. Frame it that way.

Hiring in 2026 requires more honesty, transparency and potentially uncomfortable conversations than we’re used to. This is public relations, and if any industry should excel at authentic communication, it’s this one. In the new year, bring your most genuine self to every interview table, whether you’re on the asking or answering side. It’s the only way we’ll find matches that stick.