Four themes from ISE 2026
The salt spray of the South Coast is still lingering in the air, and while the memories of ISE Conference 2026 are fresh in our minds, I thought I’d share some reflections on the themes that seemed to surface repeatedly this year.
I’m Ben Williams — Chief Scientist at Unseen — and it’s my job to deliver excellence in assessment and development design, while embedding the latest scientific thinking into everything we do here at Unseen, from our recruitment tech to our content and delivery of enterprise services.
I was once again lucky enough to attend this year’s ISE Conference — you may have even seen me on stage alongside Holly Pearce from Grant Thornton.
Every conference develops its own unofficial agenda. Sometimes it’s obvious from the programme and sometimes it’s what people are discussing in the corridors between sessions. This year, four themes stood out to me.
AI: the topic everyone complains about — and still turns up for
AI has become the conference equivalent of Jools Holland’s Hootenanny. Everyone claims they’re tired of it, everyone rolls their eyes when another AI session appears on the agenda, and yet somehow the room is still full every time.
What was encouraging, however, was that the conversation seems to be maturing. There was less discussion about whether AI will change recruitment and more discussion about practical questions: how should candidates use it? How should employers use it? What skills does effective AI use actually involve? And perhaps most importantly, how do we assess those skills fairly and meaningfully?
There was some myth-busting in both directions: both candidates and recruiters appear to be using AI far less than the other side suspects. What I heard was far less panic and far more curiosity.
Interestingly, some of the strongest feedback I received after our own session wasn’t about AI itself, but about translating behavioural science into something understandable and usable. We have no shortage of opinions about AI. What seems to be in much shorter supply is a clear, evidence-based understanding of what good performance with AI actually looks like and how it can be assessed. Essentially, they don’t want more AI hype — they want a guideline on how to actually use and consider it intelligently.
“Two presenters, two very different preparation styles…”
View post on LinkedIn →The search for true candidate intent
We’re all aware of the application volume problem. Several employers spoke about applicant numbers that would have sounded extraordinary just a few years ago, but not today. AI-assisted applications appear to be amplifying a trend that was already underway: the cost of applying is falling rapidly, while the cost of reviewing applications is not.
Psychologically, this creates an interesting challenge. When effort becomes less diagnostic, what replaces it? Historically, completing a lengthy application form provided at least some evidence of motivation and persistence. Increasingly, employers are looking for ways to identify commitment and self-selection before asking candidates to invest significant time in formal assessment.
Great to catch up with clients, partners, colleagues and friends – too many to mention #ISErec2026 #EarlyCareers #EarlyCareersRecruitment…
View post on LinkedIn →Social mobility is getting louder
Social mobility has, of course, been a priority for many employers and practitioners for years. What struck me this year was how frequently it came up across different sessions and themes, rather than being confined to dedicated diversity discussions.
Keynote speaker Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton drew upon her own journey from homelessness to becoming one of the UK’s most senior fire officers. Her story was a timely reminder that talent is distributed far more evenly than opportunity.
Many conversations ultimately came back to a familiar question: how do we identify potential rather than simply prior advantage? In assessment terms, this is one of those deceptively simple questions that gets more complicated the longer you stare at it.
Well, it’s the morning after the journey back from ISE Conference in Brighton…
View post on LinkedIn →Reneges: the new retention problem
The final theme was one that will be familiar to anyone working in early careers: the growing challenge of candidates accepting offers and then not arriving on day one. Our survey found that over 50% of attendees were experiencing renege rates of 11% or higher.
Whilst competing pay offers were frequently cited as a cause, we encourage our clients to view this through a behavioural science lens too: securing an acceptance is not the same thing as securing psychological commitment. Research shows that intentions are often a surprisingly poor predictor of behaviour when there is a long delay between decision and action. Put simply, a candidate can genuinely mean “yes” in October and genuinely mean “no” in July. The longer the gap, the more opportunities there are for uncertainty, competing alternatives and simple life events to intervene.
In summary
If I had to summarise ISE 2026 in four phrases, they would be:
- AI is becoming practical.
- Intent is becoming scarce.
- Social mobility is becoming more visible.
- Commitment can no longer be assumed.
Taken together, these themes point to a broader shift. The challenge is no longer simply attracting candidates. It is helping the right candidates find the right opportunities, make informed decisions and follow through on them.
The technology will continue to evolve. Application volumes will continue to rise. New tools and platforms will come and go. The organisations that thrive will be those that remain focused on the human behaviours underneath all of it.
That, more than any individual trend, was my biggest takeaway from Brighton.
Want to talk through any of these themes?
Whether it’s AI capability assessment, candidate intent, social mobility in selection design, or reducing reneges — we’re happy to explore what the evidence says and what it means for your process.