Tech hiring across Europe shifted at a rapid pace in 2025.
Engineering teams expanded with urgency, product roadmaps accelerated, and companies searched for talent that could support high-growth environments. The year created new expectations for delivery, quality and hiring efficiency.

By the final quarter, many organisations reached the same conclusion:
their hiring frameworks were not keeping up with the demands of modern engineering and product teams.

Here is what the most effective hiring managers discovered, and how this shapes the way teams will hire in 2026.

1. Tech hiring fell behind when role clarity weakened

When companies struggled to communicate the purpose of a role, talent engagement dropped significantly.

Candidates frequently asked for:

• Clear ownership

• Defined expectations

• Visibility of the engineering culture

• Information on where the role fits in the roadmap

• A sense of progression

Vague job descriptions reduced interest from the most capable engineers. Clear, structured information strengthened response rates and supported faster decision-making throughout the hiring process.

2. Slow hiring processes reduced access to high-performing talent

Across Europe, tech candidates moved quickly in 2025.
Engineering managers, backend developers, full-stack engineers and product specialists often engaged with several companies at once.

Hiring teams that operated long processes experienced increased drop-off and reduced offer acceptance.
The organisations that created a structured 7–10 day process secured talent consistently.

Effective hiring cycles included:

• A clear technical conversation

• One practical or portfolio-based task

• A single alignment discussion with the hiring manager

This level of structure supported both candidate confidence and hiring momentum.

3. Employer positioning influenced conversion throughout the year

Candidates in 2025 expressed strong interest in:

• Clear product direction

• Modern engineering cultures

• Direct access to strong technical leaders

• Environments with low friction and high autonomy

• Teams with a focus on continuous improvement

These preferences increased conversion rates significantly. Salary remained important, although company vision and engineering culture shaped final decisions more effectively.

4. Outbound recruitment enabled consistent access to strong tech talent

Inbound applications declined across several engineering and product disciplines in 2025.
Many talented individuals focused on selected career moves, referral networks and targeted opportunities.

Teams that relied primarily on inbound channels faced considerable difficulty filling roles.
Teams that adopted outbound recruitment created reliable access to senior engineers, engineering managers, product managers, QA specialists and DevOps talent.

Outbound search, supported by clear messaging and thoughtful engagement, produced higher-quality pipelines across the UK and EU.

5. Capability planning proved essential for effective scaling

Throughout 2025, organisations with proactive hiring strategies maintained stable growth.
These companies mapped:

• Required technical skills

• Expected workload shifts

• Team expansions across engineering and product

• Salary benchmarks that matched real-time market data

This level of preparation reduced reactive hiring and increased the likelihood of consistent delivery throughout the year.

What this means for '26

The most effective tech hiring strategies in 2026 will follow these principles:

• Clear, specific role communication

• Structured hiring processes with defined timelines

• Positioning that captures engineering ambition and product ownership

• Outbound-led sourcing for senior talent

• Strong capability planning supported by market insight

• Recruitment partners with deep technical understanding

These principles shaped successful hiring outcomes throughout 2025. They form the foundation of modern talent acquisition for engineering, product and technical teams across Europe.

Tides supports companies that want a hiring process built for pace, quality and predictable results.
Teams seeking guidance on how to strengthen their 2026 hiring strategy can request a tailored insight report from our consultants.