What Does Bullhorn's 2026 Hiring Outlook Mean for Employers?

Published on: May 13, 2026

By Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO, Frontline Source Group

Updated on: October 3, 2026

Bullhorn's latest Hiring Outlook shows the 2026 market has flipped: permanent job orders are up about 11 percent and permanent fill rates up 7 percent year over year, while temporary orders have cooled to about 1 percent ahead of 2025. Frontline Source Group backs every direct hire with a 5-Year Placement Warranty.

Frontline Source Group has completed 5,619 plus placements from 32 plus offices since 2004 and holds a 98.94% executive placement retention rate against an industry average near 70 percent, with a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 plus verified reviews. The firm is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked #158 in 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 (2026), a 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, a ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, an Inc. 5000 honoree, and an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. It is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA).

When I first wrote about Bullhorn's outlook in May, temporary staffing was the story. Five months later, the numbers point the other way. Here is what changed and what it means for your hiring plan.

What does Bullhorn's latest Hiring Outlook show?

Bullhorn's most recent Hiring Outlook, covering the month ending August 31, 2026 and updated September 8, shows two markets moving in different directions. Permanent job orders were flat for the month, but that leaves the permanent pipeline almost 11 percent above where it was a year ago, and the permanent fill rate is up 7 percent compared with 2025. On the temporary side, job orders fell about 4 percent in August, a bigger drop than the usual late-summer dip, leaving them only about 1 percent ahead of August 2025. Temporary fill rates and recruiter effort held steady.

Why is permanent hiring picking up in 2026?

Bullhorn describes the permanent market as continuing an acceleration that has been building for several years. After a soft July, the permanent fill rate bounced back in August. In plain terms, more employers are opening permanent roles, and staffing firms are filling a larger share of them. That matches what we hear from clients: companies that waited through 2025 are now hiring for keeps.

How much has the permanent pipeline grown?

Permanent job orders were about 11 percent higher in August 2026 than in the same month of 2025, and submissions per order held steady. For employers, that means more competition for the same experienced candidates. If you have a permanent role open, the strong candidates you are interviewing are likely talking to other companies too.

Is temporary staffing slowing down?

A little. Bullhorn says temporary job orders had been running 4 to 5 percent ahead of 2025 for most of the year before August's larger-than-usual dip. The firm reads it as a small deceleration, possibly because employers are waiting to see how broader economic events play out. Temporary demand is still slightly above last year, so this is cooling, not a collapse.

What does federal data say about temporary jobs?

Bureau of Labor Statistics data tells a similar story. Seasonally adjusted temporary help services employment peaked at about 2,507,500 in June 2026, then eased to about 2,486,800 in September, based on preliminary figures. That is still roughly 15,000 more temporary workers than in September 2025.

How has the 2026 outlook changed since spring?

The change between Bullhorn's March and August readings is the most useful part of the data for planning.

What did Bullhorn's March data show?

When this article was first published in May, Bullhorn's report for the month ending March 31, 2026 showed temporary job orders up 5.4 percent year over year and 9.1 percent above February, with temporary fill rates 6.5 percent above 2025. Permanent jobs per recruiter were up 3.6 percent, but the six-month trend was still below the prior year. Bullhorn called it an accelerating temporary market with an uneven permanent recovery. By late summer, those roles had largely reversed.

What is Bullhorn and how is the Hiring Outlook measured?

Bullhorn is a staffing and recruiting software company headquartered in Boston that says it works with more than 10,000 customers worldwide. Its Hiring Outlook is built from applicant tracking system data shared by customers who opt in, so it reflects actual job orders and placements at staffing firms rather than survey opinions. Bullhorn updates it at the start of each month.

How does Bullhorn calculate fill rate?

Bullhorn defines fill rate as the share of job orders placed within 90 days of opening. Because it needs that 90-day window, it is a trailing indicator that covers jobs opened about three months earlier. Job orders per recruiter is the number of new job orders divided by the number of active users in a month. Temporary placements are those with a set end date; permanent placements have none.

What does this data mean for your 2026 workforce strategy?

1. Move on permanent roles. With the permanent pipeline about 11 percent larger than last year, good candidates have options. A clear success profile and a decisive process matter more now than in the spring.
2. Keep contract help flexible. Temporary demand is still slightly above 2025. Use contract talent for projects, peaks, and leave coverage, and use contract-to-hire when you want to evaluate someone before committing.
3. Protect the permanent hire. When you are competing for talent, a mis-hire is expensive. Build the role around a written success profile and back it with a long placement warranty. For more on building the right slate, see frontlinesourcegroup.com/blog-beyond-the-three-candidates.html.

Should you hire contract or direct in late 2026?

Usually both. If the work has an end date, contract staffing gives you capacity without adding permanent headcount. If the need is ongoing and the market for that skill set is competitive, a direct hire secures the person before someone else does. Contract-to-hire sits in between. For a breakdown of how each model is priced, see frontlinesourcegroup.com/blog-how-much-do-staffing-agencies-charge.html and our published rates at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html.

How does Frontline Source Group help employers act on the Bullhorn data?

We offer all three engagement models the data points toward:

• Contract staffing for project-based, seasonal, or leave-coverage needs without long-term headcount.
• Contract-to-hire to evaluate fit on the job before extending a permanent offer.
• Direct hire and executive search for permanent roles, backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times the 90-day industry standard guarantee. Program terms are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.

That warranty is backed by a 98.94% executive placement retention rate. Our full list of awards is at frontlinesourcegroup.com/staffing-awards.html. It all comes back to our registered service mark, People. Process. Service.

How do you get started with Frontline Source Group?

If Bullhorn's data matches what you are seeing in your own pipeline, employers can start at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html to connect with a recruiter on the right desk. Candidates can apply at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html.

Frequently Asked Questions: Bullhorn Hiring Outlook and 2026 Staffing Trends

By Bill Kasko

President and CEO|C Suite Executives, Sales, Energy Sector, Dental

Established in 2004 Frontline provides Executive Search, Direct Hire, Contract Staffing, and Project Based recruiting placements for Information Technology, Accounting/Finance, Oil/Gas, HR, Administrative/Clerical, Legal, Grocery, HSE, Pharmacy, Sales, Dental, Personal Assistants and C Level professionals. Frontline has grown from the original location in Dallas to 32 locations Nationwide.

Category(ies): Bill Kasko, Blog