What does the entry-level hiring market look like right now?

Entry-level hiring is under real pressure. Adzuna data shows a 30% drop in UK entry-level job postings since ChatGPT launched, with graduates facing the toughest market since 2018. Government figures tell a similar story: entry-level hiring in engineering has fallen to -19% while senior hiring sits at -10%, a nine-percentage-point gap that shows junior roles are being cut first.

The wider picture is cautious too. The ONS reports vacancies fell by 7,000 to 712,000 in April to June 2026, with 2.5 unemployed people per vacancy. For insurance employers, that means more applicants per role, but it also raises a sharper question: if you hire someone junior now, how quickly can you turn them into someone your business relies on?

Why do entry-level insurance roles build expertise so slowly?

Insurance rewards judgement, and judgement takes reps. A new hire needs to see enough claims, quotes and policy queries to spot patterns: which risks price well, which claims signal fraud, which clients need reassurance rather than a number. Left to chance, that exposure arrives slowly and unevenly, and the person plateaus.

There is a broader hiring dynamic at play. When juniors are cut first, as the government's snapshot of entry-level hiring shows, firms lose the pipeline that feeds senior expertise. Apprenticeship-style routes are one answer that is gaining ground elsewhere: in AI hiring, apprenticeships have risen from 3% of hires in 2020 to 19% in 2025. The lesson for insurance is that structured, on-the-job development can build capability faster than waiting for the finished expert to apply.

How do you design a role that builds expertise fast?

Start with the outcome. Map the three or four judgement calls a competent person in the role makes every week, then design the job so a new hire meets each of those calls early and often, with support.

• Build in rotations. Move new hires across underwriting, claims and client servicing in their first year so they see how a decision in one area shows up in another.
• Pair every new hire with a named mentor. Regular, short case reviews turn everyday work into deliberate practice.
• Set clear competency milestones. Define what good looks like at 30, 90 and 180 days so progress is visible to the hire and the manager.
• Give real work early. Let new people own low-risk cases end to end from week one, with a checkpoint before anything binds.
• Widen the entry route. Consider apprenticeships and career-changers, not just graduates, given how the graduate market has tightened.

This matters because demand for specialist judgement is not going away. Analysts point to persistent demand hotspots for specialist skills even against a subdued economic backdrop. Insurance firms that grow their own specialists, rather than only buying them in, protect themselves against those shortages.

How do you hire well for these roles?

Hire for aptitude and attitude, then teach the technical craft. In a role designed for fast development, curiosity, numeracy and comfort with people matter more than a finished CV of insurance experience.

• Test judgement, not recall. Use a short scenario, a tricky claim or an unusual risk, and ask how the person would think it through.
• Look for learning speed. Ask about a time they picked something complex up quickly and what helped them do it.
• Be clear about the path. Show the milestones and the mentoring in the interview, so the right people choose you.
• Move quickly. With 2.5 unemployed people per vacancy, strong applicants have options, and a slow process loses them.

Where do we fit in?

We built Reed.ai to make that fast, confident hire simple. We search a database of 15 million people, rank a shortlist for you, and handle the process end to end so you can focus on designing the role and developing the person once they start. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you are building an entry-level pipeline that grows real expertise, start a search with us today.