The 2026 Cleared Recruiting Guide

The ClearanceJobs 2026 Cleared Recruiting Guide has landed with new data on how recruiting teams across the defense and intelligence community are navigating an ever-changing cleared talent market.

One of the biggest shifts? AI has officially moved into the recruiting mainstream. 72% of recruiters now use it somewhere in their hiring process - an 11-point jump from last year!

Sponsored by Leidos, this guide highlights other notable shifts, including: why candidates are declining offers, how cost-per-hire is changing, which metrics recruiting teams are prioritizing, and more.

See how your recruiting operation stacks up, and where the market may be headed next.