Recruiters Flag a Worrying Interview Trend as Gallup Puts Engagement at 23%

Hiring managers are starting to hear it in interviews: candidates who can explain their resume in detail but struggle to show any real interest in the job itself. That drop in energy looks less like a one-off and more like a broader workplace mood, with Gallup reporting only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work, a slump it ties to an estimated $8.9 trillion hit to the economy. Recruiters say the fix is not mysterious, but it does take effort: arrive ready to talk about the company’s values, reference what it is posting publicly, and prove you did more than skim the job description. LinkedIn career expert Andrew McCaskill and GrowthAssistant CEO Adriane Schwager point to preparation and visible curiosity as the signals that separate a serious applicant from someone who is just clicking “apply.”

Introduction: recruitment red flags

Lately, recruiters have been swapping the same story: interviews that feel oddly flat. Candidates show up on time, the résumé checks out, but the energy is missing. In a job market still shaped by layoffs, remote work, and AI screening tools, that quiet gap reads as risk. Employers want proof you actually want this job, not just any job.

Why preparation still matters

Andrew McCaskill, a career expert at LinkedIn, told CNBC that modern interviews can feel almost performative. That is not a knock on candidates so much as a description of the moment: hiring managers are juggling internal headcount pressure, higher expectations, and an endless stream of applicants routed in by software. When the meeting finally happens, they look for signals that cut through the noise.

Adriane Schwager, CEO and co-founder of GrowthAssistant, put it more bluntly in her own interview: she is still surprised by how many people do not do basic homework. Not understanding what a company actually does, how it makes money, or what it values is a fast way to lose the room. A small move, like referencing a recent company post on LinkedIn or a product update shared on X, can land because it shows attention, not polish.

The economics of cookie-based models and beyond

That same theme, engagement as a scarce resource, shows up on the business side too. Publishers that relied on ad targeting have had to rethink the playbook as tracking rules tightened and platforms changed what data flows where. Per the disclosure language many sites now show, some publishers are nudging readers toward paid access in exchange for fewer ad trackers, a straightforward trade: less surveillance, more direct revenue.

For US tech readers, it is a familiar pattern. Whether you are looking at subscription-heavy media bundles, paid newsletters, or creator platforms, companies are trying to replace volatile ad markets with predictable monthly dollars. The bet is that the customers who pay are also the customers who stick around.

The engagement gap: A global perspective

The broader context is not subtle. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace 2024” found only 23% of employees worldwide say they feel engaged at work, and Gallup estimates disengagement costs $8.9 trillion in lost productivity globally. So when a recruiter seems unusually focused on your “why,” it is not just culture talk, it is a response to real leakage.

How candidates can connect beyond the résumé

Schwager also argues candidates should not treat the application portal as the whole process. Direct outreach to a hiring manager or team lead on LinkedIn, with a specific point about the company’s product or customers, can do what another perfectly formatted résumé cannot: create a human thread. If the interview is the moment you’re assessed, it is also the moment you can prove you showed up on purpose.