Technical Skills Most Highly Sought-after Skills by Employers

IrishJobs has today published new data from its Hiring Trends Update, revealing that nearly 1 in 4 employers expect to increase hiring in 2026.

The IrishJobs Hiring Trends Update is a new biannual research report on the state of the recruitment market in Ireland. The research gathered insights from 500 employers and 1,000 professionals in Ireland on the evolving hiring landscape and shifting attitudes and actions across the market.

The research also includes data from OTT, an in-house tool developed by the Stepstone Group, the parent company of IrishJobs, which analyses online data on job postings and associated information.

In-demand skills

As employers continue to navigate a highly competitive market for demand, sourcing candidates with in-demand skills is a top challenge. Nearly 7 in 10 employers (69%) report struggling to recruit talent with the right skills. Technical skills, such as programming, data analysis and AI competencies, are the most highly sought-after skills by employers. 30% of employers are prioritising the recruitment of talent with technical skills.

28% of employers are looking to hire candidates with soft skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and communication. 25% of employers say that recruiting candidates with leadership and people management skills is a top priority.

Pace of hiring

The tight talent landscape is impacting the length of time to successful hiring. The median time for successful hiring is 10 weeks, as employers continue to face challenges in sourcing the right candidates for key positions.

Findings show that recruiters are increasingly using AI tools and automation to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the hiring process. Nearly half of employers (47%) surveyed are using AI to draft job adverts. 35% of employers are using AI tools to help schedule interviews with job candidates.

Hiring landscape

There is a positive hiring outlook for 2026, with nearly 1 in 4 employers (24%) in Ireland planning on increasing recruitment over the next six months, indicating growing confidence among employers following a period of heightened geopolitical and trade volatility. Large enterprises have the most positive outlook on future hiring, with 27% of these firms expected to increase recruitment over the coming months.

Findings show that smaller firms are more cautious on potential growth, with 21% of SMEs forecasting an increase in hiring in 2026. 21% of employers plan on increasing spending on hiring for more specialist roles, while 19% expect to increase hiring for temporary roles and contractors.

33% of employers surveyed have increased their levels of recruitment since April 2025, according to the report findings. Large businesses were the most active in recruitment, with 35% of these firms hiring more staff over this period. Findings show that 31% of SMEs have increased hiring since April 2025. However, there are also signs of cooling in certain areas of the labour market. 24% of employers reported restructuring certain teams or departments within their organisation over the previous six months.

Increased jobseeker activity ahead

Despite elevated uncertainty, jobseeker activity has remained robust across the labour market, with 21% of candidates actively looking for a new job in September 2025. However, there are signs that greater stability may lead to increased activity in the months ahead. Findings show that 29% of candidates plan to look for a new job in 2026.

Salary is the top factor candidates consider when evaluating a new job and employer. Work-life balance is the second most important factor, with 31% of candidates considering it important when considering a new job.

There are also signs that international volatility is having a growing impact on the selection of employers by candidates, with 29% of candidates ranking job security as a crucial factor influencing selection. Flexibility is increasingly a baseline expectation for many job candidates. 71% of candidates would consider leaving their job if flexible working were not provided by their employer.

Sectoral activity

The Education sector experienced the highest increase (33%) in job growth over the past six months. This was closely followed by social care, which posted a 30% rise in job growth over the same period.

Management (29%), Consulting (26%), and Customer Service (23%) made up the top five sectors to experience the highest increase in job growth. Findings revealed that the IT sector experienced a 20% increase in job growth, with software engineer, data engineer, and site reliability engineer being the most in-demand jobs in the sector over this period.

Commenting on the findings, Julius Probst, Labour Economist for the Stepstone Group Ireland, said:

“Despite considerable international turbulence in recent months, the Irish economy continues to perform well, with modified domestic demand growing by 3 per cent over the past 12 months. While economic growth is set to moderate in the medium to long term as a result of the introduction of trade barriers, employment remains relatively strong and is projected to expand by 2.2 per cent this year and 1.5 per cent in 2026, according to the Department of Finance’s Budget 2026 outlook.

The unemployment rate is expected to remain below 5 per cent, indicating that hiring will remain positive in the months ahead, although there is an increased downside risk to jobs in internationally traded sectors such as life sciences and manufacturing.”

Christopher Paye, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said, “The launch of the first IrishJobs Hiring Trends Updates provides an important insight into the recruitment landscape during a period of volatility for the Irish economy and workforce. Developed to support, inform, and shape the recruitment strategies of Irish employers, the IrishJobs Hiring Trends Update provides a comprehensive 360-degree view of Ireland’s recruitment landscape, combining insights from recruiters and job seekers with analysis of the latest economic indicators and job posting data.

“It’s clear from the findings that confidence is beginning to return among employers in many industries following the trade agreement between the EU and the US. Nearly 1 in 4 employers expect to increase hiring in the months ahead – an indicator that a more stable and positive trajectory for the jobs market lies ahead.

Employers continue to navigate a highly competitive market for talent, which is creating challenges in securing candidates with in-demand skills. Our findings show that nearly 7 in 10 employers are struggling to recruit talent with the skills needed to future-proof their operations.

While hard skills such as AI and data analysis are in high demand, employers are increasingly prioritising candidates with softer skills such as people management and leadership. Taking a skills-first approach to hiring will be crucial to ensure that employers can fully meet their talent needs over the coming months.

“With jobseeker activity set to rise in the months ahead, employers should consider reviewing their employee offering to ensure they remain attractive to high-calibre talent. Jobseekers are increasingly looking beyond salary and considering a broad range of criteria when deciding on a new role. Flexibility is a top priority for job seekers. 71% of candidates would consider changing roles if flexible working options were not provided by their employer, indicating the importance of hybrid and remote working options to potential talent.”

For further information on the findings, please visit: https://www.IrishJobs.ie/.