Tech employers around the world are still planning to hire in the third quarter of 2026, but they're being more selective about the roles they fill and the skills they're looking for.
According to the latest Experis Tech Talent Outlook, which surveyed more than 4,000 tech employers across 42 countries, the global Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q3 is 35%. That's down seven percentage points from the previous quarter but only one point lower than a year ago, suggesting hiring demand has remained relatively steady.
Half of employers worldwide said they plan to add staff during the quarter, while 33% expect to keep staffing levels the same. Most organizations are continuing to invest in talent despite ongoing economic uncertainty, with only 15% reporting they anticipate reducing headcount.
AI-related skills continue to top employers' wish lists. AI modeling and application development ranked as the most in-demand technical skill, followed by AI literacy and traditional IT and data expertise.
But technical skills aren't the whole story. As AI becomes a bigger part of day-to-day work, companies are looking for employees who can combine technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills.
Employers cite communication, collaboration, and teamwork as the most important traits they look for in employees, followed by professionalism, work ethic, and adaptability. However, businesses report that finding candidates with the right combination of tech and soft skills remains difficult.
Those findings align with RemoFirst's The State of International Hiring Survey Report, in which 73% of respondents said they expect artificial intelligence roles to be the hardest to fill in the coming year, followed closely by cybersecurity roles (71%).
Nearly all employers surveyed by Experis (95%) said they're taking steps to address talent shortages. The most common strategies include upskilling and reskilling existing employees, offering greater workplace flexibility, and increasing wages to stay competitive.
Hiring expectations also differ around the world. Puerto Rico posted the strongest hiring outlook at 68%, followed by Brazil (53%) and the United Kingdom (51%).
Vietnam (50%), the United States (47%), and India (47%) also reported strong hiring plans, while employers in Hong Kong, Romania, and Slovakia expect a slower quarter.
Overall, the findings suggest companies aren't pulling back on hiring. Instead, they're focusing on finding the right people with the technical and human skills needed to support the next phase of AI adoption.
