New Delhi, August 10: In the second quarter of 2026, global hiring in the technology sector was primarily centered around themes such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and Cybersecurity, according to a report released on Monday.
The report titled “Global Hiring Activity Trends and Signals – Q2 2026” by the intelligence platform GlobalData highlighted that AI, Big Data, and Cybersecurity remained the leading technical topics during this quarter.
Within the AI sector, Generative AI and Machine Learning emerged as key areas of demand. The highest number of job advertisements related to Generative AI were found in the United States and India.
However, the global job market experienced a slowdown in the second quarter of 2026. There was a 2.3% decline in total job advertisements compared to the previous quarter, as employers adopted a more cautious approach amid economic uncertainties.
Despite the overall decline in hiring activities, some sectors showed resilience. Both the United States and the United Kingdom recorded a slight increase in job advertisements, while the Netherlands saw growth in hiring activities due to stable economic expansion, rising domestic spending, and increased government expenditure.
Sherla Sripada, a Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, commented on the report’s findings, noting the modest rise in job advertisements in both the U.S. and the U.K. She attributed the increase in the Netherlands to its steady economic growth and heightened domestic and government spending.
Sripada pointed out that North America was the only region where domestic hiring increased. Employers shifted a significant portion of job advertisements towards domestic roles, while the share of advertisements for positions outside the region decreased.
She also mentioned that the decline in job advertisements signals a selective hiring environment. Employers are balancing external recruitment with better utilization of existing staff, improving productivity, and increasing automation.
Sector-wise analysis revealed a decline in hiring activity across most industries. However, the automobile, packaging, and oil and gas sectors recorded a slight increase in job opportunities, reversing the trend.
The rise in hiring within the automobile sector is attributed to ongoing investments in new vehicle launches and the expansion of electric vehicles.
Globally, the retail and technology sectors continued to generate the highest number of job advertisements, reflecting a persistent demand for talent despite the overall slowdown in hiring activities.
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