Despite a 2.3% Drop, US, UK and Netherlands See Job Ad Gains in Tech Sector

The second quarter of 2026 recorded a 2.3 percent decline in global technology job advertisements, according to GlobalData’s quarterly hiring report. Economic uncertainty prompted many employers to tighten recruitment, yet three regions bucked the downward trend.

Both the United States and the United Kingdom posted slight increases in tech‑focused job ads, indicating localized confidence despite a softer global backdrop. In the Netherlands, hiring activity also rose, buoyed by steady economic expansion, higher consumer expenditure and amplified government spending.

Artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI and machine‑learning, continued to dominate hiring themes, with the United States and India together accounting for the largest share of AI‑related postings.

Analyst Shreela Sripada noted that North America was the sole region where domestic hiring grew, as organisations shifted a larger share of their listings to home‑based roles while scaling back listings for overseas positions.

The overall fall in advertisements points to a more selective hiring climate, where companies aim to extract greater value from existing staff, improve productivity and lean on automation.

While most industries reported reduced hiring, the automotive, packaging and oil‑and‑gas sectors experienced modest growth. In automotive, new model roll‑outs and continued investment in electric‑vehicle platforms were cited as primary factors.

Retail and technology firms still generated the highest number of postings worldwide, underscoring ongoing demand for skilled workers despite the broader slowdown.