Irish professional jobs market steadies as employers take more selective hiring approach. AI adoption reshapes entry level recruitment while experienced candidates remain in strong demand.
Ireland’s professional jobs market ended 2025 on stable ground as employers adopted a more deliberate approach to hiring and focused on roles aligned with productivity and growth, according to the latest Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor.
Although professional job vacancies fell by 11.9% between the third and fourth quarters, the level of hiring was almost unchanged from the same period a year earlier. The slowdown reflected seasonal patterns rather than any significant deterioration in employer sentiment.
“AI is reshaping roles rather than removing them outright, but it is changing who gets hired and at what level”
Candidate activity edged higher. Registrations rose 4.3% in the final quarter as workers prepared for moves in early 2026. The rise came during a period when unemployment reached 5%. Recruiters described the shift as evidence of more purposeful job search behaviour, with many professionals exploring moves quietly as companies adjusted staffing levels through attrition and non renewal of contracts.
A more measured phase of recruitment
Trayc Keevans, global foreign direct investment director at Morgan McKinley, said employers were entering a more measured phase of recruitment.
“Q4 confirms that the Irish labour market has entered a more disciplined and mature phase. Employers are not pulling back, but they are being far more deliberate about where they hire. Demand has narrowed around critical skills, experienced talent and roles that directly support delivery, productivity and growth,” she said.
Keevans added that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence was influencing who companies brought in at early career levels. “AI is reshaping roles rather than removing them outright, but it is changing who gets hired and at what level. We are seeing more diversified hiring at graduate and entry level, particularly where automation is replacing transactional or junior work, while demand for experienced and specialist talent remains strong.”
She noted that international interest in Irish roles remained steady in technology, engineering and regulated financial services, although housing pressures and stricter return to office policies continued to encourage some early and mid career workers to seek opportunities abroad. “Flexibility has become a deciding factor, not a nice to have,” she said.
Tech recruitment holds firm
Technology recruitment held firm in the final quarter, driven by demand for data and AI skills, cybersecurity expertise and cloud engineering capability. Companies increasingly expect software developers, architects and project specialists to demonstrate hands on AI implementation skills, a requirement that is reshaping parts of the early career pipeline.
Graduate hiring across technology and professional services remained cautious, reflecting both automation and tighter training budgets. Experienced candidates continued to be sought after, especially in specialist areas.
Dublin retained its position as the dominant market for multinational hiring. Regional markets held steady with support from domestic and mid sized employers that offered greater flexibility and broader remit roles.
Contract hiring remained a central feature of the market, especially in the final weeks of the year as organisations moved to complete project work within budget cycles. Some employers’ preference for stricter office attendance continued to influence worker choices, encouraging experienced professionals to consider contract roles or regional employers offering hybrid arrangements.
Financial services hiring ended the year on a positive note. Activity remained strong in wealth management, pensions, mortgages, insurance and regulatory functions. Auto enrolment, demographic trends and sustained mortgage demand supported recruitment across advisory and banking roles. Keevans said firms continued to rely on permanent staff in regulated functions even as AI tools took on more analytical support.
Accounting and finance teams focused their hiring on corporate tax specialists, newly qualified accountants and senior finance professionals. Not for profit organisations increased recruitment as they sought to strengthen governance and financial oversight, while graduate pathways broadened across sectors due to reduced need for transactional roles within traditional professional services.
Life sciences and engineering remained among the most active areas of the economy, supported by ongoing capital investment across biopharma, pharma and medtech. Contract hiring dominated quality, validation, automation and engineering positions, giving companies greater flexibility on headcount. Talent shortages persisted in automation, sterility testing and utilities, which kept rates elevated and encouraged continued international hiring.
Construction recruitment stayed firm, fuelled by long term public infrastructure investment. Activity in pharmaceuticals and data centres softened slightly, yet this was balanced by strong residential and infrastructure pipelines along with consultancy led design projects. Quantity surveyors were again the most sought after staff, and employers continued to report limited graduate availability and mobility constraints linked to housing.
In executive search, demand for senior leaders increased as companies progressed appointments delayed earlier in the year. Organisations prioritised transformation capability, adaptability and strategic understanding of AI. Decision making timelines lengthened as boards sought clarity on role expectations and cultural fit.
Project and transformation roles became increasingly focused on delivery, with organisations favouring candidates with proven experience in ERP, cybersecurity and regulatory programmes. Contract hiring continued to dominate due to the time bound nature of these initiatives.
Legal recruitment softened, with firms leaning more heavily on contract work. Demand remained for regulatory, data protection and employment specialists. Junior lawyers faced tighter entry routes and rising interest in overseas opportunities that offered higher pay and more flexible work patterns.
Marketing teams reported some of the clearest effects of AI adoption. Routine content production work increasingly shifted to automation, leaving candidates to justify the value of human involvement in interviews. Hiring moved firmly towards strategy, performance, and project roles. Availability of candidates rose and salary levels compressed, creating a more competitive market for junior positions outside well funded brands.
Multilingual hiring declined as companies restricted budgets for permanent roles. Temporary posts in sales and customer service formed the bulk of activity.
Morgan McKinley said the market was entering 2026 with stable demand for experienced professionals, cautious but ongoing hiring in specialist areas and increasing influence from AI on early career pathways. The firm expects employers to continue prioritising flexibility, technical capability and clear business impact in their hiring decisions.
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