The Australian labour market has settled into a new rhythm in 2025: demand is uneven, hiring is cautious but purposeful, and the bar for skills, both technical and human, is rising. Recent market research points to stabilising job ad volumes overall, with pockets of strength where transformation and delivery can’t wait. Below is MARS Recruitment’s take on what we’re seeing now, and how employers and candidates can get ahead of 2026.
Where demand is holding (and growing)
- Healthcare & Community: Demographics keep this sector resilient. Providers are hiring across clinical, operations, payroll/rosters, and data-enabled roles to lift access and efficiency.
- Technology & Data: Budgets are tighter, but not for business-critical work. Cybersecurity, cloud, data engineering/analytics, CRM/marketing tech, and product/UI remain active, especially when they tie directly to revenue protection or customer experience.
- Infrastructure & Energy Transition: Public and private investment continue to create demand in project controls, commercial finance, procurement, engineering, HSE and environmental roles.
- Accounting & Finance: Steady hiring in core finance, financial control, commercial analysis and FP&A, particularly where leaders can drive cost discipline and decision support.
How hiring has changed in 2025
- More “right-sized” recruitment: Employers are being selective, prioritising hires that move revenue, reduce risk, or unlock capacity. Business cases matter, and success profiles are sharper.
- Rise of interim and project talent: Contract and fixed-term solutions are popular to cover peaks, deliver change and protect run-the-business. Many teams are blending permanent leaders with specialist contractors.
- Skills-based assessment: Employers are leaning harder on practical case studies, work samples and scenario interviews to validate capability and culture add.
- Hybrid as a performance lever: Most organisations now combine in-person collaboration (team days, sprint planning, client work) with focused remote time. The emphasis is on clarity: when we’re together, why and what outcomes improve?
Candidate market dynamics
- Competition is real: Applications per role are higher than in the post-pandemic surge. Stand-out CVs tell a clear value story: measurable outcomes, scale/complexity handled, tools and methods used and why they matter to the business.
- Transferable skills win interviews: Stakeholder influence, commercial acumen, change adoption and data literacy are opening doors across sectors.
- Career agility pays off: Candidates who can step sideways to build breadth (new systems, new industry, new operating model) are positioned for bigger vertical moves in 2026.
Outlook for 2026
Looking ahead, we expect:
- Selective growth, not a hiring spree: Organisations will keep investing where ROI is visible: customer, risk, analytics, productivity and regulated domains.
- Deeper capability in-house, specialist support on demand: Permanent benches for critical execution, supplemented by niche contractors to accelerate delivery.
- Continued shift to skills: Credentials still count, but proof of impact will trump tenure.
- People leadership back in the spotlight: Teams want clarity, coaching and credible flexibility. Managers who lift performance and wellbeing will be in high demand.
How MARS can help now:
- For employers: We’ll benchmark talent supply, pressure-test the brief against market reality, and advise on the best mix of permanent vs interim to de-risk delivery. Our candidate networks in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth give you speed without compromising on fit.
- For candidates: We’ll help refine your value proposition, prep for skills-based assessment, and target roles where your impact is clearest, whether that’s a strategic step up or a sideways move that sets up 2026.
[DISCLAIMER] The information provided in this article is for general, informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek guidance from qualified career coaches or advisors when navigating career transitions.
