Weekly Insights
Apr 21, 2026
AI is reshaping the role of the middle manager
As of Q1 2026, 12.9% of all middle manager job openings mention AI-related skills. And that share keeps climbing even as overall hiring cools. This is no longer a niche requirement reserved for tech-adjacent roles; AI literacy is becoming a baseline expectation for management. Even as total AI related job postings have declined from their 2025 peak, AI’s share of all manager openings continues to climb. Employers aren’t pulling back on AI, they’re just hiring less overall. The roles that remain are increasingly the ones that require it.
Apr 14, 2026
Accounting jobs declined compared to 2025
Every major accounting profession posted significant YoY declines, with losses relatively uniform across the board. Accounting clerks led the decline, with over a 30% YoY drop, but even credentialed roles offered no shelter. CPA and auditor job openings were each down over 25%. While AI automation may be accelerating this decline, firms are also doing more with fewer people, and that efficiency pressure is compressing headcount across every level of the organization.
Apr 7, 2026
Light industrial hiring dips at the start 2026
Job postings across manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade fell to 1.48 million in Q1 2026, a modest 2.6% decline from Q4 2025. Warehousing and transportation led the pullback, dropping 17.4% from last quarter. However, manufacturing and wholesale trade were more resilient, with each adding more than 10,000 openings since last quarter and remaining broadly stable year over year.
Mar 31, 2026
Employers seek emotional intelligence and vision
Intuitive traits like reactivity and emotional intelligence surged in Q4 2025, up 49% and 8% respectively, as employers prioritize adaptability and interpersonal awareness. Meanwhile, show courage and non-verbal communication saw some of the steepest drops at -67% and -43%, respectively. Employers are favoring workers who can collaborate effectively in a team and read the room.
Mar 24, 2026
White collar job postings cut in half since 2023
Job openings in finance, IT, and public administration have fallen more than 50% since Q1 2023, though the impact varies by region. New York and Minneapolis were hit hardest, with declines of -69% and -66% respectively, while southern markets like Austin have proven more resilient, down just -36%. A brief mid-2025 rebound across most cities has since reversed,with Q1 2026 confirming the downturn is continuing.
Mar 17, 2026
Internship hiring slows as finance pulls back sharply
Internship hiring has slowed multiple industries since 2023, reflecting a more cautious approach to early-career recruiting. Declines have been particularly pronounced in sectors such as finance, IT, and healthcare; finance and insurance internship openings have dropped nearly 60% from Q1 2023. Finance has historically relied on internships to build pipelines for entry-level analyst roles, making the drop especially significant. Despite the broad pullback, manufacturing continues to offer the highest number of internship opportunities, underscoring the sector’s ongoing need to build skilled talent pipelines.
