Prepare for the Rebound in Tech and Creative Jobs

The past few years have been anything but predictable for the tech and creative industries. From pandemic-driven mass layoffs to hiring freezes and AI disruption, it’s been a challenging time for both employers and workers.

Now, after years of disruption, hiring is showing clear signs of bouncing back. Here’s what the job market recovery 2025 means for the tech employment outlook and creative industry jobs.

A Market in Transition

While the beginning of the year was marked by headlining layoffs, employment trends analysis now points toward a firmer jobs market, driven by innovation, investment, and a new wave of business transformation.

We’re gaining solid momentum, especially in tech and creative hiring. As McKinsey’s 2025 Tech Trends report highlights, AI is at the heart of tech transformation, with sectors across the economy responding positively. Forbes senior contributor Jack Kelly forecasts a renewed tech hiring cycle, citing the optimism about recruitment shared by engineering leaders. In creative industries, AI is reinventing creativity and redefining creative careers.

McKinsey Says the Tech Employment Outlook is Solid

McKinsey’s 2025 analysis shines the spotlight on more than a dozen “frontier technologies” that it says will propel corporate innovation, and, with it, an acceleration in tech sector job openings. These include:

• Generative & agentic AI: Creating “virtual coworkers” that can autonomously execute tasks, pushing demand for AI prompt engineers and prompt trainers.
• Application-specific semiconductors: Increased investment in chip design, leading to new roles in hardware/software integration.
• Quantum computing & communication: The quantum market is forecast to reach $100 billion within a decade, requiring specialists in quantum algorithm development, error mitigation, and sensor deployment.

Additionally, McKinsey finds that only 1 % of companies have fully integrated AI into workflows, yet over 90 % plan to ramp up investment. This should lead to robust future demand for tech professionals with AI skills.

(Note: The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects 327,000 jobs for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers will be created between 2023 and 2033.)

Forbes Expects Tech Hiring to Rebound

Forbes contributor Jack Kelly reports a tech hiring rebound fueled by a shift from caution to opportunity:

• Software engineering roles are down from five-year highs, but companies are now targeting new positions, with vacancies up 12% year-on-year.
• 81% of engineering leaders are actively hiring internationally, increasing global competition
• AI engineering roles are in high demand, with 60% of managers now prioritizing these (compared to last year’s 35%).
• There’s a significant shift toward contract and freelance hiring, with 28% of employers favoring this route.

What’s Fueling the Hiring Recovery in 2025?

While there are many factors in play, the three most impactful in our experience are:

1.    Stabilization After Disruption

The shocks of 2020–2023 forced companies to restructure, adopt automation, and cut costs. However, organizations have now started to shift back toward growth. Many companies that have reduced headcount are now refocusing on bringing in talent across disciplines to support technology-led opportunities.

An example of this is IBM, which, in May 2025, announced it had hired professionals in areas such as  software engineering, marketing, and sales and that its headcount had actually increased since it had laid off 8,000 employees because of AI.

2.    The AI Inflection Point

IBM’s story brings us to the effect that AI is now having on the job market. While it is displacing workers who perform routine and replicable tasks, it is also creating new categories of demand.

Companies now need professionals who can develop, deploy, and manage AI-powered systems, and also creatives who can humanize and contextualize those outputs. The result? A surge in demand for professionals who can crossover between technology and creative roles.

3.    Contract Work Goes Mainstream

Though the need for tech and creative professionals is growing again, organizations are also keen to remain agile and flexible. The answer to this conundrum is to turn to contract and freelance professionals.

As Enterprise League reports, the number of freelance/contract workers in the U.S. is expected to increase to 86.5 million –  more than half of the nation’s workforce. The tech sector is at the center of this shift.

What Are 2025’s Most In-Demand Tech and Creative Roles?

The tech employment outlook is brighter than many expected, especially in AI-adjacent and infrastructure-focused areas. Meanwhile, creative industry jobs are experiencing a boom within several fields, including digital storytelling and immersive media.

Top Tech Roles Hiring in 2025

• AI Product Manager – Bridging user needs with machine learning solutions
• AI Prompt Engineer – Crafting context-aware prompts for large language models
• Business Analyst – Bridge the gap between data and decision-making.
• Cybersecurity Specialist – Protect systems and sensitive data.
• Software Tester/QA Analyst – Ensure digital products perform flawlessly.
• Technical Recruiter – Match talent with opportunity in tech-driven environments.
• UX/UI Designer – Shape how users interact with apps and websites.

Top Creative Industry Jobs Growing in 2025

• Content Strategist or Copywriter – Drive brand narratives and campaigns.
• Creative Project Manager – Oversee deliverables in fast-paced creative teams.
• Graphic Designer – Bring ideas to life through compelling visuals.
• Social Media Manager – Engage communities and shape digital presence.
• Video Editor or Animator – Turn footage into polished storytelling.

The Key Takeaway? The line between tech and creative work continues to blur. If you can talk the language and perform the tasks required in both spaces, the demand for your skills is high.

3 Tips for Job Search Success in the Hiring Recovery

Whether you’re re-entering the workforce, exploring new options, or looking to upgrade your existing career, the job market recovery 2025 offers plenty of opportunity. Those professionals who are prepared, and take a strategic approach, will be the ones who the upturn favors.

Here are three key steps to ensure your success in the hiring recovery.

1.    Skill Up for What’s Coming

Look beyond job titles because organizations are hiring problem-solvers and not simply task-doers. For example, can you support AI product rollouts? Build engaging customer journeys? Manage data-driven campaigns? These are the qualities that hiring companies are increasingly seeking.

2.    Optimize for Hybrid & Freelance Roles

More companies are expanding flexible hiring strategies, recruiting contractors and remote workers. Being open to contract roles is clearly a plus, but you should also work on developing a portfolio of work (especially if you’re creative or project-based) and be active on platforms like LinkedIn, Behance, and GitHub.

3.    Connect with Staffing Specialists

You don’t have to go it alone. Partnering with recruiters who understand employment trends analysis can help you:

• Identify your most marketable skills
• Match with forward-looking companies
• Avoid wasting time on dead-end applications

What this means for you

The demand for talented professionals in tech and creative roles is real and growing. But the fastest growing roles are also the most competitive. Like the saying goes, “The best time to act is yesterday. The next best is now.” A proactive and strategic approach with expert help will make all the difference.

What Hiring Managers Should Know

If you’re leading a team or growing a business, the hiring forecast for technology and creative roles offers both opportunity and challenge. To navigate the tech talent shortage in the current environment, follow these tips:

• Be flexible: You may not find a candidate with every skill you seek. Focus on learning agility and culture fit.
• Take advantage of flexible and remote talent: You’ll attract higher-quality candidates from a broader and deeper talent pool.
• Consider freelance and contract employees: Many organizations are turning to staffing partners like TECHEAD to fill urgent roles with highly qualified contractors.
• Your employer brand is crucial: Highlight your inclusive culture, the meaningful work you do, and your value-driven mission.

Let TECHEAD Be Your Advantage in the Jobs Market Recovery

The job market recovery 2025 is a fresh start, but your success depends on the strategy you employ. Whether you’re a job seeker looking for meaningful work or a company competing for top talent, partnering with TECHEAD gives you a head start.