Fall in job postings but hiring demand steadying - Indeed

Indeed, a major Irish job search website, has reported a 9.1% decline in job postings on an annual basis, although monthly postings have risen by 2.7%. Despite this modest decline, the overall hiring demand remains steady, with job postings currently at their early-2020 pre-pandemic level. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%, and the labour market appears to have normalized after a period of elevated demand following the pandemic.

Analysis of Irish job postings highlights a significant rise in terms related to artificial intelligence, now accounting for 14.7% of all postings, the highest among the European countries tracked by Indeed. This figure surpasses those in the UK (9.7%), Germany (5.6%), Italy (5%), and the Netherlands (3.6%). In the United States, AI terms make up 6.7% of job postings.

The report also reveals that posted wages increased by 3.7% year-on-year in the three months to July 2026, slightly surpassing the 3.4% year-on-year increase in consumer price inflation that same period. The narrowing gap between wage growth and inflation indicates that the demand for higher wages has outpaced inflation.

Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed, explains that AI is transforming the skills employers are seeking, creating demand for new roles that extend beyond traditional tech jobs. However, there is a concern that the skills gap must be addressed, particularly for those at the beginning of their careers, to adapt to the evolving nature of work.

The data suggests that Ireland's labour market has entered a more stable phase following the post-pandemic surge in hiring demand, with AI playing an increasingly critical role in shaping the hiring landscape.