Morgan McKinley’s report indicates that AI adoption is reshaping graduate hiring and is increasing demand for experienced talent.
Global professional services consultancy Morgan McKinley has published the Irish Employment Monitor for Q4 of 2025. The report found that “the professional employment market closed 2025 on a stable footing”. It also stated that hiring activity eased seasonally in the final quarter, broadly consistent with figures taken from the same period in 2024.
With registrations rising by more than 4pc quarter-on-quarter, candidate engagement increased as the year drew to a close and professionals positioned themselves for new opportunities in 2026. The report said: “This increase came despite a modest rise in the unemployment rate to 5pc, suggesting a shift towards more intentional job search behaviour rather than labour market stress.”
Changing expectations
There were noted adjustments to the workforce, however, the report mentioned that these took “place quietly through attrition and contract non-renewals, rather than large-scale redundancies”.
For Trayc Keevans, the global foreign direct investment director at Morgan McKinley, the last quarter of the year marked a turning point in how organisations approach hiring efforts. She explained that the last few months of the year indicate that the Irish labour market has entered a “more disciplined and mature phase”.
She said: “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.”
But a key difference she noted is in how artificial intelligence (AI) has impacted demand.
“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. AI is reshaping roles rather than removing them outright, but it is changing who gets hired and at what level,” she said.
“Technology hiring remained resilient in Q4, underpinned by sustained demand for data, AI, cybersecurity and cloud expertise. AI capability is now expected across software development, architecture and project roles, with employers prioritising professionals who can deliver real-world implementation rather than pilot activity.”
It is her opinion, based on the findings of the report, that candidate behaviour is also becoming increasingly more intentional. She said that the market is seeing continued inbound interest from international professionals, particularly in the tech, engineering and regulated financial spaces. But she also said that external factors, such as housing constraints and return-to-office requirements, are influencing outbound migration, particularly among early-career and mid-level talent.
“Contract hiring also accounted for a significant share of activity, particularly late in the quarter, as organisations progressed time-bound projects and used remaining budgets. Stricter return-to-office policies in some large organisations continued to influence candidate behaviour, pushing senior professionals towards contract roles or regional employers.”
The report also found that the life sciences and engineering sectors were among the most active areas of the labour market, as a result of heavy support via capital investment across the biopharma, pharma and medtech fields.
“Contract hiring continued to dominate project delivery, particularly in quality, validation, automation and engineering roles, allowing organisations to maintain flexibility while limiting permanent headcount.”
However, McKinley’s research in regards to life science and engineering roles also identified acute skills shortages persisting in automation, sterility testing and utilities, which was said to place upward pressure on rates for niche expertise and continued international recruitment.
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