Specialist Job Market in the First Half of 2026: The Growing Role of AI and New Transparency Standards. Report by Pracuj.pl

Key findings:

• 387,000 the number of job offers published on the Pracuj.pl platform in H1 2026.
• Approximately 62,000 active clients used the platform’s services - a record high.
• The number of submitted applications increased by 4.3% year on year, demonstrating that professional mobility remains high.
• 18% of all job advertisements were aimed at sales professionals.
• Demand for AI/ML- related skills in the IT sector increased by 111%.
• 65% of the latest job advertisements used gender-neutral job titles.

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Most In-Demand Specializations and the Rebound in IT

The sales sector continues to lead in terms of the number of vacancies, accounting for 18% of all job advertisements. Blue-collar roles rank second at 16%, confirming strong demand for workers in the technical, construction, and manufacturing industries. 

The most important finding from the first half of 2026, however, is the IT sector’s return to third place in the overall market ranking. Its 12% share points to a clear revival in technology investment following a period of market normalization and greater caution in recruitment.

The New Reality of the Technology Sector

The technology sector is undergoing a significant transformation, as demonstrated by the exceptionally high - 111% - increase in demand for analysts and specialists working in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). In response to these changes, companies are primarily seeking experienced professionals: as many as 48% of job advertisements target mid-level specialists, while 34% are aimed directly at senior professionals. This distribution of demand supports the view of market experts that today’s technology companies are mainly looking for experienced employees capable of immediately implementing solutions that deliver tangible business value.

A Pragmatic Approach to Benefits in IT

Data from theprotocol.it indicates a fundamental shift in the role of non-salary benefits in the IT sector - from a tool used to build a company’s image to benefits that provide employees with tangible, practical value. Technology job advertisements are increasingly less likely to mention perks such as office relaxation areas, which appear in only 19% of postings and are gradually losing importance in favor of benefits whose value is easier to assess. Private healthcare (87%) and sports cards (80%) remain the undisputed industry standard. However, benefits that support employees’ financial security, such as employee savings schemes, are also becoming increasingly popular.

Hyper-Personalization of Recruitment Processes

In response to users’ digital expectations, Pracuj.pl has introduced a range of innovative AI-powered solutions, including an Interview Assistant, the FitScore indicator, and advanced, highly precise geolocation of job listings. As a result of this transformation, Pracuj.pl is evolving into a platform that supports career-related decision-making, using artificial intelligence to personalize the candidate experience. These new solutions help users navigate the labor market more easily and make better-informed decisions about their career development.

Candidate Activity and Preferences

The first half of 2026 saw high levels of activity among labor market participants, with the number of applications submitted increasing by 4.3% compared with the same period a year earlier. The largest shares of applications were for positions in retail and sales (16%), office administration (15%), and blue-collar work (14%). The decision to change employers is no longer driven primarily by pressure or uncertainty. As many as 84% of respondents say that it is now a conscious, carefully considered choice aimed at achieving greater job stability and improving their overall well-being.

The Situation of Entry-Level Workers

People with no prior work experience who were just starting their careers were targeted by 14% of all published job advertisements. The greatest number of opportunities was available in sales, which accounted for 17% of entry-level job postings, and office administration, at 14%. 

To help young candidates enter the workforce, Pracuj.pl launched “Project Grant: The Easiest First Step”, an initiative supported by its ambassador, Jakub “Patec” Patecki. With a funding pool of PLN 500,000, young people can take their first steps in the labor market with greater confidence, explore different career paths, and gain experience that will help them make informed decisions about their professional future.

What’s New in the Polish Labor Market in the First Half of 2026

The first months of 2026 show how the new EU directives are working in practice in Poland. Salary ranges appeared in as many as 32% of published job advertisements, while 65% of postings used gender-neutral language. 

One of the key legal changes is the systematic inclusion of periods of B2B self-employment and work performed under contracts of mandate in an employee’s overall length of service. Among other benefits, this may entitle employees to longer annual leave. 

At the same time, the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) has been granted new powers allowing it to carry out immediate administrative reviews of civil-law contracts. The new administrative procedure will make it faster and easier to determine whether a B2B contract or contract of mandate is, in fact, disguised employment.

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About the report

This summary is based on the internal data of the Pracuj Group, presen ting statistics of job offers posted on the platform between January and June 2026. The data in this summary includes all job offers published on the Pracuj.pl website during the period under review, visible to platform users as a single advertisement in one location. The presented data should not be equated with the number of recruitment projects offered by the Pracuj Group to its clients (employers), which consist of: job advertise ments (one or more within a single recruitment project) and add-ons that build reach and increase the number of CVs sent by candidates. 

In order to increase the analytical quality and relevance of the reports, starting from the summary for the first half of 2023, the method of presenting data on specializations in the „Specialists’ Labor Market” reports has been changed. Currently, they include breakdowns of the share of listings by leading category, i.e., the one specified by the employer as the most important for a given job offer. Comparative data for previous years has been prepared according to the current method of data presentation. In turn, data regarding position levels present results by classifying each advertisement according to the lowest candidate experience level acceptable by the advertiser.

About Grupa Pracuj

Grupa Pracuj is a leading technology platform operating in the HR industry in Europe. The most important brands belonging to the Group are: Pracuj.pl - the largest Polish online recruitment website, Robota.ua - an online recruitment website operating on the Ukrainian market, eRecruiter - a Polish system supporting recruitment processes offered in the SaaS model, Kadromierz - a leading Polish working time management system, and softgarden - operating in the field of systems supporting recruitment processes (Talent Acquisition Suite) in Germany, also present in other European markets. Since December 2021, the company has been listed on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange; it is a component of the mWIG40 index.