2025 is shaping up to be a year of tough choices for the tech industry. Tighter budgets and shifting trade dynamics have made their impact known on the job market, where conflicting reports of hiring trends paint a confused picture. 

Headlines point to mass layoffs and hiring freezes, yet they sit alongside acute skill shortages. While 2024’s hiring environment told a similar story, the problem is distorted by the influx of AI-generated applications, quick-click application portals, and the hangover of misplaced investment. 

The team at Trust in SODA explore the shape of the current market in more detail (including its opportunities) below.

Flexibility is the New Stability

Project- and contract-based roles are on the rise, particularly in high-technology and banking. Leaner consultancies with design, product, and agility DNA are gaining traction over slower-moving enterprise-scale providers.  

This reshuffling aligns with broader workforce trends. According to a 2025 report from Upwork, freelancing and contract employment have grown 28% globally, driven by in-demand tech work and a desire for flexible income. 

For candidates, this is a chance to work on short-term, high-value projects with decent pay, flexibility, and a CV boost (interested? Check out our contract opportunities here).

AI Bloat

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see businesses overinvest in AI they don’t understand, a problem that exacerbates skill shortages because the tools are there, but the workforce isn’t aligned.

Plus, the foundations that AI depends on are often messy and outdated, which is an issue on many levels, not just the technical – regulators have their eye firmly fixed on data governance and compliance.

Without fixing the data layer, AI investments are high-risk, high-cost experiments that fail to deliver meaningful value. This is common in many ‘traditional’ industries that are now racing to digitalise, including banking.

For tech professionals with strong data fundamentals (particularly those with a BI focus), a wealth of rewarding opportunities awaits.

The Cloud is Splintering

Cloud costs are spiralling, but it’s not slowing down adoption rates. Switzerland and Germany are currently in high-growth mode, while the UK and US appear focused on optimisation. 

Candidates with multicloud experience, especially those fluent in both AWS and Azure, are commanding premium salaries. 

DevOps Evolves Further into Platform Strategy

Automation and observability pipelines are reducing routine tasks and freeing up DevOps professionals to step into more strategic roles. The market increasingly rewards engineers with comprehensive domain knowledge and a commercial, business-aligned mindset. 

The demand for AI workflow expertise has risen alongside this, as organisations look for talent who can integrate automation responsibly.

New Frontiers Demand Hybrid Talent

Some of the most valuable talent now sits at the intersection of disciplines, a prime example being the data product manager. Data as a product (DaaP) has gained impressive traction in the last few years, a result of the massive corporate push to drive operational efficiency. 

Businesses are recognising the immense commercial value of treating datasets like products, complete with roadmaps and measurable outcomes. Correspondingly, they’re looking for candidates who can bridge the gap between the two disciplines.

The Automation Influence

With an estimated 70% of organisations now using data and machine learning strategies to train generative AI, the ideal skills profile, if there was such a thing, has fundamentally changed. 

Technical skills alone are no longer sufficient, as the true value of AI isn’t in the models themselves, but rather, how the models align with business goals and the needs of human users. 

Many of the most in-demand professionals are those who can translate complex systems into outcomes that reduce risk, optimise costs, and create genuine impact.

Finding Your Place

The 2025 tech job market is full of contradictions, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad news. For many, it’s a chance to explore new ways of working, step into hybrid roles, or build skills that are suddenly in high demand.

If you’re curious about where you fit into this shifting landscape, our consultants are always happy to chat and help you navigate the options. Drop us a message: https://www.trustinsoda.com/general-enquiries