Tech Job Market: What’s in store for 2025?

Read Time: 4 min

Today, we'll look at the important trends in the tech job market for 2025 and how they can affect your job search.

Some of these trends might surprise you.

As we get closer to 2025, the job market is becoming more stable. It’s important to know what's happening, especially if you're a sales engineer or account executive in the SaaS and tech industries.

Being adaptable and informed will be critical for success.

Things will be different in 2025 compared to recent years, so understanding these trends will help you find better job opportunities.

We will also share five tips to improve your job search for next year.

The Reality of the Tech Job Market in 2025

1. Layoffs will decrease

In 2024, big tech companies like Salesforce, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft laid off workers. Many smaller companies, such as Freshworks and Chegg, also made cuts.

As companies adjust to changing market conditions, more layoffs are expected. However, the number of layoffs in 2024 was 56% lower than in 2023. 

While we expect a slight increase in layoffs during the first quarter, as has been the case in previous years, we believe the trend of fewer layoffs will continue into 2025.

2. Job postings will increase (slow and steady)

On the hiring front, tech job postings have steadily increased in 2024, and we expect this trend to continue into 2025. 

While 2025 will look better for candidates than 2024, don't expect it to become a candidate's market just yet, as the pace of growth remains slow.

Despite the reduction in layoffs, the sluggish growth in job postings means that the job market still favors employers keeping competition high among job candidates in 2025.

3. Hybrid becomes the norm. Small companies compete with flexibility.

Hybrid work solidified its place in 2023 and 2024, with companies like Google, Meta, Apple, and others mandating at least three in-office days per week.

Amazon and Dell recently took it further, requiring five days in-office for 2025.

In 2025, structured hybrid work is expected to dominate, with 43% of companies mandating office schedules—more than double the 20% seen in early 2023.

Large companies favor structured schedules, averaging three in-office days weekly.

In contrast, smaller companies (under 500 employees) stand out with 70% offering greater workplace flexibility, compared to just 14% of large enterprises.

Remote and hybrid job postings have stabilized but remain well above pre-pandemic levels. While finding fully remote roles is tougher than before, opportunities still exist for those seeking them.

The demand for flexibility continues to drive employee decisions:

• 65% of workers want to work remotely full-time.
• 50% would consider quitting rather than returning to the office.

Companies with strict return-to-office (RTO) mandates may face higher turnover, creating opportunities for those open to commuting or relocation.

However, as professionals leave jobs with return-to-office mandates, that drives more competition for remote roles.

4. Jobs will remain competitive

The job market remains tight, with many highly qualified professionals—both laid-off and employed—seeking new opportunities.

The wave of layoffs in 2024 hit employee morale hard, leaving many overworked, burned out, and eager for a fresh start.

Consider these trends:

• Nearly 1 in 3 tech professionals is actively job hunting.
• 60% plan to change employers within the next year. (Source: Dice)

Expect increased resignations and job switching throughout 2025.

Additionally, companies are offshoring roles and accelerating automation to cut costs, which adds to the competition for many positions.

While more tech jobs are anticipated in 2025, the market will remain competitive. If you're looking for a job in 2025 prepare for stiff competition, especially in sought-after roles.

What should you focus on if you’re looking for a job in 2025?

1. Ditch outdated job search advice like “play the numbers game” or “update your resume for every role”, unfortunately, that doesn’t work anymore. (How to Instantly Become a Competitive Candidate)

2. Consider small or mid-sized companies rather than only focusing on big companies

   Big companies aren’t always the most stable, as we’ve seen the past two years with mass layoffs at Salesforce, Google, Meta, Amazon, and many others.

   Smaller companies are continuing to hire and are more open to remote and flexible work schedules if that’s important to you. In fact, many tech startup companies are 100% remote without any permanent offices at all - so they’ll never make you return to the office.

3. Strategic networking is more critical than ever because companies want to reduce their hiring risk, and that means they prefer to hire candidates referred to them by other employees or from people in their network. The good news is that you don’t need to have connections starting out, you just need to start developing your network in a targeted and strategic way.

4. Keep upskilling your hard and soft skills because continuous learning is required for tech professionals. Whether you’re a software engineer or a sales rep, you have to keep upskilling, or you’re falling behind. Employers want to hire people who constantly put energy into their own self-development.

5. Showcase your skills - don’t just list them on your resume. Create a portfolio of work examples or create a short video of yourself presenting on a topic that is relevant to your target role. That will make you stand out to hiring managers because they know what you bring to the table before they even talk to you - and not many candidates do this - that puts you in a very advantageous position.

Summary

The tech landscape will undoubtedly look different in 2025. It will still be challenging, but there’s good reason for optimism, especially with layoffs decreasing and hiring picking up.

The job market will remain competitive, and we still can’t rely on a good resume and job applications alone. It takes a strategic approach to land a job in this market.

The great news is that if you invest energy in building your network, upskilling, and learning how to market yourself effectively, that won’t only help you in your job search, but it will create a springboard for your career. Whenever you change jobs or if you’re ever laid off, you will take these assets with you, and they’ll open new doors for you.

We wish you resilience, determination, and a successful 2025 💛

If you could use help landing your next AE or SE role, we can help! Apply to work with us 1-on-1. We'll personally reach out to chat about how we can help you accelerate your job search.