Jobs on the Rise UK 2026: The Roles Hiring Now and How to Get Ahead

Jobs on the Rise UK 2026: Where the Hiring Momentum Is and How to Position Yourself

The UK job market in 2026 feels competitive, cautious, and confusing for many jobseekers. Hiring is selective, applications per role remain high, and yet some roles continue to grow faster than others.

LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise 2026 for the UK highlights where demand has increased consistently over recent years. This article explains what that data means in practical terms and how jobseekers, graduates, laid-off professionals, and international candidates can use it to make smarter career decisions.

Why this data matters in a tight UK job market

When hiring slows, employers become more precise. They hire fewer people, but they hire with clearer intent.

The Jobs on the Rise list is not a prediction. It reflects real hiring behaviour over time. That makes it valuable for anyone trying to understand where opportunities are still forming, even when the market feels difficult.

For jobseekers, this data helps answer three important questions:

• Which roles show sustained demand, not short-term hype
• Which skills and backgrounds employers continue to prioritise
• Where to focus effort instead of applying broadly and hoping for results

What LinkedIn’s UK Jobs on the Rise data reveals

The UK list shows that growth is not concentrated in one sector. Instead, it reflects a mix of technology, education, infrastructure, leadership, and service-based roles.

Several clear themes emerge.

1) AI and advanced technology roles are leading

Roles such as AI Engineer and Head of AI appear at the top of the UK list. This reflects how deeply AI is being integrated across organisations, not only in technology firms but also in finance, healthcare, education, and professional services.

Importantly, these roles are not limited to pure engineering. Employers are also hiring people who can lead, apply, and operationalise AI in real business environments.

2) Education and knowledge roles remain strong

Lecturer roles feature among the fastest-growing jobs in the UK. This highlights continued demand within higher education, professional training, and skills development, particularly as organisations and institutions adapt to new technologies and workforce needs.

3) Strategic, advisory, and leadership roles are growing

Strategic Advisors, Founders, and senior commercial roles appear on the list. This signals that organisations value experience, decision-making, and the ability to guide growth during uncertainty.

Professionals who can demonstrate judgement, stakeholder influence, and measurable outcomes are well positioned in this environment.

4) Practical and infrastructure-linked roles matter

The UK list also includes roles tied to delivery and infrastructure, such as building, inspection, design, and preconstruction leadership. These roles support long-term investment and are often less visible to jobseekers outside the UK.

This is particularly relevant for international candidates with transferable technical or operational experience.

Jobs on the Rise 2026: headline roles in the UK

LinkedIn’s UK list includes 25 roles in total. The headline roles highlighted span:

• AI and machine learning leadership and engineering
• Higher education and teaching
• Strategic advisory and independent leadership
• Sales, partnerships, and commercial growth
• Construction, design, and infrastructure delivery
• Professional services and specialist support roles

Rather than chasing every title, jobseekers should look at adjacent roles and shared skills across the list, such as analytics, leadership, communication, technical delivery, and stakeholder management.

What this means for jobseekers and graduates

Recruiters search before they read

Most hiring teams use search, filters, and shortlists before reviewing CVs. If your CV and LinkedIn profile do not align with the language, titles, and skills employers use, your application may never be reviewed.

Skills and outcomes matter more than job history alone

Across the UK list, employers consistently look for:

• Evidence of impact
• Clear scope of responsibility
• Relevant skills and tools
• The ability to operate in the UK context

International candidates must localise their positioning

If you are applying to the UK from Africa or elsewhere, adapting your CV and LinkedIn profile to UK terminology, expectations, and role definitions is essential. Transferable experience must be made explicit.

How to use these insights in your job search

1. Target roles with momentum
   Use the Jobs on the Rise themes to focus your search on roles that show sustained demand.
2. Align your CV and LinkedIn profile
   Match your titles, skills, and achievements to how UK employers describe these roles.
3. Show evidence, not responsibilities
   Results, outcomes, and scope help hiring managers make faster decisions.
4. Be intentional, not reactive
   Applying broadly without positioning increases frustration, not interviews.

Guidance for career services, universities, and colleges

For career services teams and educators, this data offers a practical lens into evolving employer demand. It supports:

• Curriculum alignment
• Career pathway guidance
• Employer engagement strategies
• International student employability planning

Using real hiring trends helps students and graduates make informed decisions earlier.

How CVsAndResumes.com supports jobseekers

CVsAndResumes.com helps jobseekers turn market insight into practical action through:

• Self-service CV and LinkedIn optimisation tools
• Role-specific positioning guidance
• Clear, structured CV formats aligned to modern screening
• Support for career transitions and international job searches

The goal is not more applications. It is better visibility, stronger shortlists, and clearer outcomes.

Coming next: Jobs on the Rise by country

This article focuses on the UK market. We are updating our blog with Jobs on the Rise insights for:

Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, the United States, and India.

Each market is different, but the principle remains the same. Understand demand, position clearly, and reduce guesswork.

Ready to take the next step?

Understanding where jobs are growing is powerful. Acting on that insight is what changes outcomes.

Explore the tools on cvsandresumes.com to update your CV and LinkedIn profile, or reach out if you need targeted support for the UK market.

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