Job opportunities will increase in 2026, according to LinkedIn

By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter

EP 3118 The job market in 2026 isn’t just a mystery, it’s a roadmap of real-world data showing where money and opportunity are moving. Stop guessing where your industry is headed and start preparing for the explosion of artificial intelligence, self-employment, and high-touch roles.

Timestamp

• 00:19 – There is a 76% unprepared gap in today’s job market.

• 00:53 – Trend 1: Artificial Intelligence craze and emerging roles.

• 01:27 – What is a data annotator?

• 02:05 – Trend 2: Sole traders and “founders” surge by 69%.

• 02:59 – Remote work comparison: founders vs. sales leaders.

• 03:25 – Trend 3: Why people-centered work is booming.

• 04:51 – A 3-step framework for navigating your career path in 2026.

Let’s be honest, today’s job market can feel a little confusing, right? But what if you had a map (one drawn from actual, real-world data) that showed you exactly where opportunities are hiding? Well, that’s what we’re going to do in this explainer. We’re taking a deep dive into LinkedIn’s list of America’s fastest-growing jobs. So to really understand this, we need to understand the context.

According to LinkedIn’s own research, a staggering 76% of professionals say they feel unprepared for a job search. However, more than half plan to do one this year. It’s a huge disconnect and it really opens our eyes to the uncertainty of everything out there.

So, with everything changing, where do you start looking? This is where data becomes our best friend. This list of emerging jobs isn’t just speculation, you know what? Here’s a data-driven look at the fastest-growing roles over the past few years. Well, no big surprises here.

The first major trend that is absolutely lighting up the job market is the explosion of artificial intelligence. I mean, it’s reshaping almost every industry, and the demand for people with these specific skills is just staggering. Just look at some of these job titles: AI engineer, AI consultant, and AI slash machine learning researcher.

They’re right at the top. These are the people who are building and fine-tuning the artificial intelligence systems we’ve all heard about. But you know, there’s another character on this list who’s really, really interesting.

Data annotator. So what exactly is a data annotator? Well, in the simplest terms, they are basically teachers of artificial intelligence. Think about it.

They carefully label data, images, text, sounds, so that machine learning models can learn to see patterns and make accurate predictions. This is absolutely critical human-computer interaction work that powers the entire AI ecosystem. But let’s ask the question, who is actually filling these roles now? LinkedIn data shows a significant gender imbalance among these top AI jobs.

For example, 82% of AI consultants are male and 77% of AI engineers are male. This is a very stark data point that shows us where the industry is today. Well, looking at it another way, our second major trend paints a completely different picture.

It’s no longer just working for the company, it’s working for yourself. We are seeing a huge shift towards entrepreneurship and independent consulting. Data shows the explosion of roles such as founder, strategic advisor, and venture partner.

These roles really reflect the desire for more control, more autonomy, and the rise of the gig economy at some of the highest professional levels. It seems the experts are just adapting to all the uncertainty by betting on themselves. If you need proof of this momentum, look no further than this number.

The interview is a performance: Did your script fail?

The number of LinkedIn members adding “founder” to their job titles increased by 69% year over year. 69%. This is not just a minor trend, but a fundamental shift in how people approach their entire careers.

Now, to put this into perspective, let’s compare the founder role to a more traditional role like a sales executive. For founders, they have about 51% remote work availability, and they typically come from positions such as software engineers. Sales executives, on the other hand, only have about 2% remote availability, and they typically climb the more established corporate ladder.

The data really shows the two very different worlds these characters exist in. But wait, this story isn’t just about tech and startups, not at all. The third major trend reveals something pretty profound.

In an age where everything is becoming more automated, these high-touch human-centered jobs will not only survive, they will absolutely thrive. We are seeing rapid growth in roles that require deep empathy, human connection, and specialized human services. Think about the psychiatric nurses who provide critical mental health care, the travel consultants who plan these one-of-a-kind experiences, the fundraising officers who build relationships for a great cause.

Of course, technology can help with these tasks, but it cannot replace them. Hey, remember that gender distribution chart we saw for AI characters? Well, it’s the opposite. 79% of psychiatric nurse practitioners are women.

It’s such a stark contrast, and it highlights that different booming sectors of our economy have very, very different demographic makeups. So how do we bring all of this together? One sentence from the LinkedIn report itself really sums it up perfectly. The job market is being pulled by these extremely powerful forces.

Advances in artificial intelligence, a seismic shift in self-employment, and a deep and enduring need for human connection. Okay, we’ve looked at all the data, we’ve identified the big trends, but I think the most important question is, what does this mean for your career path? Correct? How can you actually leverage these insights? You can actually think of it in a very simple three-step framework. First, look at the big wave, the AI ​​boom, the rise of independent professionals, and the need for human-centered roles.

Second, look at your own skills. What are you good at? What are you passionate about? Third, find what suits you. How does your strongest area of ​​expertise intersect with these huge growth trends? Ultimately, this data is more than just some job listings.

This really reflects a world that is radically transforming. It tells us where value is created and what skills are really needed. So the last question isn’t just about the future of work, but what will happen to you as the entire world of work changes? Hey, there’s more information to help you at jobsearch.community. Things like video courses, books, and guides.

Some of them are even free. Go find information that will actually help you find a job.

Use this 15-minute strategy to land a job (even before posting)

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