Pnet’s latest Job Market Trends report highlights sustained demand for 11 key professional skills in South Africa, particularly within management and IT sectors. Department-level managerial roles, such as finance, sales, operations, business development, and HR managers, have topped demand charts for three consecutive years. Software developers also remain in high demand, consistently ranking second, despite a 45% decline in job postings for IT professionals over the same period. This paradox is attributed to the relative scarcity of skilled software developers, with recruiters still actively searching for software engineer profiles. Data engineers and Java developers earn between R42,900 and R59,100 monthly, underscoring their high market value.

Pnet notes strong interest in remote work for IT professionals, with a notable 11% increase. Other sectors such as Business & Management and Finance also maintain robust demand. Shifts in the top 10 most sought-after skills include the rise of bookkeepers in 2024 and the drop of HR professionals from the list in 2025.

Despite the continued demand for niche skills, South Africa’s broader hiring activity is under pressure. Comparing March 2023 to March 2025, recruitment activity has declined by 4%. However, there are positive indicators: hiring is up 10% year-on-year from March 2024 and 4% month-on-month from February 2025. Sector-specific growth is also apparent, with the design, media, and arts sector seeing a 78% annual increase in hiring. Sales and marketing also report strong momentum, with year-on-year increases of 41% and 44% respectively, according to data from The Stepstone Group South Africa’s platform of over 9 million users.