Hiring Pulse: Q4 2025 — Tech Layoffs and Where Demand Is Growing

Q4 2025 continued the pattern of recalibration across tech: notable layoffs in consumer apps, hiring slowdowns in some enterprise segments, and simultaneous growth in vertical software, AI operations, and healthcare tech. This report summarizes trends and actionable steps for job seekers.

"Macro shifts create micro opportunities—know which industries are expanding and why."

Key trends

• Consolidation in consumer social apps: With advertising softness persisting, social platforms pared teams tied to non-core features.
• Enterprise SaaS stabilization: Many mature SaaS vendors paused aggressive expansion but are investing in retention and customer success roles.
• Growth in AI operations and observability: As enterprises deploy complex models, hiring for MLOps, data engineering, and AI Ops has ramped.
• Healthcare and biotech hiring: Continued investments in health data platforms, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring created new roles for engineers and product managers with domain knowledge.
• Fintech hiring rebounds: Consumer finance startups are hiring risk engineering, compliance, and payments engineers amid renewed product launches.

What job seekers should do

1. Reskill toward adjacent skill sets: cloud, security, and MLOps are transportable.
2. Target industries with predictable spend: healthcare and fintech often have regulatory-driven budgets.
3. Lean on networks: referrals remain the most reliable way to bypass hiring freezes and find hidden roles.
4. Consider contract or interim roles: they can convert to full-time as budgets stabilize.

Hiring signals to watch

Openings in customer success, compliance, and data engineering often indicate a shift from growth-at-all-costs to product stability and retention. Recruiters publish these openings quickly; set alerts on job boards for these job families.

Final thoughts

Market cycles are normal. While layoffs are painful in the short term, they create opportunities for professionals who can pivot into growing domains, demonstrate immediate impact, and leverage their networks for timely introductions.