Skills-Based Hiring and Global Talent: 2026 Workforce Survey

Skills-based hiring is rising, says a Globalization Partners survey: 72% expect growth, 21% more global hiring, 84% find talent scarce.

By Cosby Khosa · Published 22 October 2026

Skills-Based Hiring and Global Talent: 2026 Workforce Survey

Key takeaways

In a Globalization Partners survey, 72% of executives are confident economic conditions will support growth, but hiring is becoming more intentional and skills-based.
21% expect to increase international hiring, and 84% find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets.
The firm sells global-employment services, so its case for cross-border hiring should be read with that in mind.
Job seekers should prove their skills, and employers should define and assess skills fairly.

Skills-based hiring is becoming the norm, according to a survey of executives by Globalization Partners, a global-employment services firm. The 2026 workforce predictions blog, which shows no date, reports that 72% of executives are confident economic conditions will support growth. But hiring is becoming more intentional and skills-based.

Some 21% expect to increase international hiring, and 84% find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets.

A caution applies. The firm sells global-employment services, so its case for cross-border hiring should be read with that in mind. This article explains the findings, tests them against other reports on OneCareer, and offers practical advice for employers and job seekers. It is based on a search extract, so it keeps to what the extract stated. The survey details, such as the sample size and method, were not shown.

What the Globalization Partners survey found

The blog is built on a survey of executives. The extract gives four key findings.

First, 72% are confident that economic conditions will support growth. That is a majority, and suggests general optimism among the leaders surveyed.

Second, hiring is becoming more intentional and skills-based. This means that employers are hiring for specific skills and needs, rather than filling seats in a general way.

Third, 21% expect to increase international hiring. That is about one in five. A minority, but a notable one.

Fourth, 84% find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets. That is a very high share. It suggests a widespread skills shortage, at least as perceived by these executives.

We do not know how many executives were surveyed, which countries or industries they came from, or how the questions were worded. Without that, we should be careful about generalising. The firm’s survey may reflect the views of its own customers or contacts, who may be more international than average.

Even so, the findings echo themes elsewhere on OneCareer, so they are worth examining.

What skills-based hiring means

Skills-based hiring means choosing people according to what they can do, not mainly by their degrees, job titles or years of experience. Employers define the skills needed for a role and test for them directly, through assessments, work samples, structured interviews and trial tasks.

The aim is to widen the pool and improve fit. A person without a degree but with strong skills may be a better hire than a graduate with weaker skills. Skills-based hiring can open doors for career changers, self-taught workers and those from non-traditional backgrounds.

It also fits a fast-changing economy. As technology changes, job titles and qualifications lag behind real needs. Skills can be updated and demonstrated.

There are challenges. Defining and measuring skills is hard. Tests may be biased or poorly designed. Managers may revert to familiar habits, such as preferring candidates from famous schools.

Robert Half, in our technology job market report, notes that 57% of tech hiring managers hire for potential and train when exact skills are unavailable. That is a related approach. Hirebase notes that technical skills get you into the interview loop, while communication, collaboration and ownership often decide offers, which shows that skills include human skills too. See our guide to in-demand technical skills for the full data.

The survey says hiring is becoming skills-based. The next sections look at why.

Why hiring is becoming more intentional

The word intentional in the survey suggests that employers are more careful. Instead of growing headcount broadly, they hire for particular needs.

This fits the wider picture of a cautious market. Indeed describes a low-churn market, Marketplace a frozen one and career coaches quoted by CNBC expect targeted hiring in fall 2026. Policy uncertainty, interest rates and economic questions make firms wary of commitments.

Intentional hiring has benefits. It can reduce waste and improve fit. Each hire is considered, and expectations are clear.

It also has drawbacks. Fewer openings mean more competition. Employers may set high bars, asking for very specific skills. Some good candidates may be screened out. The process may also take longer, as many people are involved in each decision.

For candidates, intentional hiring means that applications must be well targeted. Show how your skills match the employer’s needs. Provide evidence, such as projects, certificates and results. Our guide on how to apply for jobs and get your application noticed covers how to make a targeted application stand out.

For employers, it means defining needs clearly. Write job descriptions around skills and outcomes. Avoid long wish lists.

Intentional hiring and skills-based hiring go together, and skills-based hiring needs clear definitions. The more precisely you define the skills, the more intentional you can be.

Optimism about growth alongside caution in hiring

The survey finds that 72% of executives are confident that economic conditions will support growth, yet hiring is cautious. How do these fit?

Confidence about growth does not translate into hiring everywhere. Firms may expect to grow by improving productivity, using AI or serving more customers with the same staff. They may prefer to hire only where skills are scarce.

Other data on OneCareer shows similar patterns. Robert Half reports that 78% of tech leaders plan more permanent headcount in the second half of 2026, up from 61% earlier in the year. Yet 65% find talent harder to find (see Technology Job Market 2026). Indeed’s postings turned positive in September, but payrolls were weak.

Leaders’ optimism may also reflect their position. Executives often see their own firm’s prospects more favourably than the economy at large. Surveys of executives can be more upbeat than surveys of workers, who report low confidence about the job market, as Gallup does.

For job seekers, the lesson is that optimism at the top does not guarantee openings. Check hiring data for your own field.

For employers, it suggests that planning for growth should include plans for skills, not just budgets.

21% expect to increase international hiring

The survey finds that 21% of executives expect to increase international hiring. This means hiring people in other countries, often through remote work.

Why do it? Reasons include access to scarce skills, lower costs, time zone coverage and market knowledge. When local talent is hard to find, as 84% of surveyed executives say, looking abroad is a natural step.

Challenges are many. Employers must navigate local labour law, tax, payroll, benefits and data rules. Managing teams across cultures and time zones is demanding. Compliance mistakes can be costly. That is why firms like Globalization Partners, which sell employer-of-record and similar services, exist.

For workers, international hiring can mean new opportunities. A skilled person in South Africa may be hired by a firm in Europe or the US without moving. That can mean higher pay and interesting work. But it also brings competition from workers in other countries, and issues such as time zones, contracts and payment methods.

If you want to work for international employers, build a strong online profile, show remote-work skills such as clear communication and self-management, and understand your tax and legal position. Check that agreements are fair.

The 21% figure shows that this is still a minority choice, but a growing one.

84% find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets

The most striking number is 84%. This share of executives find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets.

It is a very high share, and it deserves a careful reading. It may reflect real shortages in some skills, such as AI, cybersecurity and data. Robert Half’s data supports this: 71% of tech leaders report project delays from skills shortages, and 49% report cancellations. Read the details in Technology Job Market 2026: Robert Half’s In-Demand Roles.

But it may also reflect other things. Some employers may set unrealistic requirements, or offer pay below the market. Some may find it hard to hire because they want people with exact skills, rather than people who could learn. The mismatch between what employers say and what the job market shows, with many people searching for work, suggests that part of the problem is matching and not only shortage.

Skills-based hiring and training could help. If employers look beyond degrees and titles, and invest in training, they can widen the pool. Reskilling guides on OneCareer, from Workhuman, Paylocity and Careerminds, offer methods.

For job seekers, the number is encouraging for those with scarce skills, and a cue to build them. For those without, it is a reminder that the market is selective.

What job seekers should do in a skills-based market

If hiring is skills-based, then you should present your skills clearly and prove them.

Identify the skills that matter. Read job advertisements and note the repeated skills, and check industry reports.
Audit your own skills. Which do you have? Which can you gain? Where are the gaps?
Show evidence. Build a portfolio, with projects or work samples. Collect certificates and endorsements. Write results with numbers on your CV.
Learn new skills. Choose courses and projects that match demand. Hirebase notes that data skills cut across nearly every role, and solid software engineering stays in demand (see in-demand technical skills 2026). Human skills such as communication, collaboration and ownership often decide offers.
Prepare for skills assessments. Employers may use tests, case studies or practical tasks. Practise similar tasks.
Tell your story. Explain how your skills, even if gained in unusual ways, fit the role.
Keep records. A skills log helps you track progress and update your CV.
Be patient. Building skills takes time, and the market is slow.

What employers should do to make skills-based hiring work

Employers can make skills-based hiring effective with care.

Define the skills. For each role, list the key skills and the level required. Distinguish must-haves from nice-to-haves.
Design fair assessments. Use work samples, structured interviews and practical tasks that mirror the job. Train interviewers. Check that tests do not disadvantage certain groups.
Remove unnecessary barriers. Review degree requirements and years-of-experience rules. If they are not truly needed, drop them.
Train and develop. Where candidates have potential but lack some skills, offer training. The reskilling guides on OneCareer suggest auditing skills, on-the-job training and peer learning (see Workhuman’s skills-gap audit and AI reskilling step by step).
Keep records. Track how skills-based hires perform, and use the data to improve.
Be transparent. Tell candidates what skills you seek and how you will assess them.
Think about AI tools. If you use AI to screen skills, check for bias and keep human oversight, as laws in several US states now require or encourage.
Consider international hiring carefully. Get legal and tax advice, and consider using a specialist provider, while recognising that such providers have a commercial interest.

How to read the Globalization Partners survey with care

A few cautions apply.

First, the firm sells global-employment services. Its blog naturally highlights the case for hiring across borders. That is a reason to compare with independent research.

Second, the extract does not show the sample size, the countries or industries, or the dates of the survey. Without those details, we cannot judge how representative it is.

Third, the page shows no date, so we cannot be sure how current it is.

Fourth, the survey is of executives, whose views may differ from those of workers and managers. Executives may be more optimistic and more inclined to say that talent is hard to find.

Fifth, statements such as 84% find it hard to hire skilled talent are perceptions, not measurements. Compare with hard data on vacancies and time to fill.

Sixth, the shift to skills-based hiring is described as a trend, but evidence on its scale varies. Many employers still use degrees and experience as filters.

Finally, South African readers should check local conditions. Skills shortages, qualification systems and labour law differ. Use global surveys as context, not as a guide to local decisions.

Final thoughts

Skills-based hiring is on the rise, according to a Globalization Partners survey of executives. 72% are confident that economic conditions will support growth, but hiring is becoming more intentional and skills-based. 21% expect to increase international hiring, and 84% find it hard to hire skilled talent in existing markets.

The firm sells global-employment services, so read its case for cross-border hiring with that in mind. Other reports on OneCareer support the themes of skills shortages and targeted hiring.

Job seekers should prove their skills, and employers should define them clearly and assess them fairly in any skills-based hiring process. Read the original blog for more detail.

Sources and further reading

Globalization Partners, 2026 Workforce Predictions: What the Future of Work Looks Like