What employees are looking for in 2026. The skills that make the difference on the labor market

Romania has enormous potential on the labor market, but 2026 will be a year of professional selection, mainly targeting candidates who have real skills – digital, technical, security and working with people.

In 2026, the labor market focuses on candidates with real skills, not just listed on the CV. Archive photo

The labor market in Romania enters 2026 with a paradigm shift: superficiality no longer occurs, and the difference between professionals who constantly invest in real skills and those who rely only on diplomas becomes more visible than ever.

“I will be very direct: the labor market in Romania no longer has patience for superficiality. We see a clear break between two categories of people: those who prepare seriously, continuously, and those who still believe that having a “diploma on file” is enough. The former are sought after, paid better and have a choice. The others end up complaining that they cannot find jobs or that they are poorly paid. Those who remain in the logic of “that's how it goes” will unfortunately discover that the market there is no more room for this kind of attitude“, the specialist in professional training, Bogdan Costin Fârșirotu, declared for “Adevărul”.

In his view, the job market of 2026 is characterized by technology, security and jobs with real skills, not just fancy degrees.

“Those who treat vocational training as a formality will remain on the margins of the labor market. Whoever treats it as a life strategy will win“, adds the expert.

He recommends that anyone who wants to be competitive in 2026 should build a portfolio that combines a solid AI and digital skills course with a strong specialization in a specific area (security, PV, procurement, HR, accounting) and at least one soft skills development program.

Technical professions remain a 'gold mine'

Regarding the areas with the fastest employment opportunities, the expert stated that 2026 is undoubtedly the year of IT&C and digital and compliance skills required by national and European legislation.

It is no longer just about “IT-ists”, but about professionals who understand risk, compliance and the impact on business. For those who want to stay relevant for the next 5–10 years, this is a strategic direction, not a fad.

“We are very clearly seeing an acceleration of interest in areas where there is real pressure: physical and cyber security, green energy, procurement and human resources. Technical professions remain a 'gold mine' for those willing to work hard. A well-trained security system engineer or solar panel installer earns very well in the private sector and has a busy schedule. Demand clearly exceeds supply. Likewise, in the area of ​​procurement and human resources, companies need people who understand both the operational side and the legal and financial side. It is no longer enough to know “a little bit of legislation”. You must know how to negotiate, read contracts, understand risks, coordinate with accounting and management”, explained the president of the APSAP Training Center for “truth“.

The top most wanted jobs in 2026

In the last three months, searches for the security systems engineer course have increased by approximately 80%, for photovoltaic panel installer by 18%, for the procurement course interest has increased by almost 250%, and for accredited human resources courses by 67%. These numbers show one simple thing: the private sector needs people who actually know how to do things, not just tell them.

In the area of ​​digital skills, the direction is even clearer. Digital transformation is no longer a PowerPoint or Cava presentation slogan, it is everyday reality.

Companies want employees who know how to use Artificial Intelligence in a practical way: for automation, for data analysis, for better reporting, for making decisions based on numbers.

Another strong pillar for 2026 is cyber security. With the new European regulations, including the requirements of NIS2, companies, even those in the private sector working in critical sectors or in their supply chain, can no longer afford a superficial approach to IT security.

In addition to technical skills, interpersonal skills remain essential. Technology can do a lot, but it cannot replace critical thinking, adaptability and emotional intelligence.

“In 2026, the valuable employee is the one who knows how to use digital tools, but also knows how to work with people, manage tense situations, explain complicated things to others“, said Bogdan Fârșirotu, emphasizing that the transformations of recent years are not theory, they are realities that we all experience.

“If in 2019 very few companies actually used telework, although it was allowed by Law No. 81/2018, from 2021 onwards the hybrid model or telework have become standard benefits that serious employers offer to their employees. Where the systems are well set up, productivity has increased and employee satisfaction is higher.

We are talking about people who no longer lose, on average, at least 1.5 hours a day in traffic, which means about 360 hours a year, i.e. around 15 days gained just from the fact that I don't do the classic commute anymore. From my point of view, this is a very concrete example of adaptation of work and, implicitly, of reconversion of the way we relate to the job”explained the expert for “truth“.