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Job Activity: October 2026

As a smaller, relationship-driven agency, we prioritize transparency with our clients, candidates, and internal team. Sharing these monthly insights is one way we keep everyone informed on where hiring demand is strongest and how the market is evolving in real time.

October brought a shift in hiring demand across states, departments, industries, and the technical skills employers are seeking. Manufacturing continued to lead industry demand, while IT roles accounted for nearly half of our hiring activity. We also saw increased demand for on-site talent, along with continued interest in specialized EDI and ERP expertise.

Here’s a deeper look at our activity in October:

Top States

Recruitment spanned 14 different states last month, with NJ, PA, and WA accounting for nearly half of our hiring activity.

• NJ 22%
• PA 16%
• WA 11%
• IL 8%
• MN 8%
• GA 5%
• MI 5%
• NY 5%
• VA 5%
• CA 3%
• CT 3%
• DC 3%
• MA 3%
• NC 3%

Remote Flexibility

On-site opportunities made up the largest share of hiring demand in October, followed closely by hybrid positions. Remote roles accounted for 19% of activity.

• On-site: 43%
• Hybrid: 38%
• Remote: 19%

Industry Breakdown

Manufacturing continued to lead hiring demand by a significant margin, accounting for 41% of activity. Retail and logistics & transportation also represented notable portions of our recruitment needs.

• Manufacturing 41%
• Retail 16%
• Logistics & Transportation 14%
• IT Services & Consulting 8%
• Consumer Goods & Sales 8%
• Healthcare 3%
• Financial Services 3%
• Automotive 3%
• Wholesale Distribution 3%
• Architecture & Engineering 3%

Top 10 Skills and Experience

EDI remained our #1 most sought-after skill in October, while ERP systems, CPG experience, and industrial expertise also stood out. Demand continued to reflect the need for professionals who understand both specialized technology and industry-specific operations.

1. EDI
2. ERP Systems
3. CPG
4. Industrial
5. SQL
6. Cloud
7. Project Management
8. Supply Chain Systems
9. Excel
10. Manufacturing

Hiring by Department

IT continued to dominate hiring activity, representing nearly half of all recruitment needs. EDI remained our second-largest area of demand, while Finance & Admin and HR/Recruiting/Sales each accounted for 11%.

• IT 49%
• EDI 16%
• Finance & Admin 11%
• HR, Recruiting & Sales 11%
• Manufacturing & Warehouse 8%
• Engineering 5%

Takeaway

October highlighted continued demand for specialized IT and EDI talent, with IT roles accounting for nearly half of our hiring activity. Manufacturing remained the leading industry at 41%, followed by retail and logistics & transportation. EDI continued to rank as our most sought-after skill, while ERP systems, SQL, cloud, and supply chain expertise also appeared among the top skills employers are seeking.

We also saw a shift toward more on-site hiring, with 43% of opportunities requiring an on-site presence and another 38% offering hybrid flexibility. Overall, October’s activity reflects continued demand for professionals who can support specialized technology needs while bringing valuable industry experience.

Looking to better understand how these shifts affect your specific niche? We’re always happy to share a deeper dive into what we’re seeing. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat about these trends or where we see the market heading next.

Get in touch with our team here.