The 2026 State of IT Staffing: Trends in Hiring, AI, and Offshore
"Both things are true. Software jobs are projected to grow 15%, and 74% of employers say they can't fill the roles. That's the whole story of IT staffing in 2026."
This week on Startup Hustle, Matt Brown, Full Scale's head of marketing, put me in the guest chair to walk through our new State of IT Staffing report, a data-heavy look at where tech hiring actually stands heading into 2026.
Here's what you'll get out of it:
⚡ The 2026 paradox, why the field isn't shrinking but the entry ramp into it is breaking, with new-grad hiring down 65% at big tech
⚡ Why the job shifted from "engineering" back to "development," and why AI made product thinking the scarce skill
⚡ Why AI sped up the typing but left the judgment exactly as hard, so the value moved to senior people
⚡ Why retention is the number the industry can't fake, and why AI turned it from nice-to-have into the whole game
⚡ Why software has never been cheaper to build, and why that's a reason to build more, not cut
If you're hiring engineers, leading a team, or building a career in software, this one is worth your time.
⏱️ Episode Breakdown
00:33 Introduction and overview of the episode
02:39 Full scale's employee satisfaction and recognition
05:30 The impact of AI on software development roles
10:40 The 2026 paradox: job growth vs. role filling
15:35 The importance of product thinking and customer feedback
20:36 Decoupling headcount from output with AI
25:21 Remote work, location independence, and cultural shifts
30:37 Running engineering teams in 2026 and beyond
35:35 The need for strategic focus and organizational agility
40:37 Conclusion and key takeaways from the episode
Links & Resources
Read the full report - [https://fullscale.io/blog/state-of-it-staffing/
Full Scale(https://fullscale.io/blog/state-of-it-staffing/`Full) – Build your dev team quickly and affordably
What Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025
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If you're trying to get your team out of the basement and into real product ownership, this episode is your playbook. Stop being a ticket factory. Build teams that think, create, and lead.
