According to research by Randstad, healthcare and life sciences companies are offering salaries up to 17% higher than tech firms for software engineers, while banks are providing 13% more. This trend is driven by a fivefold increase in job postings requiring AI skills over the past year, as businesses outside of tech recognize the value of AI capabilities.
Sander van 't Noordende, a representative from Randstad, noted that many non-tech firms are capitalizing on the potential of AI that was previously unrealized. The tech sector is experiencing significant layoffs, with U.S. companies announcing 165,925 job cuts in the first nine months of 2026, a 54% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Major companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Meta, and Block have all reported substantial workforce reductions. As a result, 55% of non-tech organizations are actively recruiting talent that has been displaced by these layoffs, indicating a shift in the labor market dynamics favoring non-tech industries seeking to enhance their AI capabilities