As rapid technological change reshapes hiring trends, LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise 2026 report has identified five fast-growing skill stacks to help professionals stay competitive — AI & Automation, Data & Analytics, IT & Cybersecurity, Business & Growth, and People & Leadership. According to LinkedIn data, 38% of Indian job seekers feel unprepared for how quickly technology is changing required skills. While 46% of recruiters globally rely on skills data to fill roles, 74% of recruiters in India say finding qualified talent is harder than ever.
The report highlights rising demand for skills such as Prompt Engineering, Workflow Automation, LLMOps and AutoML under AI & Automation; Querying, Data Storytelling and Data Ethics under Data & Analytics; and Cloud Infrastructure, Threat Detection and Incident Management in IT & Cybersecurity. Business roles are prioritising Relationship Management, Negotiation and Process Optimisation, while Collaboration, Stakeholder Management and Project Management are emerging as key leadership capabilities.
“For years, young professionals were told to specialise. In 2026, that rule is changing,” said Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Senior Managing Editor, urging professionals to “build your unique skills stack and make it your competitive edge.” LinkedIn has made select LinkedIn Learning courses free until March 31, 2026 to support upskilling. In Kolkata, hiring managers across IT services, consulting and sales sectors are increasingly seeking hybrid talent; professionals who combine AI fluency with strong relationship management and operational efficiency skills, reflecting the city’s evolving digital and enterprise ecosystem.