Entry-level hiring fell 4.4% amidst tougher job market, LinkedIn says

Grad’s Guide 2026 showed smaller firms and internships driving early-career opportunities.

Entry-level hiring in Singapore declined 4.43% year on year, LinkedIn said in a 2026 report, though the drop was less steep than for more senior roles.

The report, LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2026, showed hiring for managers fell 12.44%, whilst senior professional roles declined 12.10% over the same period.

Despite the slowdown, job-seeking intent remains high with around 66% of Gen Z respondents said they plan to pursue new roles.

The report found that entry-level opportunities continue to emerge across multiple sectors. Education is amongst the leading industries for entry-level hiring, with roles such as high school teachers seeing growth.

Other sectors with hiring activity include consumer services, manufacturing, entertainment, and financial services.

Serla Rusli, career expert at LinkedIn, said graduates can apply their skills across industries.

“A tech graduate, for instance, doesn’t have to work only in tech companies with many industries expanding their digital capabilities,” Rusli said.

The data also showed a shift in hiring patterns by company size.

Whilst large companies continue to hire the highest number of entry-level workers, smaller firms are seeing faster growth.

Entry-level hiring at small companies rose 152.2% between 2023 and 2025, whilst mid-sized firms recorded growth of over 100%.

Internships are becoming more common among early-career hires with the share of entry-level workers with internship experience increasing across major job functions, including legal, business development, consulting, and finance. In some sectors, nearly one in three entry-level hires have prior internship experience.

The report also highlighted differences in professional networks. Globally, 44% of Gen Z respondents said not having the right network is a key barrier to finding a first job.

In Singapore, Gen Z professionals have networks that are about 21% smaller than those of millennials, according to the report.

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