A year of Indeed job postings has produced a specific verdict on which high-skilled jobs are gaining ground and which are losing it.
Indeed is a global employment and job-search platform used by millions to connect job seekers with employers.
Today’s infographic illustrates year-over-year changes in U.S. postings across six professional categories between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025.
The data is drawn from Indeed Hiring Lab and published in Toptal’s Q1 2026 High-Skilled Job Report.
TL;DR
- Finance Consultant postings surged 6.8% year-over-year, the strongest growth of any category tracked
- Management Consultant and Project Manager both fell exactly 5.8%, the worst declines in the dataset
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Area of Expertise | YoY Change (Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Developer | -0.10% |
| 2 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Finance Consultant | 6.80% |
| 3 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Management Consultant | -5.80% |
| 4 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Marketing Expert | 1.40% |
| 5 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Project Manager | -5.80% |
| 6 | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | emmanuel-ashemiriogwa | 25/05/2026 12:09 AM | Sales Expert | 0.90% |
Finance Leads, Unexpectedly
The strongest growth category in the dataset is Finance Consultant, at +6.8%.
That is nearly five times the growth of the next-positive category.
In a labor market dominated by conversations about AI automating financial modeling, quantitative analysis, and data processing (all core Finance Consultant activities), demand for human financial judgment is accelerating, not retreating.
The explanation sits in the macroeconomic environment of 2025.
- Tariff disruption reshaped corporate cost structures.
- Recession probability climbed on prediction markets.
- Mergers and acquisitions require financial due diligence.
- Balance sheet restructuring became a priority for companies navigating higher interest rates.
Tie at the Bottom
Management Consultant and Project Manager both fell by precisely 5.8%.
Management Consulting is about advising organizations on strategy. Project Management is about coordinating people, timelines, and deliverables.
They are not the same job, but they share a common vulnerability: fundamentally, they are about structuring and coordinating human effort and processes.
That is exactly what AI workflow and strategy tools are most aggressively targeting.
AI project management tools from Asana, Monday.com, and Microsoft’s Copilot integration automate scheduling, resource allocation, risk flagging, and progress reporting.
A Pattern Beneath the Numbers
Look at the three growing categories and compare them to the three declining or flat ones.
The growing categories all involve human judgment applied in commercial or creative contexts, where the primary output is to influence another human.
The declining categories all involve structuring, coordinating, or building systems.
The data does not prove that AI is behind the split. But the split is consistent with what AI tools are best at replacing
ELI5
A report tracked how many jobs were being posted online for six different types of professionals over one year. Finance advisors saw the biggest jump, up 6.8%. But jobs for people who manage projects or give business advice both dropped 5.8%. Even software developer jobs barely grew. The pattern shows that jobs where you advise people on money or persuade them are doing well, while jobs involving organizing systems or people are shrinking.
Source:
Indeed Hiring Lab, | Toptal Q1 2026 High-Skilled Job Report.
