Careers in Demand Now and How to Check the Job Market

Lists of careers in demand change every year, and many “top 10” posts never say where their data comes from. However, official labour market surveys are a far better guide. This guide looks at the latest official data from Türkiye, France and the United States. Then it gives you a simple method to check the job market wherever you plan to live and work. For a longer view, to 2030, see our guide to jobs of the future.

Three meanings of “careers in demand”

“In demand” can mean three different things, and mixing them up leads to poor choices:

• Many vacancies: lots of open jobs, often entry-level or seasonal.
• Hard to fill: employers struggle to find people with the right skills, which points to a real shortage.
• Fast-growing: a high growth rate, sometimes from a small base.

In fact, a job can sit in one group and not in the others. So always check which kind of list you are reading.

Careers in demand in Türkiye: İŞKUR 2025

Türkiye’s public employment agency, İŞKUR, runs a yearly Labour Market Survey (İşgücü Piyasası Araştırması). In 2025, fieldwork ran from 14 April to 16 May, and 85,503 workplaces answered. Then İŞKUR weights the results to cover all workplaces with two or more employees.

The survey counted 295,503 open jobs, about 39% fewer than in 2024. Employers also reported that they had difficulty finding 398,618 people in total. In particular, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and construction made up 65% of these hard-to-fill needs.

According to İŞKUR 2025, the hardest jobs to fill were waiters, sewing machine operators and loading labourers. Welders, truck drivers and sales consultants came next. The top ten also included cooks, construction labourers, MIG-MAG welders and passenger drivers.

The report notes that shortages in these jobs are becoming chronic, because the list looks much like 2024’s. Most of them are hands-on jobs that rely on vocational training or experience rather than a degree. You can find all the reports on the İŞKUR website.

France: the France Travail BMO survey 2026

Similarly, in France, France Travail publishes the BMO survey (Besoins en main-d’œuvre) every year. The 2026 edition, published on 21 April 2026, counts about 2.3 million hiring projects, 6.5% fewer than in 2025. Employers judge 43.8% of these projects difficult, down from 50.1% a year earlier.

According to France Travail (2026), health, social work and personal services lead with 322,000 hiring projects, and 54% of them are difficult. Hotels and restaurants then follow closely with 319,000. However, construction has the highest share of difficult hires, at 65%. Among individual jobs, skilled machining operators (80.6%), roofers (79.7%) and doctors (78.8%) have some of the highest difficulty rates. The figures come from the France Travail website (in French).

United States: BLS projections 2025–35

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published new ten-year projections on 27 August 2026. It expects total employment to grow by 3.5% between 2025 and 2035. Private healthcare and social assistance adds the most jobs, more than 2.2 million. Meanwhile, office and administrative support is the fastest-declining major group, at −4.0%.

According to the BLS (2025–35), nurse practitioners are the fastest-growing occupation in percentage terms, at 41%. Solar photovoltaic installers (37%) and data scientists (35%) come next, followed by wind turbine service technicians (30%). Medical and health services managers (24%) and physical therapist assistants (23%) also make the top ten.

In numbers, home health and personal care aides add the most new jobs, followed by stockers and order fillers. These are US figures, so check whether they apply where you plan to work. The full list is in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

What these careers in demand have in common

The countries and methods differ, yet some patterns repeat:

• Health and care jobs lead in France and in the US projections.
• Skilled trades such as welding, roofing, machining and construction are hard to fill in Türkiye and France.
• Hospitality and food service show many openings in both Türkiye and France.
• Data and green-energy roles grow fast in the US projections.

The lesson is simple: careers in demand are not only digital. Many shortages are in practical jobs that need vocational training or care skills.

How to check careers in demand in your country

Use this five-step method for any country:

1. Find the official source, such as the labour ministry, the public employment service or the statistics office.
2. Check the year and the method. Is it an employer survey of current needs or a projection for the next ten years?
3. Separate the three meanings. Note which jobs have many vacancies, which are hard to fill and which grow fast.
4. Look at your region. İŞKUR also publishes provincial reports, and France Travail publishes BMO results by local labour area.
5. Match demand with fit. A shortage job is only a good choice if the work suits your interests and strengths.

If your country has no such survey, ask a careers adviser or the labour ministry for official vacancy data. Also be careful with lists that cite no source at all.

Turning demand into a decision

Still, demand is one input, not the whole answer. So combine it with what you learn about yourself. Our guide on what career is right for me and a career assessment can help. Then compare the majors or training routes that lead to your shortlist. Our guide to best majors for the future is a good next step.

How ILEAP helps you explore careers in demand

In partner schools, ILEAP tailors student sessions to the labour market and to students’ interests. Experts from different fields, such as business, media and marketing, medical, and science and technology, explain what their work is really like. Then one-to-one counseling helps each student turn this information into a plan. Meet the fields and experts or explore the ILEAP program.

Frequently asked questions

What are the careers in demand right now?

It depends on the country, so check local data. According to İŞKUR (2025), Türkiye’s hardest-to-fill jobs include waiters, sewing machine operators, welders, drivers and cooks. In France, health and social care has the most hiring projects, according to France Travail (2026).

Is a job with many vacancies always a good choice?

Not always. Many vacancies can also mean seasonal work, entry-level roles or frequent staff changes. Instead, a hard-to-fill job that matches your skills is often a stronger signal.

How often should I check the job market?

Once a year is enough for most students, because the main surveys come out yearly. Check again before you choose a major or a training program.