A recent report titled "Social Recruitment - Insights on Job Hunting and Recruitment for Mid-to-High-End Talent, January-February 2026" reveals a recovery in the overall recruitment market during the first two months of 2026. Positions in the new economy sector increased by 12.77%. Competition for AI talent has become the primary focus of recruitment, with the number of AI-related roles surging 12 times compared to the previous year. The average monthly salary for AI positions reached 60,738 yuan, approximately 26% higher than the new economy sector's average of 48,189 yuan.
The spring recruitment market shows signs of revival, with job openings growing by 12.77% and salaries rising by 9.2% year-on-year. The talent supply-demand ratio decreased from 2.24 in the same period of 2025 to 1.79, indicating reduced competition among job seekers. Average monthly salaries for new positions increased from 44,124 yuan in 2025 to 48,189 yuan, reflecting continued corporate investment in talent acquisition.
AI talent recruitment has emerged as the main battleground in the 2026 spring job market. AI positions now account for 26.23% of all new economy positions, up from just 2.29% during the same period in 2025. The talent supply-demand ratio for AI roles stands at 0.97, significantly lower than the overall new economy sector's ratio of 1.79, demonstrating less competitive pressure in the AI field.
AI positions dominate multiple recruitment rankings. Large model algorithm engineers top the list of most in-demand positions, followed by product managers and algorithm engineers. AI scientists/directors command the highest average monthly salary at 137,153 yuan, while algorithm researchers, large model algorithm engineers, and AIGC algorithm engineers typically earn around 70,000 yuan monthly. High-performance computing engineers face the most severe talent shortage, with a supply-demand ratio of just 0.15, meaning approximately seven positions compete for one qualified professional.
Companies are prioritizing business security and system stability, with security positions (recruitment index 396) and operations/maintenance roles (index 395) ranking as the most urgently needed positions, followed by backend development (index 186).
The job market shows a clear trend toward de-emphasizing entry-level positions. Over 70% of new positions require more than three years of experience, with roles requiring 3-5 years of experience increasing by 19% year-on-year. Positions targeting candidates with less than one year of experience decreased by approximately 20%. Meanwhile, AI capabilities are transitioning from desirable skills to essential requirements, with 34.39% of new job descriptions explicitly mentioning AI or large model-related skills, up from 22.35% a year earlier.
Approximately 80% of surveyed professionals reported that their companies have implemented AI capability requirements, with over 30% having established corresponding assessment or training mechanisms.
AI professionals demonstrate distinct job-seeking patterns compared to other talent groups. While 75% of new economy professionals rely on active resume submission as their primary job search method, AI professionals more frequently obtain opportunities through headhunter contacts (75.47%) and internal referrals (64.15%). AI professionals show higher networking efficiency on professional social platforms, with a friend acceptance rate of 33.74% compared to 21.42% for non-AI professionals. After establishing connections, 47.24% of AI professionals proceed to meaningful communication stages.
Before making final employment decisions, 54% of professional social platform users research target companies on the platform. Search term analysis reveals that new economy professionals generally focus on major technology companies, while AI professionals concentrate their searches on technology and AI-related fields. Non-AI professionals show greater interest in traditional industry leaders and job search channels themselves, with "internal referral" being their top search term.
The platform has attracted substantial long-term engagement from mid-to-high-end talent in the new economy sector, establishing social recruitment as an important channel for talent mobility.