Fewer vacancies, AI closing in: how to job-hunt now — and whom businesses should hunt for

A Kazakhstani outlet examined the labor market: vacancies are shrinking while AI squeezes whole categories of professions — from data-entry operators to junior analysts and content specialists. Employers postpone hiring for positions whose tasks automation partially covers, and tighten requirements for the rest.

Advice to job-seekers boils down to two strategies. First — get on the tool's side: a specialist who can work with AI replaces several who cannot, which is already visible in vacancy descriptions where AI-tool proficiency is becoming a baseline requirement like Excel. Second — move where the very nature of the work resists automation: live contact, responsibility, non-standard situations.

But the news has an employer's side that gets discussed less. A market with more candidates than vacancies is a rare window for strengthening the team: people unreachable two years ago are open to offers today. Revise your hiring profiles: instead of a "request-processing operator", look for the person who will set up request processing with AI and manage the exceptions. One such position covers the work of three former ones — and you can pay above market for it while staying ahead.