Lenny Rachitsky · 5 min read · Product Teams
State of the product job market in early 2026
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The biannual State of the Product Job Market for early 2026 is surprisingly optimistic: product management openings have reached multi-year highs while overall tech hiring remains robust, driven in part by surging AI roles. Despite layoffs, demand for engineers and AI professionals continues to grow, with notable shifts in geography and remote-work trends.
Key Takeaways
- PM openings are at multi-year highs (over 7,300 globally), about 75% above the early-2023 low and up ~20% since the start of the year.
- Engineering demand remains strong (over 67,000 openings globally; 26,000 in the US) with rising recruiter activity signaling sustained hiring pressure.
- AI-related roles are exploding, with demand for AI engineers and AI PMs growing rapidly across AI-driven and AI-adjacent companies.
- Regional and work-format shifts: the Bay Area is gaining importance, remote-work opportunities are declining, and tech job growth persists despite ongoing layoffs.
Excerpt
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