37% of employers in real estate and construction are increasing entry-level hiring

According to the ManpowerGroup survey, 42% of employers in Greece report that entry-level hiring has increased compared with 2025, while 36% have seen no change. By contrast, 22% report a decline in such hiring.

Globally, 45% of employers report an increase in hiring workers at the beginning of their careers, compared with 20% who report a decrease.

Which Sectors Are Hiring More Entry-Level Workers?

The largest increase in entry-level hiring is recorded in the Financial Services and Insurance sector, where 58% of employers report having increased such recruitment. A further 33% report no change, while only 8% report a decline.

This is followed by Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, as well as the Technology, Media and Telecommunications sector, with 46% of employers reporting an increase in hiring workers at the beginning of their careers.

In the Public Sector, Healthcare and Social Services, 45% of employers report an increase, while the same proportion is recorded in Manufacturing.

A more balanced picture emerges in Utilities and Natural Resources, where 37% report an increase and 33% a decrease. In Trade and Logistics, 37% of employers report an increase in entry-level hiring, while 43% report no change.

In Construction and Real Estate, 37% report an increase, 48% stability, and 15% a decrease.

The lowest proportion of employers increasing hiring among workers at the beginning of their careers is recorded in Tourism, Hotels and Restaurants, at 29%. Meanwhile, 34% report no change, while an additional 34% report a decline.

Experience Remains a Key Criterion

According to Greek employers, the need for more experienced workers who can contribute immediately, amid continued cost pressures, is the main reason for limiting entry-level hiring.

The second most significant factor is the lack of candidates with the required professional experience, while the third is an overall decline in hiring, which also affects positions intended for workers beginning their professional careers.

Other important factors include a mismatch between candidates’ expectations and the requirements of available positions, a lack of soft skills such as communication and problem-solving, and gaps in technical skills.

By contrast, automation and artificial intelligence rank only eighth among the reasons for limiting entry-level hiring in Greece.

Globally, the leading reason is an overall decline in hiring, followed by cost pressures and a lack of experience. AI-driven automation ranks fourth.

Only One in Five Employers Is Filling Positions Faster
Despite the growing use of technological tools in human resources processes, artificial intelligence has not yet translated into a noticeable acceleration of the hiring process in Greece.

Only 20% of employers report that vacant positions are being filled faster than they were a year ago. A further 46% say that the time required to fill positions remains broadly unchanged, while 32% report that hiring is now taking longer. Another 1% are unable to assess the change.

Globally, 28% of employers report faster hiring, while 29% say that they require more time.

What Is Accelerating Hiring?

In Greece, employers that have managed to maintain or increase the speed of hiring primarily attribute this development to closer collaboration between Human Resources departments and hiring managers.

More targeted candidate searches also play an important role, as companies move away from the mass collection of CVs towards more focused talent-identification practices.

Other factors contributing to faster hiring include quicker internal approvals and decision-making processes, as well as more effective application screening, including the identification of CVs created using artificial intelligence.

Rounding out the top five are flexible working models, such as remote and hybrid work, which broaden the pool of potential candidates.

Skills Remain the Biggest Obstacle

Conversely, the main cause of delays in hiring is the lack of candidates with the required skills. This is followed by the limited availability of suitably qualified workers in the local labour market, highlighting the geographical dimension of the issue.

At the same time, the complexity of recruitment procedures and internal approval processes extend the time required to fill vacancies. Additional obstacles include a mismatch between candidates’ expectations and job requirements, as well as limited access to candidates through referrals and professional networks.