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Salary is increasingly being tied to skills
Editorial by Christian Saint Cyr
National Director / Canadian Job Development Network
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The recent release of the 2026 Robert Half Canada Salary Guide demonstrates skills are increasingly the measure of not only salary but salary increases. According to the latest research, 83% of employers agree with the view that professionals with specialized skills are paid more than peers without them in the same role.
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The survey also found, 54% of employers are most willing to increase salaries for candidates with specialized skills or certifications.
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It's amazing to see how the attitudes of employers can change. When I reviewed Robert Half's Guide in 2020, it was filled with information about what employers were doing around DEI, 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion'. The survey explored specific steps employers were taking, policies, procedures and what impacted populations were being supported through these efforts.
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In the 2026 Guide announcement, there was no mention at all of DEI, or any sort of inclusive hiring efforts. This new focus on salary conjures up the old phrase: 'what have you done for me lately?'
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Judging candidates by the skills they bring to the work isn't exclusively a bad thing. Like so many factors in life, it brings both challenges and opportunities.
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Young people and new immigrants have often been excluded for not having enough experience, or at least Canadian experience.
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Education has also been a significant barrier where many times a university degree has been expected when not specifically required for the job. It's also been a barrier for many mature workers who completed their education many years if not decades before and are judged as irrelevant by 20- and 30-something hiring managers.
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This new focus on skills would suggest the ability to do certain functions is the determining factor on who to hire, but skills are still inextricably linked to experience. Many skills acquired in the workplace will be valued higher than those acquired in school.
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Another challenge is that the increased salaries are typically in occupations with a very specialized skill set. According to Robert Half, the following occupation groups experienced the greatest salary gains in the past year:
- Payroll management (4.1%)
- Marketing analytics, digital marketing, and marketing automation (4.1%)
- Financial reporting (4.0%)
- Corporate tax (3.6%)
- AI, machine learning, and data science (3.3%)
- Law clerk management (3.0%)
- Customer support (2.9%)
- Compliance (2.6%)
- Cybersecurity (2.6%)
- Compensation and benefits (2.5%)
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The research suggests many job seekers are aware higher salaries are available but aren't sure how to proceed. Eighty per cent of professionals say they feel confident negotiating salary offers, though many face hurdles such as understanding what is negotiable (36%), justifying their pay requests (33%) and determining their market value (32%).
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While this new focus on skills is pushing salaries up, it's nice to see employers are beginning to recognize that wages are only one part of compensation.
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The survey revealed, 71 per cent of employers are concerned about meeting candidates' salary expectations, competitive perks, benefits, and other rewards. The research shows that nearly half (46%) of hiring managers predict that adding new benefits and perks will be an effective recruiting strategy in 2026.
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The survey shared which offerings would prompt workers to switch employers—assuming base pay remained the same:
- Work-life balance (e.g., hybrid work): 52%
- Financial benefits (e.g., bonuses): 51%
- Retirement benefits: 43%
- Health and wellness programs: 39%
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Nearly 7 in 10 job seekers say hybrid work is their preferred arrangement, and while most companies offer some type of hybrid option, the level of flexibility often depends on the employee's role and level of seniority. Robert Half's research shows 53 per cent of employers offer hybrid options to those in leadership roles and on a case-by-case basis, while 33 per cent offer them to all regular employees.
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So, what can the career development sector take from this research?
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I believe there's an opportunity to tailor resumes, cover letters, elevator pitches and interview talking points to skills and specifically how skills relate back to past experience.
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I also think we need to do whatever we can to encourage people to build their skill set. This can certainly be done through micro-credentials, short-term training and vocational instruction. But we also need to look at opportunities to pair those pathways with networking, mentorship and co-op placements.
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Think of your own training and experience in career development. You may have completed training in 'ethics' or 'career development theories', but it's really the day-to-day experience of working with individuals in career transition that brings meaning to that training.
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When I used to screen candidates to hire as employment case managers I would cull the candidates down to those with experience and those with education and training. While I would always prefer both, if I had to choose one, I would always lean to the candidates with experience.
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Skills should be part of the vocabulary job seekers use when they meet with employers. When asked about places where they have worked, their education and their experience, they should be able to relate the skills they acquired as part of their personal anecdotes.
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When we are marketing clients or students to employers, discussing the skills they bring to the job takes the conversation away from years of experience, education and whether the skills were acquired in Canada or not. If we embrace this approach, perhaps this is a new pathway to help employers think about hiring in a more inclusive manner.
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We’ll be discussing the value of discussing 'skills' in employer engagement at our #MotivatingMondays meeting of the Canadian Job Development Network, Tuesday October 14th at 8:30am Pacific; 9:30am Mountain; 10:30am Central; 11:30am Eastern; 12:30pm Atlantic and at 1pm in Newfoundland.
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On the morning of Tuesday October 14th 'Click this Link' to join the session LIVE.
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'2025 Labour Market
Year-in-Review Workshops'
December 2025
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Registration is open for our Labour Market Year-in-Review workshops, taking place respectively in British Columbia and Ontario. We have a 20% discount for everyone who registers early. To learn more:
BC Workshop Link | Nov. 28th / Dec. 1st
or
Ontario Workshop Link | Dec. 5th and 8th
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Membership in Labour Market Online
DEADLINE: OCTOBER 31, 2025
We created the BC Labour Market Report in 1999 and the Ontario Labour Market Report in 2014. Both were created to provide career professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the current labour market. They help save time, provide better information and ensure individuals a go on to more sustainable employment outcomes. If you're organization isn't a member of Labour Market Online, up until October 31st we're waiving the onboarding fee, possibly saving hundreds of dollars. To learn more about Membership:
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Ontario Labour Market Online Membership
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