Upwork Monthly Hiring Report: Communication Skills in Demand

Upwork, the world’s largest human and AI-powered work marketplace, monitors hiring trends each month to uncover the skills that are in high demand across the $1.3 trillion dollar contingent digital knowledge work market.² As of November 2025, we’re seeing a continual need for uniquely human skills that complement and bring quality to automated workflows. 

“Businesses need talent who can apply creativity and human touch to everything they do,” said Anthony Kappus, chief operating officer at Upwork. “Increased demand for interpreters, quality assurance testing, and creative skills highlight that companies are adopting AI rapidly but aren’t confident the resulting code is ready to ship or the marketing copy is ready to inspire customers.”

Freelance hiring insights for November 2025

Our November hiring report draws on more than one million job posts on Upwork’s U.S. marketplace as well as insights gleaned from The Upwork Research Institute’s monthly business pulse survey. Business owners and freelancers alike can use these insights to secure a strong finish to Q4 2025 and begin planning for 2026 demand. 

Interest in freelancers with quality assurance expertise is up by 19%

Demand for AI skills continues to grow, with 85% of business leaders saying that digital fluency and AI literacy are increasingly important.¹ At the same time, more businesses are interested in hiring freelancers who can help them make sure that the outputs produced by AI are high quality. This is reflected in small and medium business (SMB) hiring trends across the Upwork Marketplace, where we’re seeing:

    • 19% higher demand for QA testing experience ³ 

    • 16% more interest in AI and machine learning skills ³ 

    • 7% growth in demand for AI and application integration skills ³ 

But businesses are interested in freelancers who have more than technical AI skills — they want to work with freelancers who can communicate well and integrate with their teams and processes.

Demand for communication and creative skills is up by as much as 48%

Human creativity and attention to detail is an essential skill for combating so-called “AI workslop.” And when it comes to hiring freelancers, 38% of businesses say they’re seeking strategic, creative thinkers — while 36% also want to work with freelancers who have strong interpersonal skills.¹

These preferences are reflected in hiring across the Upwork Marketplace, where there‘s a:

    • 48% increase in demand for language tutoring and interpretation skills ³ 

    • 20% rise in need for audio and music production freelancers ³ 

    • 14% higher demand for photography skills ³ 

We’re also seeing higher demand for technical skills associated with creative communications work, including experience using Adobe Photoshop and editing AI-generated video content.⁴

Over 40% of SMBs plan to hire digital marketing freelancers this holiday season

One of the most seasonally specific shifts we’re seeing is focused on how customer-facing businesses reach — and provide support to — their target audiences during peak holiday shopping seasons. 

Some of these increases, such as in marketing, are growing on top of even bigger spikes in demand from October 2025. Related popular skills on the Upwork Marketplace include: 

    • E-commerce development, up by 5% ³ $

    • Lead generation and telemarketing, up by 5% ³ 

    • Marketing, PR, and brand strategy, up by 2% ³ 

In total, over 40% of SMBs plan to hire digital marketing freelancers during the next three months.¹

The 10 most in-demand skills for freelancers in November 2025

Hiring reports from recent months have shown continued interest in freelancers who can blend AI expertise with a human touch, and that was still the case in November. From improving AI models to refining outputs, these are the top 10 AI-enabled skills that companies are hiring for on Upwork at
present: ⁴

1. Graphic design
2. Python
3. Video editing
4. AI-generated video
5. ChatGPT
6. JavaScript
7. Adobe Photoshop
8. Adobe Illustrator
9. Video production (new)
10. Machine learning
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We’re also keeping our eye on growing interest for freelancers skilled in working with AI chatbots as well as using specific automation platforms like Make.com, Zapier, and n8n.

“This month’s top AI-enabled skills show that more AI work is now part of a full workflow, rather than single, discrete tasks,” said Dr. Teng Liu, economist for The Upwork Research Institute. “Python and machine learning sit right alongside skills applied to video production and design tools. Teams need flexible talent who can conceptualize, build, and run these systems and workflows end-to-end.”

About the Upwork Monthly Hiring Report

The Upwork Monthly Hiring Report is designed to provide an early signal of broader shifts in how business leaders are hiring in real-time and aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of hiring trends in the U.S. labor market with a focus on the independent talent economy. The report draws from more than 1 million job posts in the U.S. on the Upwork Marketplace annually and a monthly business pulse survey from The Upwork Research Institute. It offers a real-time view of how businesses are hiring in the $1.3 trillion dollar contingent digital knowledge work market.²

Methodology and sources

¹  November Business Pulse Survey from The Upwork Research Institute.

² Estimated 2028 market size from Upwork Market Study, a commissioned third-party study that estimates the size of the flexible digital knowledge work market based on data from, among other sources, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, World Bank, and International Labour Organization (October 2025).

³ Upwork Marketplace data reflecting month-over-month changes based on new contract activity in the U.S. from November 1-24, 2025 compared to October 1-24, 2025. 

⁴Upwork Marketplace data reflecting top freelance skills hired for based on new contract activity in the U.S. from November 1-24, 2025.

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