Controllers and finance consultants – when you need them

In our assessment, autumn 2026 is marked by a clear paradox: unemployment remains high after the recession, while many employers struggle to find the right skills. In 2025, Swedish employers were short of 61,000 people according to SCB – and in IT the shortage was clearest for software and systems developers, where 4,000 were missing.

We believe the deciding factor is not the number of applicants but experience. The Public Employment Service identifies a lack of experienced applicants as the most common recruitment problem. For finance and IT, this means demand for people who can deliver from day one remains high – especially controllers, finance directors and developers.

AI is also changing what employers look for. The Public Employment Service believes AI may worsen job prospects for new graduates in some occupations, and that uncertainty makes employers more hesitant. In our view, AI is taking over more and more routine work in finance and reporting. At the same time, the need grows for people who can analyse, question the numbers and lead the introduction of new tools. Experienced controllers and IT specialists who understand both the business and the technology therefore become even more important.

We therefore expect more companies to choose interim and temp-to-hire in 2026–2027. It gives immediate access to experience while the recovery gathers pace and long-term recruitment needs become clearer.