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ServiceNow World Forum London 2026: Agenda, Speakers and What It Means for Hiring

ServiceNow World Forum London is at ExCeL on 20 October 2026. Free to attend, 8:30am to 6pm, and this year it closes with Louis Theroux.

We go to these events every year, and the honest answer is that most people get about a third of the value they could. They turn up, sit through the keynote, walk the expo, and go home with a tote bag. Here is how to do better, plus what the agenda quietly tells you about where ServiceNow hiring is going.

The essentials

When to register

Registration is open now and it costs nothing. ServiceNow has not published a cut-off date, but the rooms have a fixed capacity and the popular breakouts fill first, so there is no advantage in leaving it. Register, then go into the session catalogue and book the sessions you actually want. People who do that in September get their first choices. People who do it the week before take what is left.

Nearest stations are Custom House and Prince Regent on the DLR, and Custom House on the Elizabeth line, which has made getting there from central London considerably less painful than it used to be.

What is actually on

Badge pickup and the expo open at 8:30am. The main keynote runs 10:00am to 11:00am. Sessions and the expo carry on through to 5:00pm, Louis Theroux closes the day from 4:00pm to 5:00pm, and the networking reception runs 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

The part worth planning around is the hands on AI labs. You get to build and test your own AI agent rather than watch someone demo one. If you are technical, that is the most useful hour of the day. If you are a hiring manager, sit in on one anyway. It will tell you more about what your team actually needs to be able to do than any amount of reading job specs.

Who is speaking

From ServiceNow, Jayney Howson, Chief Learning Officer, and John Aisien, Senior Vice President and General Manager. The customer line up includes leaders from Kingfisher, HM Revenue and Customs, Primark and Heathrow.

A tip after a few of these: the customer sessions are almost always more useful than the product ones. The product sessions tell you what ServiceNow wants to sell next year. The customer sessions tell you what actually worked, what broke, and how long it really took. Go to the customer sessions.

Louis Theroux is an unusual booking for an enterprise software event and it will pull a crowd. If you want a seat, do not wander in at ten to four.

What the agenda tells you about hiring

This is the bit most event guides skip.

The themes this year are AI Control Tower, AI agents and Workflow Data Fabric. We see the same pattern every year: what ServiceNow pushes hardest on stage in October starts showing up in the briefs we take around two quarters later. Employers do not usually ask for it by name straight away. It arrives as “we need someone who has actually done this, not just been on the course.”

That gap is where the money is. The people who go to the labs, build something, and can talk about it in an interview six months before the job titles catch up are the ones who move up a band. We have seen it with Virtual Agent, we saw it with ITOM, and we are watching it happen now with agentic AI.

If you are hiring, the same logic applies in reverse. The candidates who can genuinely do this work are not on the market for long, and the salary expectations move faster than most internal bands do.

I will have copies of the 2026 UK salary survey with me

I am bringing printed copies of this year’s UK ServiceNow salary survey to ExCeL. I will leave a few around the cloakrooms, and I will have some on me during the day. If you see me, just ask. If I have one left, it is yours.

It is the most useful thing you can walk away with if you are anywhere near a hiring decision or a pay conversation in the next six months.

How to get something out of the day

Build your agenda before you arrive. Sessions fill. Pick your three must-attends and treat the rest as flexible.

Write down two questions before you go. Make them specific. “What does the roadmap look like” gets you a brochure answer. The thing you are actually stuck on gets you a real one, and people are remarkably generous when you ask them something real.

Go to the reception. Everyone leaves at five. The hour after five is where the actual conversations happen, and it is the cheapest networking you will do all year.

Do your follow ups within 48 hours. Connect while people still remember the conversation. After a week you are a stranger with a tote bag.

Not attending?

ServiceNow usually puts keynote and selected session content online afterwards. It is worth watching the keynote back even if you skip everything else, because it sets the direction for the following year. The SNUG community and the ServiceNow community forums tend to have the interesting reactions within a day or two.

Come and find us at ExCeL

We will be at World Forum London on the 20th. If you are hiring into your ServiceNow team, thinking about your next move, or you just want a straight conversation about what the market is paying right now, come and say hello. And ask about the salary survey.

If you would rather line something up in advance so we are not both wandering the expo hoping to bump into each other, grab a slot in my diary and we will sort a time.

ServiceNow World Forum Amsterdam 2026: Agenda, Speakers and Getting to RAI

ServiceNow World Forum Amsterdam is at RAI on 28 October 2026. Free, 8:30am to 6pm, and it is eight days after London.

That gap matters more than it sounds. If you are in the Benelux region or you cover Europe, you can realistically do both, and the two days give you a noticeably better read on the year than either one alone. London is the bigger room. Amsterdam is where you get closer to the people running things.

The essentials

When to register

Registration is open now and it is free. ServiceNow has not announced a closing date, but capacity is capacity and the better breakouts go first. Register, then go straight into the session catalogue and book what you want rather than deciding on the morning.

RAI has its own stop on the Amsterdam metro and a direct train from Schiphol takes around fifteen minutes. If you are flying in for the day, it is one of the easier venues in Europe to reach.

The shape of the day

Badge pickup and expo from 8:30am. Keynote 10:00am to 11:00am. Expo and breakout sessions run through to 5:00pm, the closing session is 4:00pm to 5:00pm, and the networking reception runs 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

The running theme this year is “AI that works”, built around AI Control Tower. The hands on labs let you build and test your own AI agent rather than watch a demo, which is the difference between understanding something and being able to say you have done it.

Who is speaking

Gaurav Rewari, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Data and Analytics Products at ServiceNow, is the name to note if data strategy is your concern. Jayney Howson, Chief Learning Officer, is also speaking, and Rumailah Burden, Advisory Solution Consultant on Employee Workflows, is worth catching if HRSD is where your roadmap is heading.

As with every one of these, the customer sessions tend to be more useful than the product ones. A vendor tells you what is possible. A customer tells you what it cost and how long it took.

The language problem nobody puts in the job spec

Here is the thing that makes hiring in the Netherlands harder than the headline numbers suggest, and it is the same story in Germany.

Clients want the best ServiceNow people they can get. They also want them to speak Dutch. Both of those are reasonable on their own. Put them together and you have cut the available pool down enormously, because the ServiceNow skills you need and native Dutch do not overlap nearly as often as people assume.

We have this conversation constantly. A client describes a role, we go and find genuinely strong candidates, and then the Dutch requirement rules out most of them. Sometimes that requirement is real, because the users they support work in Dutch and there is no way round it. Often it is not, and it is there because it has always been there.

The question worth asking before you open a role is a simple one. Who does this person actually talk to, and in what language? If the answer is an internal English speaking platform team, the language requirement is costing you months and probably money. If the answer is Dutch speaking end users all day, it is real, and you should plan for a longer search and a higher number.

Amsterdam is a good place to test that, because you will be standing in a room full of exactly the people you are trying to hire.

What this means if you are hiring in Europe

Beyond language, two patterns we see consistently. First, companies that recruit for these roles in house take significantly longer, mostly because the niche is narrow enough that generalist recruiters do not know who is who. Second, salary expectations in this market move faster than internal banding cycles, so offers get built on numbers that were accurate eighteen months ago and then get declined.

If you are planning a hire for Q1, the useful thing to do at Amsterdam is not to collect CVs. It is to work out what the going rate actually is before you write the business case.

Getting value out of the day

Plan your sessions in advance. Pick three you will not miss and leave the rest loose.

Bring specific questions. The vaguer the question, the more generic the answer.

Stay for the reception. The hour from five is where people stop presenting and start talking.

Follow up inside two days. Everyone means to. Almost nobody does, which is exactly why it works.

If you cannot make it

ServiceNow typically publishes keynote and selected session recordings afterwards. The keynote is the one to watch back, because it sets the tone for the following twelve months of product messaging and, eventually, of job specs.

Common questions

Is it really free? Yes. Registration costs nothing. You pay for travel and your own time.

What language are sessions in? Mostly English. Amsterdam draws a pan European audience and ServiceNow runs it accordingly.

Can I attend if we are not a ServiceNow customer? Yes. Plenty of attendees are evaluating the platform or work for partners.

How early should I arrive? Badge pickup opens at 8:30am and the keynote is at 10:00am. Arriving by 9:15am gives you time to get a badge, get coffee and get a decent seat.

Can I do London and Amsterdam? Yes, they are eight days apart. London is the 20th, Amsterdam the 28th.

Thinking about your ServiceNow team for 2027?

We recruit ServiceNow professionals across Europe, and most of our conversations at this time of year are with people planning headcount for the new year rather than filling something urgent.

If you want a straight read on what your roles are worth, how long they are realistically taking to fill, and whether that language requirement is helping or hurting you, book a call. No pitch, just the market as we are seeing it.

ServiceNow World Forum Paris 2026: Agenda, Speakers and What to Expect

ServiceNow World Forum Paris is at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on 2 December 2026. Free, 8:30am to 6pm, and it is the last World Forum of the year.

That last point is the reason to go. By December, the announcements made back in May at Knowledge have had six months to meet reality. The customer sessions in Paris are the ones where people tell you what actually shipped, what got quietly shelved, and what it really cost. If you only go to one World Forum and you want substance over launch energy, this is the one.

The essentials

When to register

Registration is open now and it is free. No closing date has been published. Paris is in December, so there is more runway here than on the October events, but the session catalogue is worth a look early because the speaker line up firms up four to six weeks out and the good breakouts book up once it does.

Porte de Versailles is on Metro line 12, with tram T2 and T3a also stopping there. From Gare du Nord it is about half an hour. If you are coming from London on the Eurostar, a day trip is tight but doable.

The shape of the day

Badge collection and expo from 8:30am. Opening keynote 10:00am to 11:00am. Expo floor and breakout sessions until 5:00pm, closing session 4:00pm to 5:00pm, networking reception 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

The themes are AI Control Tower, autonomous agents, and practical AI across both private and public sector. Security gets more airtime this year through Armis and Veza. There are hands on sessions where you build and test your own AI agent.

ServiceNow has not published the full speaker list yet. The opening keynote is billed around ServiceNow leaders and customers talking about AI in their own businesses, and the detailed line up usually firms up four to six weeks out. Worth checking back in late October.

A practical note on language

Sessions at Paris run in a mix of French and English. The keynote is generally English with translation available, and breakouts vary. If your French stops at ordering lunch, check the session language when you build your agenda rather than finding out at the door.

What this means if you are hiring in France

The French ServiceNow market has its own character. The partner ecosystem is well established, a lot of the strongest people sit inside large integrators rather than end users, and moving between the two is less common than it is in the UK.

What that means in practice is that if you are an end user trying to hire directly, you are fishing in a smaller pond than the headline numbers suggest, and you are often competing on things other than salary. Flexibility, the actual work, and whether the role has a real roadmap behind it matter more here than they do in some other markets.

The language question comes up here too. We see it most sharply in the Netherlands and Germany, where clients want top ServiceNow skills and native Dutch or German in the same person, and the two do not overlap as often as anyone would like. How hard a requirement French is varies a lot by employer, so it is worth pinning down early. Ask who this person actually talks to day to day, and in what language. If the answer is an internal English speaking platform team, you have just widened your pool considerably.

It also means December is a genuinely useful month to have these conversations. People are thinking about the year ahead, budgets are being set, and the ones who are quietly unhappy have usually decided by January.

Getting value out of the day

Pick your sessions before you go. Three priorities, everything else optional.

Bring the problem you are stuck on. Specific questions get specific answers.

Stay for the reception. The useful part of the day starts at five.

Follow up within 48 hours. While you are still a face and not a business card.

If you cannot make it

ServiceNow usually publishes the keynote and selected sessions afterwards. Given Paris closes out the year, the December keynote is a reasonable shortcut if you want one view of where the platform ended up in 2026 without watching all nine events back.

Common questions

Is registration free? Yes. The event costs nothing to attend.

Are sessions in French or English? A mix. The keynote is generally English with translation, breakouts vary. Check each session when you build your agenda.

Can I attend if we are not a customer yet? Yes. A good share of the room is evaluating, or works partner side.

Will sessions be recorded? ServiceNow usually publishes the keynote and a selection of sessions afterwards, though not everything.

What time should I arrive? Badges from 8:30am, keynote at 10:00am. Get there by 9:15am and the morning is unhurried.

Planning your ServiceNow hiring for 2027?

December is when most of our client conversations turn into January vacancies. If you are working out headcount, trying to understand what the roles are actually worth, or wondering why your last search took five months, we can give you a straight answer.

We recruit ServiceNow professionals across Europe and we do nothing else. Book a call and we will tell you what we are seeing.

ServiceNow Australia Has Landed: What It Means for You

ServiceNow Australia Has Landed: What It Means for You

The ServiceNow Australia release reached general availability on 5 May 2026, arriving on the opening day of Knowledge 2026. It is the first country-named release, marking a return to the start of the alphabet after Zurich and a switch from cities to countries. More than that, it is widely seen as the moment the platform shifts from a workflow engine with AI features to a genuinely AI-native system. Whether you run a ServiceNow team or build your career on the platform, here is what matters and what to do about it.

What is new

Three themes run through this release.

AI woven deeper into the core

Australia pushes AI into the heart of the platform, with expanded capabilities across AI Control Tower, AI Gateway, anonymous AI case reporting and Now Assist for Voice for natural-language case handling. The direction is clear. AI is no longer a bolt-on, it is becoming the way work moves through the platform.

A shift in reporting and analytics

Australia makes Platform Analytics the default experience and steps up the pressure to move away from legacy Core UI reporting. Legacy customers still have a runway to create new Core UI content for now, but migrations always take longer than expected, so it is wise to start planning early rather than treating it as a distant problem.

Stronger governance

The release also strengthens the tooling for managing an increasingly AI-driven platform safely. In short, this is a release about control as much as capability.

The timeline change you cannot ignore

Australia brings a structural shift too. From this release onward, ServiceNow has moved its major release schedule to two updates a year, aligned with global business cycles. The upgrade rules have also tightened, with a shorter window to complete upgrades before the cut-off. If your team plans upgrades loosely, this is the moment to get disciplined, building your change management and testing timeline around the new dates.

What it means if you lead a team

Your priorities are planning and people. Start by reviewing the release notes against your current version so you know which features and fixes actually matter to you. Test thoroughly in a sub-production instance, validating your customisations, integrations and automated test coverage before any production cutover, and build your timeline around the tighter upgrade window rather than last year’s assumptions.

Then think about skills. An AI-native platform needs people who understand AI Control Tower, AI Gateway and the new analytics layer, not just classic configuration. That capability is scarce, so the smart move is to combine targeted hiring for the hardest-to-find skills with focused upskilling of your strongest existing people. The Platform Analytics migration in particular is a project that will need clear owners, so identify them early.

What it means for your career

This release is a gift, because it tells you exactly where to invest your time. Getting hands-on with Platform Analytics, AI Control Tower and the wider Now Assist toolset puts you squarely in the area employers are racing to staff. The reporting migration alone will create a wave of work over the next eighteen months, so practical experience moving from Core UI to Platform Analytics is a genuinely marketable skill.

You do not need to wait for your employer to send you on a course. Explore the release notes, experiment in a personal developer instance, and keep an eye out for ServiceNow’s live preview sessions and demos. Being early and fluent on a new release is one of the fastest ways to stand out, both in your current role and in your next interview.

Your quick checklist

If you lead a team

  • Review the release notes against your current version
  • Test everything in a sub-production instance
  • Plan your Core UI to Platform Analytics migration
  • Rebuild your upgrade timeline around the new cut-off

If you are building your career

  • Read the release notes and learn the headline features
  • Get hands-on with Platform Analytics and the AI tooling in a personal instance
  • Make your new skills visible on your CV and profile

The bottom line

Australia is more than a feature drop. It moves everyone towards an AI-native, analytics-first way of working on a tighter, more predictable release cadence. Teams that plan early will upgrade smoothly and keep their best people. Individuals who learn early will be the ones those teams compete to hire.

If you would like to talk through what the Australia release means for your hiring plans or your next career move, get in touch with our team.

ServiceNow Knowledge 2026: The Complete Guide

ServiceNow Knowledge 2026: The Complete Guide


What is ServiceNow Knowledge?

ServiceNow Knowledge, commonly referred to as K26 this year, is ServiceNow’s annual flagship conference and the single most important event in the ServiceNow calendar. It brings together customers, partners, developers, administrators, architects and executives from across the globe to explore where the platform is heading and what the next chapter of enterprise technology looks like.

The event spans product roadmap announcements, live platform demos, hands-on certification training, developer workshops and headline keynotes from some of the most recognised names in business and technology. Whether you work as a ServiceNow professional, lead a platform team, or are responsible for hiring the people who make it all run, Knowledge is the clearest window into what the next 12 months will look like.

Knowledge 2026 takes place 5 to 7 May at The Venetian Resort and Wynn Las Vegas, with pre-conference activities beginning on 4 May. The central theme this year is You and AI Get to Work, a deliberate shift from AI as a feature to AI as a core operating model.

Knowledge 2026 at a glance

4
Days including pre-conference (4 to 7 May)
700+
Sessions, labs and AI demos
15k+
Attendees from 50+ countries
$2,195
Full conference pass (USD)

Full agenda: 4 to 7 May 2026

Below is the confirmed schedule across all four days, including the pre-conference activities on Monday, 4 May. The main conference opens to all registered attendees from Tuesday, 5 May.

Monday 4 May — Pre-Conference
7:00 am – 8:00 pm Pre-conference
Badge pick-up
Collect your badge and conference materials on Sunday to avoid queues on opening morning and get straight into Monday’s keynote without delay.
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Training
ServiceNow University — pre-conference training day
A full day of structured, role-based learning is available as a pass add-on. Attendees build their own schedule across AI-focused topics and platform capabilities. Certification exams are available on this day at a discounted rate.
10:00 am – 6:30 pm Invite only
Product Advisory Council
An exclusive session for invited customers and partners to provide direct input into the ServiceNow product roadmap.
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Partners
Partner Day
A dedicated half-day for ServiceNow partners to connect with the ServiceNow team, explore opportunities and align strategy ahead of the main conference days.

Tuesday 5 May — Day One
7:00 am – 5:00 pm All day
Badge pick-up continues
Badge collection remains open throughout Day One for any late arrivals.
9:00 am – 6:00 pm Expo
Expo and Knowledge Store open
The Expo floor opens with live demos, partner showcases and one-to-one expert access. The Knowledge Store is also open throughout the day.
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sessions
Sessions and Labs
Breakout sessions and hands-on labs run across all tracks: ITSM, HRSD, CSM, SecOps, GRC, App Engine and CreatorCon. Hands-on labs fill quickly, so pre-register via the Agenda Builder before arrival.
10:00 am – 11:00 am Opening Keynote
Welcome to Agentic Business
The flagship opening keynote. ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott sets the strategic direction for the year ahead, with major platform announcements centred on the Agentic Enterprise and what it truly means to put AI to work across the organisation.
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Expo
Expo Theatres open
Partner-led sessions begin across the Expo theatre stages, covering real-world implementation stories, AI use cases and product deep dives from ServiceNow’s partner ecosystem.
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Networking
Welcome Reception
An informal reception for all conference attendees. A relaxed way to connect with the global ServiceNow community after the first day’s sessions, and often one of the most valuable hours of the entire conference.

Wednesday 6 May — Day Two
8:00 am – 5:00 pm All day
Badge pick-up continues
Badge collection remains open for any late or day-pass attendees.
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Expo
Expo and Knowledge Store open
The Expo floor and Knowledge Store remain open throughout Day Two. If you have specific partner meetings or demo bookings, this is typically the best day to go deeper.
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sessions
Sessions and Labs
The full session programme continues across all tracks and skill levels, from beginner to expert. CreatorCon runs in parallel for developers and technical builders, focusing on vibe coding and AI Agent creation.
10:00 am – 11:00 am Day Two Keynote
The Blueprint for Agentic Business
ServiceNow CPO Amit Zavery delivers the technical keynote with live platform demos covering AI Agents, the AI Control Tower and RaptorDB. This is where the year’s most significant technical announcements land.
11:30 am – 5:00 pm Expo
Expo Theatres
Partner and customer-led theatre sessions continue throughout the afternoon across topics including agentic AI in HRSD, security transformation, GBS modernisation and responsible AI governance.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Featured Session
Curious Leadership: Empowering People in the Age of AI
A leadership-focused session exploring how to empower teams as AI becomes central to enterprise operations, addressing what it means to lead with curiosity, confidence and accountability in an AI-driven world.
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Evening
Sponsors Evening
An evening event hosted by Knowledge’s sponsoring partners, offering a valuable opportunity to connect with implementation partners, technology vendors and peers across the global ServiceNow ecosystem.

Thursday 7 May — Day Three
8:00 am – 3:00 pm All day
Badge pick-up
Final day for badge collection, closing at 3:00 pm ahead of the evening’s after party.
9:00 am – 3:00 pm Expo
Expo and Knowledge Store open
Final chance to visit the Expo floor, connect with partners and complete any remaining demos or conversations before the conference closes for 2026.
9:00 am – 3:00 pm Sessions
Sessions and Labs
The final morning of sessions is structured to consolidate learning and confirm what you are taking back to your organisation. Lock in your action plan and next steps.
10:00 am – 11:00 am Closing Keynote
Knowledge Unscripted
The closing keynote in ServiceNow’s signature unscripted format: candid, live and conversation-driven. Honest reflections on what was announced, what is coming next and what it means for the people in the room.
11:30 am – 3:00 pm Expo
Expo Theatres — final sessions
The Expo theatres run their final sessions of the conference, often where the most candid and practically focused conversations of the week take place.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Featured Session
Build Anywhere. Run on ServiceNow.
A session focused on the platform’s expanded development and deployment capabilities, exploring how organisations can build applications wherever work happens and run them on the Now Platform at scale.
6:00 pm – 9:30 pm After Party
Knowledge After Party — The Sphere, Las Vegas
The conference closes at The Sphere, one of the most extraordinary entertainment venues in the world. Idris Elba opens the night with an exclusive DJ set, followed by a headline performance from the Backstreet Boys. Included with all full conference passes.

Speakers and keynotes

Knowledge 2026 has assembled an exceptional line-up spanning ServiceNow leadership, global business chiefs, AI thought leaders and creative voices. Here is who to know before the event.

BM

Bill McDermott
Chairman and CEO, ServiceNow
Delivers the opening keynote, Welcome to Agentic Business. Sets the platform direction and strategic vision for the year ahead, centred on the Agentic Enterprise.

AZ

Amit Zavery
President, CPO and COO, ServiceNow
Delivers the Day Two technical keynote, The Blueprint for Agentic Business. Live platform demos covering AI Agents, the AI Control Tower and RaptorDB.

JH

Jensen Huang
Founder and CEO, NVIDIA
TIME Person of the Year and Queen Elizabeth Prize winner. Speaks on AI computing infrastructure and the ServiceNow and NVIDIA partnership powering enterprise-scale AI.

RS

Raj Subramaniam
President and CEO, FedEx Corporation
Speaks on the role of agentic AI in revitalising enterprise operating strategy and harnessing global supply chain data to drive transformation at industrial scale.

AR

Alan Rosa
CISO and SVP, Infrastructure and Operations, CVS Health
An award-winning technology leader sharing his approach to enterprise transformation, using AI safely to elevate experiences, reduce cybersecurity risk and improve customer trust.

AM

Allie K. Miller
AI Advisor, Investor and Speaker
Named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in AI. Advises Google, OpenAI and Anthropic. Explores what it takes to lead with confidence in an AI-driven future.

TT

Trevear Thomas
Global Chief Growth Officer, Deloitte
Shares his perspective on leading boldly across global markets, championing human-centred leadership and driving growth in an AI-powered world.

RC

Dr Rumman Chowdhury
AI Governance Expert and Researcher
Deep expertise in responsible AI innovation. Speaks on accountability, culture and how AI affects people, creativity and public trust at enterprise scale.

IE

Idris Elba
Actor, DJ and ServiceNow Brand Ambassador
Speaks on human-first innovation and the values that must anchor AI-driven transformation. Also headlines the after party at The Sphere with an exclusive DJ set.

MK

Mindy Kaling
Award-winning Writer, Producer and Actor
Brings cultural relevance and humour to themes of reinvention and creativity. Speaks on building ideas that change how people see themselves and their work.

The big themes: agentic AI and beyond

Knowledge 2026 marks a genuine inflection point. If Knowledge 2025 introduced AI as a helpful assistant through Now Assist, this year moves firmly into agentic territory: AI that does not just support human decisions, but acts on them.

“The question at Knowledge 2026 is no longer whether to use AI. It is how to govern it, scale it and make sure it is doing the right work.”

From assistive to agentic AI

ServiceNow AI Agents are designed to think through problems, make decisions and execute multi-step tasks independently, handling complex workflows like employee offboarding, IT incident response or security remediation without waiting for human input at every stage. This is the central narrative at K26 and represents a fundamental shift in how the platform operates.

AI Control Tower

As organisations deploy more AI agents across their environment, governance becomes critical. The AI Control Tower gives IT leaders a centralised view of every agent in operation, with performance metrics, audit trails, cost controls and safety guardrails built in. It is ServiceNow’s answer to the question every CIO is asking: how do we run AI responsibly at scale?

RaptorDB

Underpinning all of this is RaptorDB, a high-performance database engine built specifically to handle the processing demands of enterprise-scale AI workloads. For ServiceNow architects and platform engineers, this will become increasingly important knowledge over the next 12 months.

Vibe coding at CreatorCon

For developers, the headline this year is vibe coding: describing the intent of an application in natural language while the platform generates the underlying architecture. It is a meaningful change to how ServiceNow applications are built and will directly affect how developer roles are defined in the next wave of platform implementations.

Not attending in person? ServiceNow publishes keynote recordings and selected session content on demand after the event, accessible to anyone globally. The opening and technical keynotes are typically made publicly available within days of the conference closing. Visit the official Knowledge 2026 page for on-demand access after 7 May.

What this means for hiring managers

Knowledge 2026 is not just a conference. The capabilities and roadmap announcements this week will filter directly into the skills your ServiceNow team will need over the next 12 to 18 months. Here is what the Linking Humans team is watching closely from a talent perspective.

AI skills are moving from specialist to essential

The shift to agentic AI means professionals who understand AI configuration, agent design and governance will command a significant premium. Roles that previously focused on traditional ITSM or HRSD delivery are increasingly expected to carry a working understanding of how AI integrates into those workflows. This is not a future requirement: it is happening now.

Platform architects are in the spotlight

With AI Control Tower and RaptorDB both central to the K26 narrative, ServiceNow architects who can design scalable, AI-ready platform structures will be among the most sought-after professionals in the ecosystem globally. If your current team lacks this depth, now is the moment to build your hiring roadmap.

Certification value continues to rise

Knowledge 2026 places a strong emphasis on certification, with discounted exams on pre-conference day and a full ServiceNow University training day available. Certified professionals with AI-specific credentials will remain at a premium even as the overall supply increases in the months that follow.

The talent market is energised right now

Knowledge generates genuine excitement across the ServiceNow community worldwide. Many professionals come away from the event ready for a new challenge. If your organisation is not actively engaging with ServiceNow talent in the weeks around this conference, your competitors very likely are.

What this means for ServiceNow professionals

Whether you are in Las Vegas for the event, following the keynotes live online, or planning to catch session recordings at a more convenient time in your timezone, Knowledge 2026 is worth taking seriously if you care about where your career is heading.

The platform is moving fast. The professionals most in demand over the next few years are those investing now in understanding agentic AI, governance frameworks and the new platform architecture capabilities being announced this week. Even watching the opening and technical keynotes will give you a far clearer picture of where to focus your development time.

If you are a developer, the vibe coding sessions at CreatorCon will directly shape how your role is defined in the next wave of implementations. If you are an architect or platform engineer, RaptorDB and AI Control Tower are not optional knowledge any more. And if you are in a consulting or delivery role, the shift from assistive to agentic AI will define every client conversation you have from this point forward.

The Linking Humans team will be tracking every major announcement across the conference week and sharing what the developments mean for ServiceNow roles, salaries and career trajectories across all markets globally.

“The most valuable thing any ServiceNow professional can take from Knowledge 2026 is a clear view of where to invest their development time over the next 12 months.”

Frequently asked questions about ServiceNow Knowledge 2026

These are the questions people search for most when researching Knowledge 2026. If yours is not covered here, the Linking Humans team is happy to help.

What is ServiceNow Knowledge?

ServiceNow Knowledge is the platform’s annual flagship conference and the most important event in the ServiceNow calendar. It brings together customers, partners, developers, administrators, architects and executives from around the world for product announcements, hands-on labs, certifications and keynotes. It has run annually for over a decade and typically attracts more than 15,000 attendees from over 50 countries.

When and where is ServiceNow Knowledge 2026?

Knowledge 2026 takes place from 5 to 7 May 2026 at The Venetian Resort and Wynn Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Pre-conference activations, including badge pick-up, ServiceNow University training, and the Product Advisory Council, begin on Monday, 4 May.

Who is speaking at Knowledge 2026?

Confirmed speakers include Bill McDermott (ServiceNow CEO), Amit Zavery (ServiceNow CPO and COO), Jensen Huang (NVIDIA CEO), Raj Subramaniam (FedEx CEO), Dr Rumman Chowdhury, Alan Rosa (CVS Health CISO), Allie K. Miller, Trevear Thomas (Deloitte Global Chief Growth Officer), Idris Elba and Mindy Kaling.

How much does a Knowledge 2026 ticket cost?

A full conference pass is $2,195 USD. Group rates are available for five or more attendees. A pre-conference ServiceNow University training day is available as a paid add-on and includes a discounted certification exam.

Can I follow Knowledge 2026 without attending in person?

Yes, and many professionals around the world do exactly this. ServiceNow publishes keynote recordings and selected session content on demand via their website shortly after the event closes. The opening keynote and technical keynote are typically made publicly available within days. Registered attendees gain access to a wider range of session recordings through the ServiceNow Knowledge app, making it straightforward to follow along from any timezone.

What is CreatorCon at ServiceNow Knowledge?

CreatorCon is a developer-focused conference that runs within Knowledge, aimed at ServiceNow developers, architects and low-code builders. In 2026 it focuses on vibe coding, AI Agent creation and live platform build sessions. It is included with a standard Knowledge conference pass.

What is the Knowledge 2026 after party?

The Knowledge 2026 after party takes place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on the evening of 7 May, from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Idris Elba opens with a DJ set, followed by a headline performance from the Backstreet Boys. The after party is included with all full conference passes.

What are ServiceNow AI Agents?

ServiceNow AI Agents are autonomous digital workers built into the Now Platform. Unlike traditional automation or chatbots, they can think through multi-step tasks, make decisions and execute work independently. They are governed through the AI Control Tower and represent a fundamental shift in how the platform operates.

What is the ServiceNow AI Control Tower?

The AI Control Tower is a centralised governance dashboard within the ServiceNow platform. It gives IT leaders and platform architects visibility over all AI agents running in their environment, with performance metrics, audit trails, cost controls and safety guardrails, directly addressing the governance challenge of deploying AI at enterprise scale.

Will Knowledge 2026 affect demand for ServiceNow jobs?

Yes, and significantly. The capabilities being announced at Knowledge 2026, particularly around agentic AI, AI Agents, the AI Control Tower and RaptorDB, will directly increase demand for ServiceNow professionals with AI configuration, governance and platform architecture skills. At Linking Humans, we work with organisations globally to find this talent, and we are already seeing clients planning ahead for these requirements.

Thinking about your next ServiceNow move?

Whether you are a hiring manager building your ServiceNow function or a professional ready for your next challenge, Linking Humans are here to help. We specialise exclusively in ServiceNow recruitment, working with organisations and professionals across the globe.

What the 2025 ServiceNow Salary Survey Means For Your Hiring Strategy

What the 2025 ServiceNow Salary Survey means for your hiring strategy

Our 2025 Global ServiceNow Salary Survey gathered responses from 260 professionals across roles, regions, partners and customers. The findings paint a detailed picture of what it actually takes to hire and keep the ServiceNow talent your organisation depends on. Here are the headlines that should inform your approach this year.

75%
Would resign if required to return to the office five days a week

66%
Who accepted a counteroffer still left within the year

49%
Would look elsewhere if not promoted within 12 months

74%
Of professionals received a pay rise in the last 12 months

Benchmark your salaries or risk losing people to the market

UK average salaries in the ServiceNow space sit at £76,000 in 2025, easing back from £87,000 in 2024 after a period of rapid growth. In the USA, averages rose across every role to reach $148,000. Senior positions such as Architect (£96k) and Director (£138k) held firm, signalling that experienced professionals continue to command a premium. If your pay bands were set during a quieter period, now is the time to review them, particularly for senior and specialist roles where the talent pool is shallow.

Certifications signal capability: factor them into your compensation framework

82% of ServiceNow professionals hold at least one certification, and certified candidates are more likely to receive counteroffers when they move, meaning they are also harder to replace. Micro-certifications are growing fast, rising from 67% to 72% uptake in a single year. Professionals investing in credentials around AI tools such as Virtual Agent, or platform skills such as CMDB and Flow Designer, are raising their market value. Your compensation framework should recognise that investment, both to attract these candidates and to retain the people you already have.

The winning profile pairs a solid core certification stack with targeted micro-certifications. Employers who reward that breadth and depth will have the competitive edge.

Your flexible working policy is a retention policy

71% of professionals say they would leave if their employer limited flexible or hybrid working. 75% would leave if a five day office mandate was introduced, up from 72% in 2024. Currently, 56% of ServiceNow professionals work fully remotely and 37% work hybrid, and most say that matches their ideal. UK professionals are particularly firm on this, with 80% saying they would leave over a five day office rule. If your organisation is considering a return-to-office push, the data suggests you should expect meaningful attrition among your ServiceNow team.

Counteroffers buy time, not loyalty

22% of ServiceNow professionals received a counteroffer in 2025, up from 18% the year before. In practice, 66% of those who accepted a counteroffer still left within the year, and 63% were gone within six months. The most common reasons: the work environment had not improved, underlying issues remained unresolved, and there was no career progression on offer. A counteroffer can be a useful short-term tool, but it should never substitute for addressing what prompted the resignation in the first place.

Career progression and culture are retention levers you can control

49% of professionals say they would look for a new role if not promoted within the next 12 months. The organisations winning on retention are combining clear promotion pathways with visible recognition, investment in development and a culture where people feel their work is valued. 76% of respondents said their work is valued in 2025, and that figure correlates directly with intent to stay.

Practical actions for hiring managers in 2025

✓  Review salary bands against the 2025 benchmarks, particularly for Architect, Senior Developer and Director-level roles

✓  Factor certifications and micro-credentials into your compensation framework, not just job title and years of experience

✓  Audit your flexible working policy before your next hire cycle. A restrictive policy is a competitive disadvantage

✓  Map out visible promotion pathways for each role on your team and communicate them clearly

✓  When someone resigns, diagnose the root cause before deciding whether a counteroffer makes sense

✓  Prioritise learning and development benefits. Continuing education provision jumped from 4% to 22% of packages in a single year

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Detailed salary breakdowns by role and region, certification trends, contractor analysis and partner versus customer comparisons.

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What the 2025 ServiceNow Salary Survey Means For Your Career

What the 2025 ServiceNow Salary Survey means for your career

Every year we survey hundreds of ServiceNow professionals to build a clear picture of salaries, certifications, benefits and working conditions across the ecosystem. The 2025 results are in, and if you are thinking about your next move, a pay review or your career path, there is a lot worth paying attention to.

£76k
Average UK salary in the ServiceNow space

$148k
Average USA salary in the ServiceNow space

74%
Of professionals received a salary increase in the last 12 months

82%
Of ServiceNow professionals hold at least one certification

Salaries have stabilised after 2024’s peak

UK average pay came back to £76,000 in 2025 after reaching £87,000 in 2024. That is not a slump, it is the market finding its level after a period of rapid growth. Senior roles such as Architect (£96k) and Product Owner (£97k) held firm, which tells you that demand for experienced professionals remains strong. In the USA, salaries rose across every role, with the average reaching $148,000. If you are in a senior or specialist position, your bargaining power is intact.

Certifications are still one of the best things you can do for your earning potential

The data is clear: certified professionals are twice as likely to receive a counteroffer when they hand in their notice (23% versus 11% for non-certified). The Certified System Administrator (CSA) remains the baseline employers expect, held by 94% of certified respondents. Beyond that, the real momentum is in micro-certifications, with uptake growing from 67% to 72% in a single year. AI-focused credentials such as Virtual Agent and Predictive Intelligence are gaining particular traction. If you are looking for a way to differentiate yourself and justify a higher salary, adding targeted micro-credentials to your stack is one of the most practical steps you can take right now.

Counteroffers are up, but they rarely solve the real problem

22% of professionals received a counteroffer in 2025, up from 18% the year before. It might feel good to be wanted, but the numbers tell a cautionary tale: 66% of those who accepted a counteroffer had left within the year anyway, and 63% were gone within six months. The most common reasons were that the work environment had not improved and there was no career progression. Before you accept a counter, ask yourself honestly whether it addresses the reason you were looking in the first place.

A pay rise buys time, but it rarely fixes the underlying issues. Before accepting a counteroffer, ask whether the role fits your two to three year goals.

Flexibility is now a baseline expectation, not a perk

56% of respondents currently work fully remotely and 37% work hybrid. When asked what their ideal arrangement would be, the figures were almost identical, meaning most people are already working the way they want to. The bigger story is what happens when that changes: 71% said they would leave if flexibility was limited, and 75% said they would leave if a five day office mandate was introduced. If you are evaluating a new role, do not treat the working arrangement as an afterthought. In this market, it is a fundamental part of the offer.

Career progression matters more than ever

49% of respondents said they would look for a new role if a promotion did not materialise within the next 12 months. The professionals who stay tend to be in organisations that combine competitive pay with visible development paths, good management and a culture where people feel recognised. If your current employer is not offering that combination, the market is active enough to find one that does.

Download the full survey

Salary breakdowns by role and region, certification trends, contractor data and much more.

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Knowledge 2026: What It Means for Your Hiring Plans

Knowledge 2026: What It Means for Your Hiring Plans

ServiceNow’s Knowledge conference takes place 5-7 May in Las Vegas. If you’re trying to hire ServiceNow professionals, here’s what you need to know about how Knowledge affects the talent market and what you should do about it.

May and June Hiring Slows Down Every Year

This isn’t speculation. It’s a predictable pattern we see annually. ServiceNow professionals are either attending Knowledge (physically or virtually), processing what they learned, or pursuing certifications and upskilling based on conference content. They’re not actively job hunting.

If you have urgent hiring needs, you want offers accepted by mid-April. Otherwise, you’re realistically looking at June starts at the earliest, often stretching into July once you factor in notice periods.

The gap matters more than you think. A critical Platform Architect role sitting unfilled from April through June can derail Q2 project timelines, push implementation milestones into Q3, and create cascading delays across your platform roadmap.

Knowledge Creates a Talent Surge in July

The flip side is equally predictable. After Knowledge, professionals return energised, often with new certifications, and many reassess their careers.

If they’ve just learned about ServiceNow’s AI roadmap and agentic automation capabilities, but their current employer is still focused on legacy ITSM break-fix work, they start looking. If they’ve seen what best-in-class platform governance looks like and realise their organisation has none, they start looking. If they’ve networked with peers earning 20% more for similar work, they definitely start looking.

July and August are historically strong hiring months post-Knowledge. The candidate quality is often excellent because these aren’t desperate job seekers. They’re engaged professionals who’ve just had their ambitions raised and realised their current role doesn’t match where the platform is heading.

The Certification Surge Post-Knowledge

Expect candidates interviewing in June and July to have newly acquired certifications from Knowledge. This is positive; it shows they’re investing in staying current.

However, verify they have practical experience to back up the credentials. A certification earned at Knowledge without implementation experience isn’t as valuable as one earned through project work.

The certifications that will appear most frequently post-Knowledge 2026:

  • AI-related credentials (Virtual Agent, AI Search, Predictive Intelligence)
  • Automation and integration (Flow Designer, Integration Hub)
  • Data quality and CMDB management
  • Performance Analytics

These align with ServiceNow’s strategic direction from SKO 2026. Professionals are smart. They’re certifying in the capabilities ServiceNow is pushing hardest because they know that’s where demand will grow.

Knowledge as a Talent Attraction Tool

If your organisation is a ServiceNow customer, sponsor attendance for your team. This isn’t just training investment, it’s retention.

Our 2025 Global Salary Survey shows that 49% of ServiceNow professionals would look for a new role if promotion doesn’t happen within 12 months. Knowledge attendance signals investment in their development and provides the learning and networking that satisfy progression needs without necessarily requiring immediate promotion.

Professionals who attend Knowledge feel invested in. They return with new ideas, energy, and capabilities they want to apply. If you create space for them to implement what they’ve learned, retention improves significantly.

Conversely, if you refuse to send team members to Knowledge whilst competitors are sponsoring attendance, you’re sending a clear signal about how much you value development. Don’t be surprised when your best people leave for organisations that do invest.

How to Use Knowledge for Hiring

If you’re hiring, consider attending Knowledge yourself or sending hiring managers. The formal conference sessions are valuable, but the real opportunity is in the hallway conversations, partner events, and unofficial meetups.

The hallway track is where you’ll meet passive candidates who aren’t actively job hunting but are open to the right conversation. A ServiceNow Director of IT discussing their challenges over coffee isn’t in recruiting mode, but they’re absolutely assessing talent and making mental notes about impressive individuals.

Partner showcase sessions work both ways. Yes, partners use them to demonstrate capabilities and attract customers. But customers attending these sessions are also scouting talent. When someone asks an intelligent, challenging question that demonstrates deep platform expertise, you’ve just identified a potential hire.

Industry-specific roundtables are smaller, more intimate sessions where you’ll interact directly with people from your sector. A healthcare ITSM roundtable isn’t just about sharing best practices. It’s where the head of ServiceNow at an NHS Trust meets the architect who’ll solve their problem three months later.

The key is being genuinely helpful and knowledgeable, not overtly recruiting. Build relationships. Share insights. Demonstrate your organisation’s platform maturity and the interesting problems you’re solving. The hiring opportunity follows naturally.

Timing Your Hiring Around Knowledge

March/April strategy: Push hard to close current vacancies before Knowledge. Professionals interviewing in March and early April are motivated to secure new roles before the conference. They don’t want to start a new job immediately before or during Knowledge, so they’re making decisions quickly.

Use this urgency to your advantage. Streamline your interview process. Make decisions faster. The candidate interviewing with you in late March is probably interviewing with two other organisations. The one who moves fastest often wins.

May strategy: Accept that hiring velocity slows. If you’re starting a new search in May, set realistic expectations. You’re looking at June/July start dates at the earliest. Use this time to build your pipeline and have preliminary conversations, but don’t expect quick closures.

June/July strategy: This is when to be highly active. The post-Knowledge talent surge is real. Professionals return energised with new certifications and a fresh perspective on their careers. Many will be open to opportunities they wouldn’t have considered in April.

Register your vacancies with us in April so we can have preliminary conversations at Knowledge and follow up with formal introductions in June. By the time the July hiring surge hits, you’ve already warmed up the best candidates.

What Knowledge 2026 Themes Mean for Hiring

ServiceNow’s SKO 2026 doubled down on agentic AI and the platform as the AI control tower for business reinvention. Every customer conversation this year will centre on AI adoption and intelligent automation.

Knowledge 2026 will reinforce these themes. Expect sessions to be heavily focused on:

  • Agentic AI capabilities and implementation patterns
  • Virtual Agent and conversational AI interfaces
  • Predictive Intelligence and proactive service delivery
  • Platform governance and the AI control tower concept
  • Integration patterns for AI-enabled workflows

Professionals attending will return wanting to work on these capabilities. If your organisation is investing in AI and automation, you’re well-positioned to attract post-Knowledge talent. If you’re still focused on legacy ITSM, you’ll struggle.

The strategic hiring question for Q3 2026 isn’t just “can we fill our Platform Architect role?” It’s “can we attract talent excited about the work we’re actually doing, or will they see us as behind the curve?”

The Skills Gap Will Become More Visible

Knowledge has a way of making skills gaps painfully obvious. Professionals attend sessions on capabilities they’ve never used, see what peers at other organisations are achieving, and realise how much they don’t know.

This creates two responses:

  1. Motivated professionals immediately pursue certifications and upskilling to close the gap
  2. Frustrated professionals realise their current employer isn’t investing in these capabilities and look for organisations that are

For hiring teams, this means June and July candidates will be more skills-conscious and certification-focused than usual. They’ll ask direct questions about your platform roadmap, your AI adoption plans, and whether you’ll invest in their development.

Have good answers ready. Vague responses about “we’re exploring AI” won’t cut it. Candidates will have just spent three days immersed in ServiceNow’s AI roadmap. They’ll know whether you’re serious or not.

Competitive Dynamics Post-Knowledge

Your competitors are reading this same advice. Elite Partners, major customers, and forward-thinking organisations all understand the post-Knowledge talent dynamics.

This means July and August will be genuinely competitive. The professionals with new certifications, fresh knowledge, and high engagement will have multiple options. Your ability to move quickly, offer compelling work, and demonstrate platform maturity will determine whether you win or lose.

The organisations that plan win. That means:

  • Register vacancies early (April) so recruiters can work the Knowledge network
  • Streamline interview processes so you can move from first conversation to offer in two weeks, not six
  • Prepare compelling answers about your AI roadmap and platform governance
  • Empower hiring managers to make decisions quickly without endless approval layers
  • Have competitive offers ready that don’t require three weeks of internal negotiation

Partner with Recruiters Before Knowledge, Not After

We maintain relationships with ServiceNow professionals attending Knowledge. If you register your vacancies with us in March or April, we can have preliminary conversations at the conference, gauge interest, assess skills, and follow up with formal introductions in June.

By the time you’re seeing the July hiring surge, we’ve already identified the best candidates, established relationships, and warmed them up for your opportunity.

The organisations that wait until June to engage recruiters are competing for whoever is left after the early movers have hired. The organisations that plan in April are selecting from the entire talent pool.

The Bottom Line

Knowledge 2026 will create a predictable hiring pause in May, followed by a talent surge in July. The professionals attending will return with fresh certifications, raised ambitions, and often a reassessment of whether their current role aligns with where the platform is heading.

If you want to hire in this window, you need to:

  1. Close current vacancies by mid-April or accept June/July start dates
  2. Use May to build the pipeline and prepare
  3. Be ready to move fast in June and July when talent becomes active
  4. Have compelling answers about your AI roadmap and platform investment
  5. Partner with specialist recruiters early so they can work the Knowledge network

The organisations that understand these dynamics and plan accordingly will have their pick of engaged, certified, ambitious professionals. The organisations that react late will struggle to fill roles and wonder why everyone’s already accepted other offers.

Want to discuss how to position your organisation for post-Knowledge hiring?

We can help you prepare a hiring strategy that takes advantage of the July talent surge whilst avoiding the May slowdown. Get in touch to discuss your needs.

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Knowledge 2026: The Sessions That Will Actually Change Your Career

Knowledge 2026: The Sessions That Will Actually Change Your Career

ServiceNow’s Knowledge conference is 8 weeks away. While thousands will attend for product updates and certification labs, a select few will use it to land their next role, negotiate a promotion, or position themselves as specialists in emerging capabilities.

The difference isn’t luck. It’s strategy.

Most attendees treat Knowledge like a training event. They attend sessions relevant to their current role, collect some swag, and return to work with a few new tricks. The professionals who leverage Knowledge for career advancement approach it completely differently.

The Sessions Where Hiring Happens

Not all Knowledge sessions are created equal from a career perspective. Product roadmap sessions and technical deep dives are valuable for skills development, but they’re not where career opportunities emerge.

The sessions that matter for your career are the ones where you’ll be in the room with people who hire ServiceNow talent, not just people who use it.

Customer success story presentations are where senior leaders from major organisations discuss their ServiceNow implementations. These aren’t sales pitches. They’re hiring managers explaining their challenges, their teams, and their future plans. When a Financial Services Director of IT presents how they’re building their AI control tower, they’re also signalling they’ll need architects who understand that work.

Partner showcase sessions are where ServiceNow Elite Partners demonstrate their capabilities. These firms are always hiring, and they use Knowledge to assess talent. When you ask an intelligent question in a session run by a major consultancy, you’ve just put yourself on their radar in a way a LinkedIn application never could.

Industry-specific roundtables are smaller, more intimate sessions where you’ll interact directly with people from your sector. A healthcare ITSM roundtable isn’t just about sharing best practices. It’s where the head of ServiceNow at an NHS Trust meets the architect who’ll solve their problem three months later.

The certification labs and hands-on training are excellent for skills development. Attend them. But if you’re serious about career advancement, your priority should be the sessions where you can demonstrate expertise to people who hire, not just learn from people who teach.

The Art of Conference Networking (That Actually Works)

“Networking” at conferences has developed a reputation for being awkward, transactional, and often pointless. That’s because most people do it wrong.

Walking up to strangers with “So what do you do?” rarely leads anywhere. Neither does collecting business cards you’ll never follow up on, nor connecting on LinkedIn with 50 people you spoke to for 30 seconds.

The professionals who turn Knowledge attendance into career opportunities do something simpler and more effective: they ask good questions in sessions, then continue the conversation afterwards.

When someone presents a case study about their HRSD implementation, and you ask a specific, intelligent question about their integration challenges, you’ve immediately differentiated yourself from 200 people sitting silently. After the session, a simple “I appreciated your presentation, particularly the point about…” is a natural conversation starter that doesn’t feel forced.

The Knowledge app allows you to see who else attended which sessions. If you asked a question that sparked discussion, message the presenter and two or three other attendees afterwards with a genuine observation or follow-up question. You’ve just created a network based on shared professional interest, not awkward small talk.

The most valuable networking happens in unscheduled time. The queue for coffee. The walk between venues. The breakout area where people check emails between sessions. These moments allow for genuine conversations without the performance pressure of formal networking events.

And here’s what almost nobody does but should: arrive a day early or stay a day late. The professional community around Knowledge often organises unofficial meetups, partner events, and informal gatherings the day before or after the official agenda. These smaller events are where the real relationship building happens.

The Certification Strategy That Opens Doors

Knowledge offers dozens of certification opportunities, from instructor-led training to hands-on labs to exam vouchers. Most people approach certifications at Knowledge the same way they approach them normally: completing the next logical step in their progression.

That’s fine if your goal is skills development. If your goal is career advancement, you need to think about certification strategically.

The market doesn’t value all ServiceNow certifications equally. Some certifications are table stakes, expected for your role, but offering little differentiation. Others are force multipliers that immediately increase your market value.

Before Knowledge, analyse the platform’s strategic direction from SKO 2026 and recent product releases. ServiceNow is pushing hard into agentic AI, automation, and the platform as a control tower for business operations. The certifications that align with these priorities will be the ones that command premium salaries in 2027.

If you’re a mid-level Technical Consultant, everyone expects you to have your CIS certifications in your core modules. That’s not differentiation, that’s qualification. But if you’re the same Technical Consultant with micro-certifications in Predictive Intelligence and Virtual Agent, you’ve just positioned yourself for the work that’s actually growing.

Use Knowledge to gain certifications in emerging capabilities, not just deeper credentials in what you already do. The Developer who returns from Knowledge with AI Search certification hasn’t just learned a new feature. They’ve positioned themselves for every AI implementation project launching this year.

The certification labs at Knowledge also give you something you can’t easily get elsewhere: hands-on experience with capabilities your current employer hasn’t implemented yet. Even if you don’t sit the exam at the conference, the practical experience with new modules makes you credible when discussing them in interviews.

And here’s the detail that matters: put your new certifications on LinkedIn before you leave Las Vegas. The week of Knowledge is when hiring managers are most actively looking at ServiceNow professionals’ profiles. They’re thinking about their talent gaps while surrounded by examples of what good looks like. Your newly updated profile appearing in their feed isn’t a coincidence, it’s timing.

What to Do Before, During, and After

The professionals who maximise Knowledge for career advancement don’t start their strategy when they arrive at the venue. They start it weeks before.

Before Knowledge:

  • Research which organisations and partners are presenting sessions in your areas of expertise or interest
  • Identify specific people you want to connect with and understand their backgrounds
  • Update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your current skills and aspirations (not just your current role)
  • Prepare three intelligent questions for the sessions you plan to attend
  • If you’re open to opportunities, update your status to reflect that subtly (Open to Opportunities feature, or updating your headline to include “Available from [date]”)

During Knowledge:

  • Attend sessions for career opportunity (customer stories, partner showcases, industry roundtables), not just skills development
  • Ask at least one question per day in a session (forces you to engage deeply rather than passively consume)
  • Use the conference app to message people after sessions with genuine follow-up thoughts
  • Attend at least one unofficial evening event or meetup
  • Take notes on companies, people, and opportunities that interest you (you’ll forget by Tuesday if you don’t)

After Knowledge:

  • Follow up within 48 hours with anyone you had a meaningful conversation with
  • Write a LinkedIn post about your key takeaway from Knowledge (hiring managers read these to identify engaged professionals)
  • Update your CV with any new certifications
  • If someone mentioned their company was hiring, email them directly (not a LinkedIn message) expressing specific interest
  • Register with specialist ServiceNow recruiters who work with the organisations and partners you met

The Opportunities You Don’t See Coming

The most valuable career outcome from Knowledge often isn’t the one you planned for.

You might attend planning to network with potential employers and end up in a conversation with a partner who offers you a consulting role you hadn’t considered. You might take a certification lab to tick a box and discover a module that genuinely excites you, changing your career direction. You might ask a question in a session and have three people approach you afterwards because your expertise solved a problem they’re facing.

These moments only happen if you’re genuinely engaged, asking questions, participating in discussions, and open to possibilities beyond your planned agenda.

The professionals who’ve successfully used Knowledge to accelerate their careers all share one characteristic: they treated it as a career development event that happened to include training, rather than a training event where career development might happen by accident.

ServiceNow Sales Kickoff 2026: Key Takeaways for the Year Ahead

ServiceNow Sales Kickoff 2026: Key Takeaways for the Year Ahead

ServiceNow’s annual Sales Kickoff (SKO) took place from 20-22 January in Las Vegas, bringing together the company’s global sales organisation to align on strategy, product priorities, and go-to-market messaging for 2026. Whilst SKO is an internal event, its impact extends far beyond the convention centre, shaping hiring trends, customer engagement strategies, and the broader ServiceNow ecosystem for the year ahead.

What Happened at SKO 2026?

The three-day event featured keynotes from ServiceNow’s executive leadership, including CEO Bill McDermott, President and Chief Product Officer Amit Zavery, and President of Global Customer Operations Paul Fipps. The agenda included industry-specific breakout sessions, product deep dives, partner sessions, and hands-on learning through “Learning Playgrounds” and the “Sellers Hub.”

The AI-First Agenda

ServiceNow positioned itself firmly as the “AI control tower for business reinvention,” with agentic AI dominating the conversation. The focus has shifted from simple AI assistance to autonomous agents that can diagnose, plan, and execute multi-step workflows independently. As Zavery noted, “2026 is the year of agentic collaboration in the enterprise.

Key AI themes included:

  • AI-powered workflow automation across all modules
  • Agentic AI capabilities that work alongside humans rather than waiting for instructions
  • Enhanced OpenAI collaboration, including direct speech-to-speech technology and GPT-5.2 integration
  • Governance frameworks to manage “shadow AI” risks

Product Roadmap Priorities

ServiceNow’s land-and-expand strategy remains central, with emphasis on:

  • Deeper IT Operations Management (ITOM) capabilities
  • Expanded Security Operations (SecOps) functionality
  • Continued growth in Customer Service Management (CSM) and HR Service Delivery (HRSD)
  • Industry-specific solutions for financial services, healthcare, and the public sector
  • Platform consolidation and ROI-driven adoption within existing customers

What This Means for ServiceNow Candidates

The priorities set at SKO directly influence where hiring demand will concentrate throughout 2026. Here’s what professionals should pay attention to:

In-Demand Skills

With ServiceNow doubling down on AI capabilities, expect increased demand for professionals with expertise in:

  • Virtual Agent and Predictive Intelligence – as organisations deploy conversational AI
  • AI-powered workflow automation – particularly those who can design and govern agentic AI implementations
  • Integration specialists – to connect ServiceNow’s AI control tower with enterprise systems
  • Industry-vertical specialists – especially in financial services, healthcare, and the public sector

Beyond Implementation: Adoption and Value Realisation

ServiceNow’s expansion strategy means growing demand for professionals who can drive adoption and demonstrate ROI, not just complete initial implementations. Customer Success Managers, Solution Architects, and Business Analysts with change management capabilities will be particularly valuable.

Career Strategy for 2026

  • Follow the AI narrative: Upskill in agentic AI, governance frameworks, and responsible AI practices
  • Specialise by industry: Vertical expertise will differentiate you in a competitive market
  • Think beyond ITSM: Customer Service Management, HRSD, and cross-functional implementations are growth areas
  • Network strategically: Connect with ServiceNow professionals across regions and practice areas to stay informed about emerging opportunities

What This Means for ServiceNow Clients

SKO sets the agenda for how ServiceNow will engage with customers over the next 12 months. The messaging your account team uses, the products they prioritise, and the business cases they present will all be influenced by what was discussed in Las Vegas.

What to Expect from Your ServiceNow Team

Your account executives and solution consultants will be focused on:

  • AI adoption conversations: Expect discussions about how agentic AI can transform your service delivery, with emphasis on governance and responsible implementation
  • Module expansion: ServiceNow will push deeper capabilities across ITOM, SecOps, CSM, and HRSD
  • ROI and value realisation: Business cases will emphasise measurable outcomes and platform consolidation benefits
  • Industry-specific solutions: Tailored approaches for your sector, whether financial services, healthcare, or the public sector

How to Prepare

  1. Understand the product roadmap: Knowing where ServiceNow is investing helps you align your own digital transformation priorities
  2. Evaluate AI readiness: Before deploying agentic AI, ensure your data quality and governance frameworks are robust
  3. Think strategically about expansion: Consider which modules would deliver the highest ROI for your organisation
  4. Engage with partners wisely: Understand how ServiceNow’s partner incentive structure has shifted to identify the best implementation support

Key Questions for Your ServiceNow Account Team

  • How do the latest AI capabilities apply to our specific use cases?
  • Which industries are seeing the fastest returns from agentic AI implementations?
  • What governance frameworks does ServiceNow recommend for managing autonomous agents?
  • How can we maximise ROI from our existing modules before expanding further?

The Retention and Expansion Strategy

ServiceNow’s growth model centres on expanding within existing customers, adding modules, increasing usage, and driving measurable value. For candidates, this means opportunities in customer success, adoption services, and value realisation roles. For clients, it means your ServiceNow relationship will increasingly focus on deeper platform utilisation rather than just maintaining what you’ve already implemented.

Looking Ahead: Key Dates for 2026

  • Government Forum: 5 March 2026 at Gaylord National Resort, National Harbor, MD (formerly Federal Forum)
  • Knowledge 2026: 5-7 May 2026 in Las Vegas – ServiceNow’s flagship customer and partner conference
  • AI Summits: Throughout 2026 in cities worldwide

Final Thoughts

Sales Kickoff isn’t just an internal event; it’s where ServiceNow aligns its global organisation around a shared strategy that shapes the market for everyone working in or with the platform.

Whether you’re a ServiceNow professional looking to position yourself for the year ahead or a customer planning your platform roadmap, understanding these priorities helps you stay ahead.

The message is clear: 2026 is the year agentic AI moves from concept to widespread enterprise deployment.

The organisations and professionals who invest in understanding this shift, whilst maintaining robust governance and data quality, will be best positioned to thrive in the AI-powered enterprise.

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