Career Outlook Report: 30% spike in intent to hire freshers

There is a 30 percent spike in the intent to hire freshers in the January-June period of this year, as compared to the previous half year, indicating a significant recovery in economic activity, a report said on Thursday.

According to TeamLease EdTech's flagship 'Career Outlook Report', more than 47 per cent of companies have expressed their intent to hire freshers in the in the current half year (January-June 2022), while only 17 per cent companies were keen to increase their fresher pool in the corresponding period last year.

"It is heart-warming to see that despite the continued challenges of the pandemic, the inclination of companies to hire freshers continues to be on an upward trajectory. The 30 per cent overall jump in hiring sentiment is a reflection of this growth," Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech, said.

The economic revival and focus on growth are the key reasons driving the upbeat movement, Rooj added.

The report noted that data analytics, investment banking, cybersecurity, AR/VR and content writing will be most sought after, while job roles like digital marketing executive, artificial intelligence engineer, technical writer, full stack developer and supply chain analyst will be in demand.

"Organisations focus equally or more on the soft skills as much as they focus on hard skills while hiring employees.

"When it comes to freshers, companies are on the lookout for candidates who are equipped with skills like analytical thinking and innovation, stress management, communication skills, emotional intelligence and positive attitude," Neeti Sharma, Co-founder and President of TeamLease Edtech said.

The report further noted that the hiring intent across all categories of job seekers in India 'fresh or experienced' has risen to 50 per cent from 31 per cent over the same duration. 

"This is a promising improvement and implies the significant recovery of economic activity since the pandemic period," it said.

The top-three sectors that intend to hire freshers during January-June 2022 are information technology, telecommunications and e-commerce and technology start-ups.

Sectorwise, the IT sector dominates the job market for freshers, offering 31 per cent entry-level jobs.

Sectors that saw a dip in intent to hire are: Construction and real estate, agri and agrochemicals, retail (non-essentials), FMCG, marketing and advertising, and media and entertainment.

Hospitality and travel saw a small increase by two per cent in intent to hire but continues to be in lower rank, the report noted.