68% Indian companies intend to hire freshers in first half of 2024: Report

The intent to hire freshers in India has increased as compared to last year: TeamLease EdTech report

The intent to hire freshers has improved in India and is now 3 per cent higher than between July and December last year, a report released on Tuesday showed. It said that currently, 68 per cent of the companies want to hire freshers between January and July this year. It is 3 percentage points higher than 65 per cent last year.

According to TeamLease EdTech Career Outlook Report (HY1, Jan – Jun 2024), the reasons for the increase are the transformation of the Indian economy and the increased demand for talent equipped with contemporary skills. 

It added that overall, 79.3 per cent of companies want to hire people during the period. 

In the report, freshers are first-time jobseekers whose educational qualifications range from 10th and 12th standard through Postgraduate Diploma and Doctoral candidates.

"Employers are actively seeking young talent, acknowledging their potential to drive innovation and contribute significantly to the evolving professional landscape," said Shantanu Rooj, founder and chief executive officer at TeamLease EdTech. 

"This shift not only benefits fresh graduates but also augurs well for the overall dynamism and competitiveness of the Indian workforce."

The report added that the top three industries that want to hire freshers are E-commerce & technology startups (55 per cent), Engineering & infrastructure (53 per cent) and Telecom (50 per cent). 

In terms of cities, the highest intention to hire freshers is from Bengaluru, where 69 per cent of companies want to do so. It is followed by 58 per cent in Mumbai and 51 per cent in Chennai. 

The report also said that the top job roles that are likely to be in demand are Graphic Designer, Legal Associate, Digital Marketing Executive and Chemical Engineer. Moreover, top domain skills in demand are Metaverse, Content Creation, UI/UX Design, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Moreover, top soft skills employers expect the freshers to possess are - Digital Literacy, Growth Mindset, Adaptability & Flexibility and Emotional Intelligence.