Employers intent to hire freshers rises by 30% in HY1 2022

There is a 30 percent spike in the intent to hire freshers in the first half of 2022 as compared to the previous half-year, TeamLease EdTech said in a fresh career outlook report.

While only 17 percent companies were keen on increasing their fresher pool in the second half of 2021, more than 47 percent of the companies have expressed their intent to onboard new recruits in the half-year that ends June 30, 2022.

“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 percent overall jump in hiring sentiment is a reflection of this growth,” said Shantanu Rooj, founder and chief executive of TeamLease EdTech.

The economic revival and focus on growth were the key reasons driving the upbeat movement, he said.

Information and technology (IT), with 57 percent employers willing to hire freshers, is the top sector. From cities perspective, Bengaluru has emerged as the most favourable destination for freshers, with 59 percent companies keen to increase their hiring.

Mumbai comes second at 43 percent and Delhi 39 percent as the top three cities to hire more freshers.

The top 3 sectors that intend to hire freshers during January-June 2022 are IT, telecom, and ecommerce and technology startups.

Another sector that has seen an up-tick in the hiring sentiment is hospitality and travel, as restrictions on movement ease with the ebbing of the Omicron wave.

The report said the top job roles freshers can expect are in digital marketing, artificial intelligence engineer, technical writer, full stack developer and supply-chain analyst among others.

Neeti Sharma, co-founder and President of TeamLease Edtech, said technical skills were what companies were looking for.

“Today soft-skills are receiving the same level of attention. In fact, organisations focus equally or more on the soft skills as much as they focus on hard skills while hiring employees,” she said.

Companies were looking for candidates equipped with skills like analytical thinking and innovation, stress management, communication skills, emotional intelligence and positive attitude, Sharma added.

The IT industry, which has seen a rise in attrition with a booming demand triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, is in the middle of a talent war and freshers feature big in hiring plans.

Infosys would hire 55,000 or more freshers in the next financial year, CEO Salil Parekh said on February 16.

“We will recruit 55,000 college graduates in this financial year, which will end in a couple of months, and we will hire that or a higher number next year. Our approach has always been to be the best training providers,” Parekh said at the NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum 2022.

Teamlease Edtech is an arm of the listed staffing company TeamLease Services and it works with corporates on learning and development. It publishes biannual career outlook reports tracking the employment market. MoneyControl