Fresher Job Posting Dips 8.5% Since 2021: Study

There has been a significant decrease in demand from graduates for entry-level roles, plummeting by 37.4 per cent between December 2022 and 2023

Despite significant layoffs within the IT sector, it remained the second-largest recruiter for entry-level positions in the past year

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Hiring of fresh graduates has decreased over the past three years following the onset of the pandemic. Since December 2021, job postings for freshers have dropped by 8.5 per cent, while job clicks have declined by 34.3 per cent. Moreover, in the past year, there has been a 4.2 per cent decrease in job postings for freshers in December 2023 compared to December 2022, according to the online job portal Indeed’s data.

Amid ongoing global events, the economic environment has become unprecedented, leading to a decrease in hiring entry-level professionals. This trend is particularly evident in the technology sector, where companies are reassessing their recruitment approaches in response to market dynamics and uncertainties. This has been the prevailing situation for the past three years, resulting in a decrease in campus hiring initiatives by major IT companies.

Similarly, there has been a significant decrease in demand from graduates for entry-level roles, plummeting by 37.4 per cent between December 2022 and 2023. This decline could be attributed to various factors, including reluctance to enter the job market amidst industry volatilities, skill mismatch amid a shifting tech landscape, and different salary expectations.

Speaking on the report’s findings, Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales for Indeed India, said, “Given the global market fluctuations over the last few years, large-scale fresher hiring has dwindled. Companies are currently cautious, choosing to see how the next few quarters pan out before committing to hiring. However, this does not mean that fresher hiring is at a standstill; other areas such as admin, sales, marketing, etc continue to have opportunities for new graduates.”

“As we observe the hiring landscape, it will be important for freshers to arm themselves with new-age digital skills that can be a competitive advantage for them as companies begin to hire,” Kumar added.

Despite significant layoffs within the IT sector, it remained the second-largest recruiter for entry-level positions in the past year. Although there has been a year-on-year decline in fresh graduate hiring in the tech industry, it still recruits a significant portion compared to other sectors. Administrative roles took the lead with an 11.5 per cent share in postings, followed by Tech and Software at 10.29 per cent, Sales at 6.39 per cent, Marketing at 5.47 per cent, Management at 4.87 per cent, Human Resources at 4.03 per cent, Customer Support/Relations at 3.40 per cent and Education at 2.50 per cent.