India's job market remains resilient as sector-specific hiring gains traction: Report
New Delhi, July 29
Job postings in India moderated 1.8 per cent in June, marking the third consecutive monthly decline, even as postings remained 1.5 per cent higher year‑on‑year and about 85 per cent above pre‑pandemic levels, a report said on Wednesday.
The report from jobs site Indeed said that hiring intensity across the formal economy remains elevated despite recent volatility.
The report that captured recruitment data from formal employers showed the labour market becoming more sector‑specific. Over the past three months, hiring continues to broaden beyond traditional white-collar sectors, with strong demand emerging across healthcare, hospitality and consumer-facing occupations.
The report showed notable gains in therapy at over 18 per cent uptick, food preparation and service at over 18 per cent.
Job posting for physicians and surgeons grew over 17 per cent, sports-related roles at over 15 per cent and medical technicians also over 15 per cent.
"India's formal labour market continues to demonstrate resilience despite some moderation in hiring activity over recent months. What we're seeing is not a broad-based slowdown, but a labour market that is becoming increasingly sector-specific," said Callam Pickering, Senior Economist, APAC at Indeed.
Technology hiring recalibrates after several years of exceptionally strong growth, he added.
Jobs in the formal economy typically offer better wages, greater job security and clearer career progression, making this structural shift an encouraging sign for workers and the broader economy, Pickering said.
"This ongoing shift is one reason India's job market continues to outperform many other Indeed markets, with hiring activity remaining well above pre-pandemic levels," he added.
The gains in healthcare and consumer-facing sectors were offset by continued softness in technology hiring.
The report noted three‑month declines of 18 per cent in software development, 18 per cent in IT infrastructure, operations and support, 16 per cent in data and analytics, and 15 per cent in IT systems and solutions.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone in the medical field, I can vouch for the therapy and physician hiring surge. 🏥 We've been short-staffed since COVID. Hope this translates into better pay and working conditions, especially in smaller cities.
1.8% monthly decline for 3 months is concerning. But the year-on-year growth shows we're not in crisis mode yet. The shift to sector-specific hiring makes sense—companies are being cautious. Still, the tech slowdown is real. My son is a software developer and says companies are cutting bench strength.
I moved from the UK to Bangalore last year for tech, and I'm actually seeing the opposite of what this report says—many IT companies are still hiring aggressively for cloud and AI roles. Maybe the decline is more in legacy tech? 🤔 Either way, India's job market is way more vibrant than back home.
The problem is these reports look at formal sector only. What about the crores in informal jobs? But yes, for those with formal employment, healthcare and hospitality is good news. Just wish they'd address the skill gap—too many engineering grads, not enough nurses and technicians!
"Sector-specific" is just a fancy way of saying IT bubble burst. 😅 But honestly, it's a healthy correction. Too many people were jumping into coding without genuine interest. Healthcare and hospitality actually need real skills. Good for long-term stability. 🇮🇳
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.