Women, Freshers Drive India's Hiring Momentum in 2025, Reports Show Steady Job Market Growth

As per Apna.co's India at Work 2025 report, the job applications were driven by higher participation from women and early-career professionals as service-led hiring expanded beyond metros and digital recruitment tools became mainstream.

The job applications were driven by higher participation from women and early-career professionals as service-led hiring expanded beyond metros and digital recruitment tools became mainstream, the report said.

"Women contributed over 3.8 crore applications, registering a 36% year-on-year increase, while fresher application volumes crossed 2.2 crore, growing 10% YoY, reflecting sustained demand for formal, entry-level service roles," the report further said.

Among women applicants, Tier 1 cities accounted for roughly 2 crore applications, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributed around 1.8 crore, reflecting nearly 30% growth in emerging markets. Median salaries for women rose by an estimated 22%, aligned with higher entry into finance, administrative and customer experience roles, the report said.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey also showed continued improvement in women's labour force participation as more women transition into roles with structured career pathways.

In terms of job postings, the report said, small and medium businesses recorded 10 lakh job postings in 2025, up an estimated 11% from the previous year.

Hiring was strongest in education and training, healthcare services, retail, financial services and wellness. Cities such as Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Surat and Chandigarh saw notable increases as local enterprises formalised operations and scaled service delivery, it said.

In terms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) penetration, the report said over 73 lakh AI interview sessions with over 1.9 crore AI interview minutes recorded in the said period. Nearly 4 years of recruiter calling time saved as a result of AI adoption in hiring workflows.

- ANI