Hiring grows 10 pc in February; skill-based roles in demand: Report

Indiarsquos job market continued its upward momentum in February 2025 with hiring growing 10 per cent monthovermonth MoM according to a report on ThursdayThe report based on the latest insights from the jobs and talent platform foundit showed that the trend is particularly evident in fresher hiring where employers are increasingly prioritising skills certifications and industryspecific expertise over formal degreesThe share of job listings prioritising competencies over qualifications has risen from 4 per cent in 2023 to 14 per cent in 2025 reflecting a shift towards a more skillsdriven workforce in line with evolving industry demandsThe shift towards skillbased hiring is undeniable Employers are increasingly prioritising candidates with practical expertise and industryrelevant skills said V Suresh CEO founditldquoThis presents a valuable opportunity for recent graduates to focus on acquiring indemand skills earning certifications and building robust portfolios that highlight their capabilities ultimately enabling them to differentiate themselves in an everevolving job market he addedThe report stated that Indiarsquos fresher job market maintained steady growth in February with hiring rising 6 per cent monthovermonth MoM reflecting sustained employer demand for entrylevel talentAmong sectors IT hardware and software continued to lead fresher hiring nearly doubling its share from 17 per cent in 2024 to 34 per cent in 2025 Further the recruitment and staffing industry has also seen notable growth in fresher hiring highlighting the rising demand for fresh talent across various domainsMeanwhile sectors such as BFSI and BPOITES have experienced a decline in fresher hiring reflecting changing industry priorities Across job functions IT remains the most indemand field though its share has slightly dippedSales and business development marketing and communications and medical roles have gained traction with marketing and communications now accounting for 11 per cent of fresher job postings a significant increase from previous yearsBeyond the major metropolitan areas Tier2 cities like Nasik Jaipur Surat Coimbatore Indore Kochi Thane Vadodara Chandigarh and Nagpur are also emerging as key locations for fresher job opportunitiesFresher salaries in February 2025 reveal a diverse landscape across industries Animation gaming and medicalhealthcare sectors lead in yearonyear YoY growth showcasing a 15 per cent and 8 per cent increase respectively while also offering competitive average salary rangesIn February 2025 the import and export and BPO sectors recorded the strongest MoM hiring growth at 14 per cent followed by energy at 12 per cent and logistics and transportation at 11 per centThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever