White-Collar Hiring Grew 6% During Festive Season Despite Modest November Performance

India’s white-collar job market showed growth during the festive season, with a 6% year-on-year growth in hiring activity, according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index. Despite a modest showing in November, which recorded a 2% increase compared to the same month last year, the overall festive period—October and November—demonstrated healthy demand for talent, primarily driven by growth in key non-IT sectors, according to the index.

In November 2024, several sectors hired people, with oil and gas, FMCG, and Global Capability Centers marking notable year-on-year growth rates of 14%, 6%, and 4%, respectively. These sectors continue to demonstrate resilience and adaptability in a competitive market, signaling strong demand for specialised roles, even as the broader market experiences fluctuations.

Non-IT sectors were particularly active in hiring fresh talent, with industries like architecture/interior designing (29%), facility management (27%), KPO/research/analytics (28%), and steel (37%) leading the charge in fresher hiring. These sectors are increasingly becoming hubs for entry-level professionals, reflecting a shift towards diversified hiring patterns beyond traditional IT roles.

The beauty and personal care industry also saw a surge, with an 18% growth in hiring, while the fitness and wellness sector posted a 17% increase, further fueled by a 32% rise in fresher hiring.

Geographically, cities like Jaipur (14%), Udaipur (24%), and Kota (15%) stood out in terms of job growth, with Jaipur seeing a significant 20% increase in hiring by foreign MNCs. In the eastern region, Bhubaneswar recorded an impressive 21% YoY increase, reflecting the expanding job market beyond India’s traditional hubs.

Hiring for professionals with zero to three years of experience also saw a marginal uptick, with a 14% increase compared to November 2023, while hiring for those with over 16 years of experience grew at a slower pace, underscoring a broader shift toward fresher talent and entry-level roles.

Despite the moderate performance in November, the overall job market for the festive period indicates continued optimism, especially in non-IT sectors and regional job markets, which are likely to maintain momentum heading into 2025, the index indicated.