Sales, marketing and technical roles lead demand

The latest Indeed Hiring Tracker shows significant trends in the Indian white-collar labor market between April and June 2024. 73% of employers were actively hiring during this period – a 7% increase from the previous quarter (January-March 2024). Despite general economic challenges, there is clear momentum in key sectors.

Shifts in hiring focus: Sales and marketing on the rise

Sales and marketing functions have emerged as key focus areas for employers, with 30% of new hires being in sales and 23% in marketing. This shift signals a strategic initiative by companies to strengthen their growth and performance. As companies look to strengthen their market presence, these functions are increasingly seen as critical to business success.

Technical positions remain in high demand

Demand for IT roles remains high, with roles such as data analysts (23%), data engineers (16%) and data scientists (11%) leading the pack. This ongoing need reflects the ongoing digital transformation across industries, where specialized technical skills are essential to navigate complex technological landscapes.

Skills gaps pose a growing challenge

As companies hire new employees, there is concern that skills gaps are widening. Indeed's Hiring Tracker shows that 61% of employers expect these gaps to widen significantly within the next two years if skills initiatives are not prioritized. Despite this, only 23% of employers currently offer personalized training programs, highlighting a critical disconnect between recognition and action.

The double imperative: technical competence and social competence

Today's workplace requires a combination of technical expertise and soft skills. Employers aren't just looking for competencies in areas like data science, cybersecurity, and programming; they're also placing value on soft skills like communication, time management, critical thinking, and problem-solving. This dual focus underscores evolving talent expectations, where adaptability and a broad skill set are key.

Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India, highlights: “Our latest hiring tracker provides a detailed snapshot of the current dynamics of the job market. While IT roles remain in high demand, the increasing emphasis on sales and marketing shows a shift in employer priorities. For job seekers, the message is clear: in this evolving environment, ongoing training, particularly in technical and soft skills, is critical.”

Looking to the future: The need for strategic qualification

The future of the white collar job market depends on how effectively companies address skills gaps. The tracker highlights that 40% of employers predict minimal growth (0-5%) if skills initiatives are not implemented. Key areas for future skills needs include cloud computing (27%), sustainability (23%) and new technologies such as generative AI and AR/VR (20%).

For job seekers, continuing education is not only about staying competitive, but also about increasing their earning potential. Data from Indeed shows that 61% of employees expect a 20-40% pay increase through upskilling. This expectation reflects the understanding that in a rapidly changing job market, those with advanced and relevant skills are more likely to receive better salaries and job offers. In addition, there is a growing demand for career advice (43%) and mentoring (57%) – areas where employers can play a crucial role by tailoring their development programs to employee ambitions. This suggests that job seekers are looking for guidance to deal with changes in a dynamic market. They may be afraid of making the wrong career moves or not fully understanding which skills will be most valuable in the future. Career advice and mentoring provide the support needed to make informed decisions and help job seekers align their development with industry trends and employer expectations.

methodology
This survey was conducted by Valuvox on behalf of Indeed among 3,680 employers, job seekers and employees. Respondents were divided by city and further by large, medium and small organizations and sectors.

About Indeed:
More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the world's leading job site (Comscore, total visits, June 2023) and enables job seekers to search for millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. Nearly 3.5 million[1a]Employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. More than 350 million unique visitors use Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, research companies, and more.