Talent demand in India shifted focus from support to core function roles during the first six months of 2015, according to the RecruiteX Half-Yearly Report 2015 from job board TimesJobs.com.  

Middle and senior-level professionals dominated hiring across all industries in H1 2015, with professionals with four-to-15 years of experience most in demand.  

Vivek Madhukar, COO of TimesJobs.com, commented: "As businesses plan expansion and more start-ups emerge, the trend of hiring experienced senior professionals is expected to continue. Niche skills in change management, risk management, controls, and compliance expertise are some key areas that will be sought at middle and senior levels across sectors in the coming months."

In contrast with the second half of 2014 where demand was strongest for support functions, hiring during H1 2015 increased for core business functions. Demand rose for engineering, project management, product development, finance, and technology professionals.

Strong demand for sales & marketing professionals continued; with B2B, corporate, and channel sales most sought after. 

In technology and engineering sectors, demand was strongest for product, design & development, and quality engineers. The majority (71%) of all technology jobs were for junior and mid-level candidates.

The IT and telecoms sector again dominated recruitment, however young technology start-ups, entering domestic and international markets, created significant employment opportunities in the first half of 2015.  

Demand for banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) professionals increased by between 3% and 5% with online and digital marketing skills and the ability to develop innovative sales models particularly in demand, especially in insurance. 

In healthcare/pharmaceuticals, as focus shifted to innovation and research, demand rose for R&D specialists in clinical research and biotechnology.

The e-commerce and start-up sectors continued to grow in H1 2015 creating new jobs and also driving middle and senior level recruitment.

To read the full report, click here.