India saw 15% year-on-year growth in online hiring in August 2024, driven by substantial gains in the IT and real estate sectors, according to the latest foundit Insights Tracker (fit).

Despite a slight 1% month-on-month decline, the overall hiring activity remains strong, signalling confidence in economic recovery and growth.

By industry, the tracker observed an increase in recruitment activity across 17 out of the 27 monitored industries on an annual basis in August 2024. The consumer electronics sector continued to show strong annual growth with a 48% increase, driven by advancements in AI and IoT (Internet of Things) that enhance convenience and connectivity. Manufacturing came in second (36%) and was followed by real estate (32%) and construction and engineering (31%). Healthcare & pharmaceuticals reported a 25% increase, while retail posted a 23% rise, and IT - software & services saw a 23% increase.

By functional role, seven out of 13 areas show annual uptick in hiring, with strong demand for talent in marketing & communications, hospitality, IT and medical roles. On a year-on-year basis, medical roles saw a 24% increase, followed by hospitality (23%), and marketing and communications (22%).

Hiring surged across 11 of 13 cities year-on-year, with Coimbatore (+33%) and Bengaluru (+27%) leading the way. Delhi/NCR (+20%) and Kolkata (+10%) also saw notable gains.

By experience level, the demand for entry-level was up by 4% annually. Hiring for associate roles with an experience of 4-6 years saw an uptick in hiring on a year-on-year basis while mid-senior level roles (7 - 10 years of experience) witnessed a robust hiring demand. Senior-level roles with 11-15 years registered a marginal dip in hiring activity. Meanwhile, there was a notable 4% growth in hiring activity for roles demanding 16+ years of experience.

The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) is a comprehensive monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by foundit.in.