Job Market: Demand For Non-IT Sector Jobs Outgrew IT jobs
Heading towards the end of the year, the job market has witnessed that the numbers of freshers climbing up against employers' demand. As the companies have gathered the ability to come back in action and they are staffing to address the growing demand in the booming sectors like ed-tech, IT, Pharma and more.
Indeed released a report including data findings that analyzed the job market for freshers. The data indicated that the number of freshers seeking jobs (searches) has seen a 30% YoY increase in October 2021 as compared to October 2020. However, the data indicated that recruiter demand (job postings) has decreased by 18% for the same period, suggesting a rising talent supply in a declining job market.
While Indeed’s data suggested that the demand from employers declined towards the end of the year due to consolidation of the workforce and new year planning, the numbers could be expected to increase in the upcoming year on the back of the robust vaccination drives and India Inc’s preparedness to handle the pandemic situation better. A similar scenario occurred in January 2021, when hiring for fresher roles increased by 34% due to ease in COVID restrictions that allowed the economy to re-open after the first wave.
The data further indicates though the IT sector continued to see demand for fresher roles, the demand for the non-IT sector and the Light skilled (blue-collar) jobs, in fact, outgrew the IT jobs. These jobs included delivery personnel, shop floor assistants, technicians, and mechanics along with marketing, sales and admin roles. The top 10 roles that witnessed an increase in the job postings between October 2020 and October 2021 were:
Title % of fresher jobs
Customer service representative 7%
Sales executive 3%
Business development executive 3%
New graduate 3%
Telemarketer 3%
Caller 3%
Sales representative 2%
Marketing executive 2%
Back office executive 2%
Developer 2%
“The survey findings are very well reflected in the current trend of a steady increase in internship opportunities across the industry, possibly signalling a shift from organizations looking for fresh trainable talent as opposed to experienced professionals. We, at Aeris, have always encouraged and provided opportunities to fresh talent," says Sushant Patnaik, Head-HR, Aeris Communication
While demand for non-tech roles may have taken over the tech roles, Indeed’s assessment of salaries indicate that the tech roles for freshers continue to dominate salaries. Top highest-paid freshers’ roles are:
Title
Software architect
Senior java developer
Product manager
Technical lead
Senior developer
Category manager
Development operations
engineer
Back end developer
Project manager
Patnaik further highlighted and said, "I have noticed that fresh talent has an indomitable hunger for learning, brings in fresh generational perspective and are open to diverse perceptive. If nurtured correctly, this model could indeed be the industry’s answer to managing the current talent churn brought about by the Great resignation.”
“While the country’s economy is picking up momentum, recovering from the second wave of the pandemic and general boom in IT & Technology sectors, it’s interesting to note that the positions are being filled slower than expected in the IT/ITeS sector. On the other hand, we see increasing requirements for freshers in blue-collar jobs such as delivery boys, shop floor assistants, sales personnel, mechanics and technicians. Sectors such as e-commerce, FMCG, healthcare, and home services empowered with mass vaccinations are strengthening their workforce.
This could have been the result of businesses pivoting to aggressive customer acquisition from stabilizing the operations as they recovered from the second wave.” Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India.
