Finding the right job is crucial for everyone, but keeping up with hiring trends can be equally important.
To assist job seekers in making informed career decisions, Naukri has released the February 2025 edition of the JobSpeak report.
This monthly index measures hiring activity across industries, cities, and experience levels, providing a clear picture of employment trends in India.
Overview of the Hiring Trends
The Naukri JobSpeak Index, a key indicator of white-collar hiring activity, recorded a 4% year-on-year increase in February 2025, standing at 2,890 points.
This growth highlights a steady recovery in the job market, driven by key sectors such as AI-ML (+21%), Hospitality (+20%), and Real Estate (+9%).
While traditional core sectors displayed mixed results, the job market showed resilience, especially in emerging technology hubs.
Dr. Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri, commented:
“The job market has begun the new year on a positive note, reporting steady growth in both January and February. Given that February last year saw an 8% decline, the recovery looks even more promising. While AI/ML hiring continues to surge, it is encouraging to see Hospitality and Real Estate playing a major role in job creation.”
Key sectors leading the hiring growth included:
- AI-ML (+21%)
- Hospitality (+20%)
- Real Estate (+9%)
- FMCG (+8%)
- Pharma (+5%)
Meanwhile, Banking faced challenges with a 6% decline in hiring activity.
Hiring Trends Across Industries
The hospitality sector was a standout performer, rebounding from last year’s negative trend with a 20% growth. Major metros such as Bengaluru (+56%), Delhi NCR (+27%), and Chennai (+23%) played a pivotal role in this surge.
The IT sector showed stability overall, a notable improvement from the sharp declines observed in 2024. However, emerging tech cities like Jaipur (+19%) and Coimbatore (+10%) exhibited strong hiring momentum, signaling a shift in hiring preferences towards Tier-2 cities.
The retail sector experienced a 4% decline, but certain sub-sectors displayed remarkable resilience:
- Consumer Durables (+25%)
- Garments & Accessories (+15%)
- Beauty & Wellness (+13%)
Hiring Trends Across Cities
The demand for talent saw regional variations, with emerging cities continuing to drive growth:
- Jaipur posted a 19% increase in IT hiring.
- Coimbatore followed closely with a 10% uptick.
- Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Chennai led hospitality hiring growth.
In the technology space, hiring for specialized roles such as Data Scientists (+76%), Machine Learning Engineers (+70%), and Search Engineers (+52%) saw significant demand, reflecting the growing influence of AI and data-driven roles in the job market.
Hiring Trends Across Experience Levels
Senior professionals benefited the most in February 2025, with notable hiring increases:
- 16+ years of experience: +15%
- 13-16 years of experience: +10%
- High-salary positions (20+ LPA): +21%
Meanwhile, fresher hiring remained flat overall, though the hospitality (+23%) and telecom (+11%) sectors provided new opportunities for entry-level candidates.
Methodology
The Naukri JobSpeak Index is a monthly benchmark representing hiring activity across industries, cities, and experience levels.
It is based on new job listings and recruiter searches on Naukri’s database, with July 2008 as the base month (Index value = 1,000).
The Index aggregates hiring trends from over 100,000 clients, serving as a key indicator of India’s white-collar job market.
