Fresher Job Market in India: Week of October 26, 2026 – Hiring Slows, But Key Opportunities Emerge

FirstHire tracked 57,192 new job openings for freshers (0-2 years experience) this week, a significant 20.5% drop from the previous week's 71,945 postings. Despite the slowdown, over 24,000 companies posted jobs, with major firms like Wipro and HCLTech announcing new hiring drives.

Openings this week

FirstHire's analysis of LinkedIn, Naukri, and Unstop showed a total of 57,192 openings for candidates with 0-2 years of experience in the week ending October 26, 2026. This marks a notable dip after a strong previous week.

• No-experience jobs: A promising 63% of all openings (35,848 jobs) were for candidates with zero experience, up from 57% last week. This shows that companies are still willing to hire and train absolute beginners.
• Remote and Hybrid roles: The demand for flexible work continues. FirstHire tracked 5,141 fully remote jobs (9% of total) and 1,423 hybrid roles (2.5% of total). Combined, these flexible opportunities made up over 11% of all new listings.
• Internships: There were 5,086 new internships posted, a slight decrease from the 5,499 tracked last week.

Who is hiring

Despite the overall drop, hiring was active across IT services, financial services, and various startups. A total of 24,891 companies posted fresher jobs this week.

Top Companies

IT and financial services giants led the hiring charts. The top employers by number of new jobs posted were: - Accenture: 1,106 openings - Bajaj Finance: 826 openings - crewlia: 475 openings - EY: 397 openings - Flexiple: 268 openings - ThinkNovaa: 244 openings - IBM: 219 openings - Infosys: 216 openings

Top Cities

Metro cities remained the primary job hubs for freshers. The top cities for new openings were: - Bengaluru: 6,479 - Hyderabad: 3,171 - Mumbai: 2,853 - Chennai: 2,816 - Gurugram: 2,562 - Noida: 2,322 - Pune: 1,910

Top Roles

Sales and business development roles continue to dominate the fresher market, accounting for nearly 14% of all openings. Key role categories included: - Sales and business development: 7,912 openings - Marketing and content: 3,924 openings - Customer support: 3,737 openings - Software engineering: 3,346 openings - Finance and accounting: 3,044 openings

What it pays

Based on a sample of 10,640 job postings that included salary details, FirstHire found that the median salary range for fresher roles was between ₹2.5 lakhs and ₹4.3 lakhs per annum. This is a median figure, meaning the actual salary can vary significantly based on the role, company, location, and your individual skills. For instance, specialized tech roles like those in AI or data science often command higher starting packages.

Hiring news this week

Several major companies announced new hiring initiatives over the past two weeks, providing fresh opportunities for recent graduates.

• Wipro Off-Campus Drive: Wipro announced an off-campus drive for Graduate Engineer Trainee roles in Gurugram, which went live on October 23, 2026. The opening is for a manual testing profile and is open to B.E./B.Tech (CS, IT, ECE) and MCA graduates.
• HCLTech Walk-in Drive: HCLTech is conducting a walk-in drive for customer service roles at its Noida office on October 27-28, 2026. The opportunity is open to non-technical graduates and undergraduates. The company is also hiring for various other roles, including Engineer positions for B.E./B.Tech graduates.
• TCS NQT and BPS Hiring: While the application deadline for TCS BPS hiring for arts, commerce, and science graduates was October 20, the deadline for the TCS National Qualifier Test (NQT) is November 14, 2026. The NQT is a key gateway for engineering and MCA/M.Sc graduates to get jobs at TCS.
• Infosys Campus Hiring: After a pause, Infosys is reportedly reviving its campus hiring efforts, with plans to visit colleges between October and November. The company aims to hire for roles like Digital Specialist Engineer and has a target of bringing in 15,000-20,000 freshers by March 2026.
• Deccan Fine Chemicals Walk-in: Deccan Fine Chemicals held a walk-in drive on October 25 for B.Sc/M.Sc Chemistry freshers and experienced candidates for its production department in Andhra Pradesh.
• Marketing and Advertising Roles: A recent report from TeamLease EdTech noted that overall fresher hiring intent rose to 75% for the second half of 2026. It highlighted Programmatic Advertising Associate and Digital Marketing Executive as leading in-demand roles in Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.

What to do this week

1. Target walk-in interviews: Companies like HCLTech are using walk-in drives for faster hiring. These are great opportunities to get a direct interview. Keep an eye on FirstHire's page for walk-in drives for freshers.
2. Prepare for specific company patterns: With Wipro and TCS drives active, focus your preparation. The Wipro process involves an aptitude test, coding, and interviews, while the TCS NQT has a specific pattern you should practice.
3. Look beyond IT: While tech roles are plentiful, the most openings this week were in Sales and Business Development. If you have good communication skills, don't overlook these opportunities. Explore all hiring companies to find a good fit.
4. Consider non-metro locations: While Bengaluru and Hyderabad lead, thousands of jobs are available in other cities. Applying for roles in less competitive locations or considering a remote job can increase your chances.

FAQ

How is the job market for freshers right now?

The market saw a slowdown this week, with 20.5% fewer openings compared to the week before. However, the 57,192 new jobs tracked by FirstHire still represent a significant number of opportunities. Sectors like sales, marketing, and customer support are hiring in large volumes, and major IT companies are continuing their fresher hiring programs.

I have no experience. Can I still get a job?

Yes. In fact, 63% of the jobs FirstHire tracked this week (35,848 openings) specifically asked for zero prior experience. To secure these roles, focus on highlighting your skills, college projects, and any internship experience on your resume. Tailor your applications to show you are a strong candidate even without a formal job history.

What salary can I expect as a fresher?

According to FirstHire's data from over 10,000 job postings with salary information, the median range for freshers is ₹2.5 LPA to ₹4.3 LPA. This is just a benchmark. Your actual salary will depend on your qualifications, the industry (e.g., tech and finance often pay more), the company's size and location, and your negotiation skills.