Fresher Job Market in India: Week of November 9, 2026 - Openings Dip, But Key Sectors Hiring

Fresher job openings saw a minor dip this week after a strong October, though the market remains active with nearly 60,000 new roles for recent graduates. FirstHire's latest data shows a decrease in total openings but a rise in remote work opportunities. Meanwhile, news from across the industry points to strong hiring in manufacturing and continued demand for specialist tech skills.

Openings this week

FirstHire tracked 59,665 new job openings for candidates with 0-2 years of experience in the week ending November 9, a 4% decrease from the 62,269 openings posted in the previous week. This is a normal fluctuation and the overall market for freshers remains large.

• Entry-level focus: A significant 59% of all new jobs, or 35,041 openings, were for candidates with no prior experience.
• Workplace flexibility: The share of remote jobs is growing. FirstHire counted 5,089 new remote jobs, up from 4,498 last week. An additional 1,393 jobs were for hybrid roles. Together, they make up about 11% of all new openings.
• Internships: There were 5,110 new internships posted, a slight decrease from 5,483 in the prior week.

Who is hiring

The top roles, cities, and companies show a continued demand for business-facing roles and tech talent, concentrated in India's major urban hubs.

• Top Companies: Consulting and financial services firms were among the most active hirers this week. FirstHire data shows the top companies by volume were Soul Ai (1,490 openings), Ideal Talent Connect (1,330), Accenture (1,220), Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (1,088), and IBM (601). You can find more companies hiring freshers on our companies page.

• Top Cities: Bengaluru remains the undisputed leader for fresher jobs. The top five cities for new openings were:
• Bengaluru: 7,861
• Hyderabad: 3,335
• Chennai: 3,256
• Mumbai: 2,740
• Gurugram: 2,374

• Top Roles: Sales and Business Development roles were the most common, indicating a strong focus on growth and customer acquisition across industries. The most in-demand roles were:
• Sales and business development: 7,591
• Customer support: 4,121
• Software engineering: 3,900
• Marketing and content: 3,513
• Finance and accounting: 3,039

What it pays

Of the new jobs tracked by FirstHire, 11,131 included salary information. Based on this sample, the median salary for freshers ranged from a low of ₹2.5 lakhs per annum (LPA) to a high of ₹4.2 LPA. This range represents the middle of the market and actual salaries can vary significantly based on role, company, and location.

Hiring news this week

Recent industry reports and company announcements show a mixed but active hiring landscape. White-collar hiring saw a 14% year-on-year increase in October, largely driven by a 39% surge in production and manufacturing roles, according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index. This suggests strong fundamentals in the core economy. However, the same report noted that hiring for traditional software engineering and QA roles grew by only 1%.

Several companies have announced off-campus and walk-in drives for freshers:

• L&T Technology Services is conducting an off-campus drive for 2026 batch engineering graduates for Associate Engineer Trainee roles with a CTC of ₹4 LPA. The application deadline is November 29, 2026.
• Infosys has opened registration for its Systems Engineer role for the 2027 graduating batch. The company also began its campus recruitment program for 2027 graduates for Specialist Programmer and Digital Specialist Engineer roles in July.
• Walk-in drives are being held by several companies in November, including Wipro for Customer Service roles (Nov 7-13), Genpact for Customer Service (Nov 11), and Hexaware for International Voice Process roles (Nov 4-21), according to Freshersvoice.
• While there have been some recent layoffs at major tech companies like Amazon and Oracle, reports suggest these have primarily affected mid and senior roles, with large IT firms continuing their fresher hiring programs.

What to do this week

1. Look for walk-in drives: Several companies are holding walk-in drives for freshers this month. These can be a great way to bypass online application systems and get a direct interview.

1. Consider non-tech roles: With sales and business development roles topping the charts this week, it's a good time to explore opportunities outside of pure tech. These roles are available in every industry and can provide valuable experience.

1. Target high-growth sectors: The manufacturing and automotive sectors showed significant hiring growth in October. If you have a relevant engineering background, look for opportunities with companies in these spaces.

1. Prepare for specific company drives: If you're a 2026 or 2027 graduate, register for the active drives from L&T Technology Services and Infosys. Tailor your resume and prepare for their specific test patterns and interview processes.

FAQ

Why did the total number of jobs decrease this week?

A 4% week-on-week change is a normal fluctuation in the job market. The total number of new openings, at nearly 60,000, still represents a very active market for freshers. Factors like hiring cycles and holidays can cause these small dips.

What kind of jobs can I get with no experience?

A majority of jobs posted this week (59%) were open to candidates with zero experience. FirstHire data shows that the top roles for freshers are in Sales and Business Development (7,591 openings), Customer Support (4,121 openings), and Software Engineering (3,900 openings). There is high demand for graduates who are willing to learn and contribute in customer-facing and technical roles.

Are there any major hiring drives for the 2027 batch?

Yes. Infosys has started its campus recruitment for the 2027 graduating batch, hiring for Systems Engineer, Specialist Programmer, and Digital Specialist Engineer roles. Qualcomm has also opened applications for its 2027 campus hires and interns. It's important to register for these drives early and also inform your college's training and placement office.