Have you wondered what are the factors that influences a nation’s economic growth, or what determines the outcome of elections, and what ensures financial stability for every individual? The answer to all these questions is – jobs, or employment.

A retrospective look on 2022 tells us that it started on a positive note, with the first half of 2022 witnessing relatively strong hiring. However, Q2 FY22 onwards posted an altogether different story. Global recessionary fears and geopolitical conflicts dampened business sentiments across the world.

Recent months have seen a flurry of layoffs across the globe, especially in IT, sparking fear, uncertainty, and disruption for those affected. There is a palpable concern among employers and employees to know how the job market will shape up in 2023 amid these unprecedented times.

As we enter 2023, even though the hiring sentiment seems a bit worn down, there is not a complete pause. The position of the Indian job market remains to be powerful, the population is young and growing, and is going to become the world’s largest labour force by 2027- indicating a large pool of potential employees to fill new roles and positions.

In the coming year, we expect a state of equilibrium – with growth continuing in pockets. We See That Many Segments Of Employers Will Be Optimistic About Their Hiring Activity In 2023 – With 45% Of Employers Surveyed Foreseeing Up To A 20% Increase In Hiring, As Per Decoding Jobs India 2023 Report By Taggd In Association With CII. While the global demand for Indian talent will start becoming visible around mid-2023, India’s job and employment landscape will be driven by domestic demand for talent. Domestic demand also spurred by rise in entrepreneurship, will be an important corner stone for employment. Let me share some positive hiring outlook and sectors in focus:

Pharmaceutical

With the new variant of covid and given India’s G20 Presidency, digital health innovation, achieving universal health coverage, delivery will take Center stage. This should give the employment generation a push in the next 6 to 8 months. Opportunities in medical research, healthcare administration, public health, nursing, and heavy focus on data science, API, AI/ML, R&D can be expected.

Manufacturing

Due to geopolitical reasons, Industry 4.0 and the “Make in India” initiative from the government, we are expecting manufacturing to grow in the next year and build domestic demand in the country. Organisations like Apple and Volvo are moving their innovation centres in India. As many as 50,000 direct jobs have been created in India since August last year, and this momentum is expected to continue.

Automotive

Amid increasing push towards environmental sustainability and Make In India, the auto sector’s job landscape will remain buoyant in 2023. Companies in Auto will look to hire people for product launches and green fuel technology. The top demands are for jobs like program managers, electronic and mechatronic engineers, expertise in fuel cells, system engineers, and AUTOSAR architecture.

Internet Business

Local e-commerce expects to grow on basis of domestic demand. Demand for delivery professionals, expertise in analytics, and performance marketing will drive employment in the sector in the coming year.

IT

Tech companies will be shifting their hiring focus on quality instead of quantity as we exit the market normalization phase. Given the over hiring done in the sector, hiring will not be as buoyant as it was in past, however, demand for niche talent like: DevOps, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Robotic Process Automation, AR/VR in Online Gaming skills, will continue to persist.

Confucious said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, I would suggest- “Find love in the job you choose”. It’s essential for both individuals and organizations to stay flexible and adapt to changes in the job market.

As per India Skills Report 2023 by Wheebox, Taggd and CII, for the first time India reported a 50.3% employability score which means 50.03% of the test participants who were young were determined to be highly employable in total. Among the employable young population, 53.28% of women and 47.28% of men were deemed to be highly employable.

Successful job searching often involves a balance of both ‘science and art’, So, ask yourself:

1. Do you have the skills best suited to the roles for which you are applying?
2. If you have the right skills and knowledge, do you know it inside-out? If asked, can you speak on the subject for 2-3 minutes instantaneously and deeply?
3. How can you help your organization grow in the first 90 days of your job?

It’s important to approach the job search from the perspective of the hiring manager than only HR. If your answers to these questions are in the affirmative, rest assured, there are good jobs awaiting you. If not, start building up your skill stack, and gear up to be a part of India’s growth story!

Pankaj Bansal, is the Co-founder and Group CEO of PeopleStrong, Taggd and Wheebox. He is also a non-executive director at Karmayogi Bharat.