The objective of this project is to find the change in fresher hiring trends post COVID-19 among corporates.

1. Talent Acquisition
Post
Decoding the future of hiring in a Post-COVID-19 world
By: SATYAJEET MALLA, MBA, Adarsh Institute of Management & Information Technology,
Bangalore

2. Internship Project Title Talent Acquisition-Post Covid
Name of the Company TCS iON
Name of the Industry
Mentor
Smitha Ramesh
Name of the Institute
Adarsh Institute of Management & Information
Technology, Bangalore
Start Date End Date Total Effort (hrs.)
Project
Environment
Tools used
09-06-2020 23-06-2020 210 Remote Internship
Microsoft Office
Suite
Project Report Evaluation
S. No. Attribute Name Marks Comments
1
Understanding of the
project domain
5 /5
Good Understanding on the
project domain and has
explained inn details
2 Approach towards solution 5 /5
Covered the required
parameters and has identifies the
problem statement and possible
solutions
3
Logic flow in proposed
solution
5 /5 Good Flow
4
Correctness of solution wrt
specified requirements
4 /5
Has provided the necessary
details
5
Quality of enhancement
suggested on the
proposed solution
4 /5
Has proposed solutions based on
research
6 Quality of documentation 5 /5 Excellent
SCORE: 28.0/30.0
Faculty
Feedback
Excellent Job. Appreciate your effort, detailing of information and
representation of data.
Academic Mentor Name Prof. Steve Donal P
ACTIVITY DETAILS
Activity Type Activity Name Total Marks Marks
Obtained
Activity
Attempted
Activity
Status
Report Project Report 30.0 28.0 Completed
Report Day 1-45 -
Activity Report
NA Completed
Assessment RIO
PreAssessment
40.0 23.0 Completed Pass
Assessment Project Test 10.0 8.0 Completed Pass
Soft Skill Course Batch 01 Completed Pass

4. Objective
The objective of this project is to find the change in fresher hiring trends post COVID-
19 among corporates.

5. DESCRIPTION OF INTERNSHIP
TCS iON Remote Internships are the career-starter one can depend on. With relevant
industry experience - graduates, post-graduates, students across various domains, even
freshers can add value to their resumes from wide variety of internship programmes. End-
to-end upskilling solutions prepare, test and analyse knowledge and kickstart a career
from the comfort of your location.
TCS iON is one of the largest online platforms for students with the TCS iON Digital
Learning Hub offering a wide range of courses, assessments, and events. TCS iON Digital
Learning Hub also hosts digital discussion rooms designed for students to collaborate,
share knowledge, participate in activities like quizzes and provide feedback. TCS iON
offers end-to-end support in upskilling self-learners right from K-12 to working
professionals.
TCS iON Remote Internship comprises of various activities, including self-learning
sessions, webinars, project work and few collaborative activities.

6. INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES
TCS iON Remote Internships has two major learning components spread across 210
hours and 45 days of engagement for successfully completion of program
TALENT ACQUISITION-POST COVID-19
TCS iON Remote Internship comprises of various activities, including self-learning
sessions, webinars, project work and few collaborative activities.
DAY WISE PLAN
Day Wise Plan or learning schedule gives an idea on how to spend day and how
much time to devote to each module for 45 Days. Day Wise Plan in a node under Table of
Contents in Course batch is a representative plan of activities that you would carry out
during the tenure. This is to help students get a fair idea on how students may need to pace
their efforts in doing the internship project. Industry mentor will post planned set of
activities for students to take in the Digital Discussion Room over the course of internship
project.
PRE-TEST
A simple test for a quick knowledge check. 1 Hour Duration marked for 40 Marks
and 20 as passing marks. Pre-test is a general aptitude test, needed to be taken before
RIO-210:Talent Acquisition-Post
Covid Batch 01
Digital Course Remote
Internships - Soft Skill Course
Batch 01
Pre-test
Day Wise
Plan
Self
Learning
Recorded
Webinar
Digital
Discussion
Room
Activity
Report
Project Test,
Project
Report,Viva

7. commencing work on the project. The duration of the test is one hour and it comprise of
questions to test Analytical abilities, Reasoning abilities and Language skills. Upon
successful attempt, it unlocks the details of the industry project and other nodes in the
construct.
SELF-LEARNING
References to different learning resources to enable students to successfully do
project, and enrich learning. Self-learning reference materials are provided to help the
students learn some of the concepts required to start working on the industry project. As
soon as students have seen the Industry Project and have understood the objective,
guidelines and project outcome, students may start going through the self-learning
content. Mentor will also post certain activities to do in the Digital Discussion Room which
will complement and guide to progress with the project.
RECORDED WEBINAR
Detailed description of the industry project, including hands-on environment,
expected outcome, and introducing industry guide. Project related learning sessions from
industry experts to provide contextual/project/ topic level information.
• WEBINAR 1
Decoding impact of COVID-19 on Talent Acquisition in the organized skill
sector of India
Speaker: Rishi Arya
Key insights were:
• Recruitment, a key aspect of Talent Acquisition process
• Impact on hiring across Industries post COVID-19
• Future trends in Talent Acquisition
• • WEBINAR 2
Market Research & Methodologies
Speaker: Surya Ganguly
Defining Market Research
1. Systematic: Systematic planning is required at all stages of the market
research process.
2. Objective: Market research should be free from personal or political biases.
"Find it and tell it like it is!"
3. Uses Information: Define the problem -> determine what information is
needed to explore the problem -> identify relevant information sources ->
evaluate appropriate data collection and analysis methods.
4. Assists decision making: Provide your findings, implications, and
recommendations in a Useful format.
Process of Market Research

8. First Stage. Problem Definition What is the aim of the study? (e.g., analysing
customer satisfaction or loyalty?)
Second Stage. Research Approach Which approach is best suited for realizing
the research purpose? (explorative, descriptive, and/or
explicative)?
Third Stage. Research Design The scientific method, research methods, data
sources, sampling methods
Fourth Stage. Data Collection Methods to collection data from secondary and
primary sources
Fifth Stage. Data Preparation and Analysis Editing, coding, transcribing and
verifying of raw, unprocessed material generated, Which data
analysis methods are applied?
Sixth Stage. Report Preparation and Presentation What is the best way of
"selling" the results? What is the best way to tell "'the story" of
findings?
DIGITAL DISCUSSION ROOM
Candidates can interact with each other and industry mentor regarding the project
Via Digital discussion rooms.
ACTIVITY REPORT
Daily activity report for documenting progress including learning, project
activities, mentor and peer interactions. (to be - uploaded daily as per the activity
schedule).
• Day 1 - 45 Activity Report
• Industry Project
• Project Report
• Project Test
Project test is an online self-assessment on the internship project topic to be taken by
students at the end of the internship. The test will have 10 objective-type questions.
• Viva
Viva to be conducted by Academic mentor.
• Viva Report
• DIGITAL COURSE REMOTE INTERNSHIPS - SOFT SKILL COURSE
INDUSTRY READINESS SKILLS
Industry Readiness Skills are learning modules that will help to understand and
develop personal behavioural skills that are essential for workplace success.

9. Interpersonal
Skills
Presentation
Skills
Stress
Management
Persuasion
Skills
Time
Management
Analytical
Skill
Customer
Service
Management
Internal
Customer
Service
Group
Discussion
Team
Effectiveness
Customer
Focus
Personal
Effectiveness

10. APPROACH/METHODOLOGY
The approach for this study is purely based on secondary research like the internet and
articles on the same topic by various authors.
RESEARCH APPROACH
This research is a systematic search for information in order to obtain a clear picture
concerning the underlying problem to find the change in fresher hiring trends post
COVID-19 among corporates. Technically speaking, research is a process of identifying
problem thoroughly, establishing an objective, collecting and analysing the relevant data
in order to determine the possible factors causing by the problem. Thus, research
activities are consistent search for information with the objective to get a clearer picture
concerning the problem and to propose specific recommendation for the solution.
INDUCTIVE APPROACH
Inductive approach does not involve formulation of hypotheses. It starts with research
questions and aims and objectives that need to be achieved during the research process.
Inductive reasoning begins with detailed observations of the world, which moves towards
more abstract generalisations and ideas. When following an inductive approach,
beginning with a topic, a researcher tends to develop empirical generalisations and
identify preliminary relationships as he progresses through his research. No hypotheses
can be found at the initial stages of the research and the researcher is not sure about the
type and nature of the research findings until the study is completed.

11. Research Question
“Find the change in fresher hiring trends post COVID-19 among corporates?
”
Observation focus points
Inductive studies follow the route below:
What will change in
fresher hiring trends
post COVID-19 across
all industries on the
hiring patterns.
Industries in the Tier l,
Tier 2, Tier 3 cities.
Approach towards
hiring and onboarding
freshers Post Covid
situation in India.
Industry wise fresher
hiring challenges and
solutions found by
corporates.
Comparison of the
previous and current
year fresher hiring
numbers.
Fresher hiring trends
for 2021-22 among
corporates across all
job roles
TheoryPatternObservations

12. This research involves the search for pattern from observation and the development of
explanations – theories – for those patterns through series of hypotheses. No theories or
hypotheses would apply in inductive studies at the beginning of the research and the
researcher is free in terms of altering the direction for the study after the research process
had commenced. It is important to stress that inductive approach does not imply
disregarding theories when formulating research questions and objectives. This approach
aims to generate meanings from the data set collected in order to identify patterns and
relationships to build a theory; however, inductive approach does not prevent the
researcher from using existing theory to formulate the research question to be explored.
Inductive reasoning is based on learning from experience. Patterns, resemblances and
regularities in experience (premises) are observed in order to reach conclusions (or to
generate theory).
Reason for selecting Inductive Approach was
DIRECTION “Bottom-Up”
FOCUS
Understanding dynamics, robustness,
emergence, resilience, focus on
behaviour, constructing alterative futures
SPATIAL SCALES
Multiple (multiple landscape, one
resolution)
TEMPORAL SCALES Multiple (stochastic)
COGNITIVE SCALES Multiple (heterogeneous preferences)
AGGREGATION SCALES
Single or multiple (one or more
aggregation scales)
PREDICTIVE VS. STOCHASTIC
ACCURACY
Low-High (many likely futures)
DATA INTENSITY High (individual or group attributes)

13. RESEARCH DESIGN
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
Qualitative research is a method that has a high importance in business research.
Qualitative research involves obtaining data through open-ended conversational means
of communication. Such research enables the researcher to not only understand what the
audience thinks but also why he thinks it. In such research, in-depth information can be
gathered from the subjects depending on their responses. There are various types of
qualitative research methods such as interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research,
content analysis, case study research that are widely used. Such methods are of very high
importance in business research as it enables the researcher to understand the consumer.
What motivates the consumer to buy and what does not is what will lead to higher sales
and that is the prime objective for any business.
For this research content analysis method was used. In this method documents and
communication artifacts such as Companies Annual Report, Webinars by industry experts
were studied from online sources.
ONLINE SOURCES/ONLINE RESEARCH / LITERATURE RESEARCH
Literature research is one of the oldest methods available. It is very economical and a lot
of information can be gathered using such research. Online research or literature research
involves gathering information from existing documents and studies which can be
available at Libraries, annual reports, etc. Nowadays, with the advancement in technology,
such research has become even more simple and accessible to everyone and most
accessible during COVID-19 situations. An individual can directly research online for any
information that is needed, which will give in-depth information about the topic or the
organization. Such research is used mostly by marketing and salespeople in the business
sector to understand the market or their customers.
This research is carried out using existing information that is available from various
sources, although care has to be taken to validate the sources from where the information
is going to be collected.
Research Sources
NSSO SURVEYS
LABOUR BUREAU
REPORTS
CMIE REPORTS ILO REPORTS
NAUKRI JOBSPEAK
INDEX
MONSTER
EMPLOYMENT
INDEX INDIA
MANPOWERGROUP
EMPLOYMENT
OUTLOOK SURVEY
INDIA
TIMESJOBS
RECRUITEX
ETHRWorld.com
World Economic
Forum
NASSCOM
All India
Manufacturer's
Organisation
TeamLease OLX PEOPLE PeopleMatters
LinkedIN KPMG Deloitte McKinsey

14. ASSUMPTIONS
Assumption were made based on
Industries Focused industries
Locations
Tier 1 & Tier2-3
Cities
Approach
Towards
Hiring and
Onboarding
Hiring
Challenges and
Solutions
Hiring
Numbers
Previous and Current
Year Fresher
Fresher
Hiring
Trends
For 2021-22 Among
Corporates Across
All Job Roles

15. INDUSTRIES IN FOCUS
It was assumed that above industries are major hiring sectors in employment sectors.
Online research sources have focused on above industries for data collection and
reporting. From Industry Outlook which generates trends in 209 industries according to
MANUFACTURING
PETROLEUM
PRODUCTS
FMCG CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS
EDUCATION AUTOMOBILES &
ANCILLARIES
ADVERTISING TEXTILES
HOTELS &
TOURISM
RETAIL TRADING LOGISTIC TELECOMMUNICATI
ON SERVICES
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
ITES HEALTH
SERVICES
MEDIA
CONSTRUCTION &
REAL ESTATE
IMPORT/EXPORT BANKING/FINANCIAL
SERVICES

16. Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd. but it widens the scope of project and
unviable to adopt in limited project timeline and goes beyond focus of project.
LOCATIONS
Tier 1 & Tier 2-3 Cities
Indian cities are an amalgamation of the cultures of various states that have been moulded
into well-structured cities. Whether it is strong infrastructure, sustainable development or
simply improving the economy, these mega-cities function effortlessly due to incredible
process mechanisms. These mega-cities attract graduates from across the India.
APPROACH TOWARDS HIRING AND ONBOARDING
For new hires missing out on the direct contact and camaraderie of a physical workplace,
companies are rolling out initiatives that include gamified digital induction modules;
virtual sessions with country heads and CXOs; connecting new hires to ‘buddies’ who can
advise and guide them as they work remotely; access to online learning and training
resources and much more.
HIRING CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Impacted hiring strategies, coupled with an acute economic crisis, are a double whammy.
The imperative is to both adapt and move forward with the revamped hiring strategies and
processes.
KPMG’s survey report reveals that organisations which were not prepared with an
adequate IT infrastructure to enable remote working were caught off guard during this
pandemic. The report revealed that 32% of the organisations lacked facilities to offer a
work from home option, while only 25% of all the organisations had an IT infrastructure
already in place which helped them to readily face the challenge.
The inference is obvious, there is a strong emphasis on digitalising all aspects of
recruitment to usher in the era of smart hiring.
Mumbai Chennai Delhi
Bengaluru Kolkata Hyderabad
Pune Ahmedabad Chandigarh
Kochi Jaipur

17. The hiring trends will now continue to go virtual in the coming years as COVID-19 has
shown us a different working lifestyle. On the work front, the shift towards digital is going
to be complete and immediate.
HIRING NUMBERS PREVIOUS AND CURRENT YEAR FRESHER
Difficult times are ahead of us and businesses have to adapt their strategies to survive and
thrive in times of recession. Hiring will also be much different than it was in 2019 when
unemployment was low and companies were fighting for candidates. The key is to
understand the changes in the labour market and address them by changing your
recruiting strategy.
While the future is no doubt uncertain, one thing remains true: The recovery process is
going to take some time, and in order to survive the storm, you have to be agile and ready
for what’s to come. What that is, is anyone’s best guess.
FRESHER HIRING TRENDS FOR 2021-22 AMONG CORPORATES ACROSS ALL JOB ROLES
Many potential new hires who have applied for, been interviewed for, or even been
offered a position are now in limbo. Since social distancing, self-isolating and working
from home has become the new norm, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,
recruiting and hiring at this time and after, has its own challenges. The steps HR and hiring
managers take today to avoid losing out on top talent and bolstering their employer brand
will determine the future of most businesses post the COVID 19 outbreak.
The pandemic has caused turmoil in the labour market, with massive job and income
losses in the first half of 2020. Projecting labour market outcomes for the second half of the
year is a difficult task because of the lack of historical precedents that might give an
indication of how quickly labour markets can recover from such a crisis. However, it is still
essential to consider different potential recovery paths. To that end, the ILO has developed
a model that forecasts the number of hours worked for the second half of 2020, building on
the “nowcasts” of hours worked during the first half of the year.

18. EXCEPTIONS/EXCLUSIONS
Industries and sectors selected for project discussion reflect 10% of industries in India. But
among the industries selected are major job sectors and employ large scale of formal jobs.
Non-formal jobs: Many fresh graduates are employed in non-formal job sectors.
Age is considered to be determine fresher which is 25, hence an applicant from
employable age to 25 irrespective of education level and stream study and years of
experience prior to age 25.
Government Jobs hiring is excluded from research. Government job applicants have a
good chunk in fresher market.

19. CHARTS, TABLE, DIAGRAMS
CHANGE IN FRESHER HIRING TRENDS
Media continued to lead online hiring activity (+21%) among industries on annual basis.
Manufacturing (-47%) showed the biggest decline in May 2020. Followed by Import /
Export (-44%) and BPO/ITES (-40%) and Travel and Tourism (-39%).
Some of the major industries like IT - Hardware, Software (-3%), Retail (-14%), BFSI (-20%),
FMCG (-27%) also witnessed receded year-on-year growth in May 2020.
COVID-19 is unprecedented in that is supply demand and market shock. The virus
outbreak has disrupted manufacturing supply chains and sharply curtailed energy and
commodity demand.
QI GDP growth could show a significant impact from COVID-19 due to a near- complete
shutdown of economic activity in March
Q2 and Q3 would likely reveal significant adverse impacts from falling consumption,
business investment and exports.
IT
BPO/
ITES
Const
ructio
n
Mate
rials
Banki
ng
Educa
tion
Manu
factur
ing
Auto
motiv
e
Telec
om
Petrol
eum
Healt
hcare
Adve
rtisin
g
Trave
l &
Touris
m
Medi
a
FMC
G
Textil
es
Real
Estate
Retail
Logist
ic
Impor
t/Exp
ort
Feb 3% 1% 2% 5% 13% 2% 7% -3% -2% 6% 4% -2% 5% 4% 1% 1% -3% 2% -3%
Mar -4% -12% -4% -11% -8% -5% -9% -2% -7% -6% -3% -13% 0% -7% -7% -4% -6% -5% -10%
Apr -5% -25% -17% -20% -11% -25% -22% -14% -14% -17% -10% -23% -6% -19% -25% -17% -15% -16% -21%
May -3% -40% -10% -20% -9% -47% -38% -5% -24% -6% -2% -39% 21% -27% -27% -19% -14% -25% -44%
-60%
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
%Change
Across Industries
Hiring in 2019 and 2020 February to May

20. IT
BPO/
ITES
Const
ructio
n
Mate
rials
Banki
ng
Educ
ation
Manu
factur
ing
Auto
motiv
e
Telec
om
Petrol
eum
Healt
hcare
Adve
rtisin
g
Trave
l &
Touris
m
FMC
G
Textil
es
Real
Estat
e
Retail
Logist
ic
Impor
t/Exp
ort
Feb 3% 1% 2% 5% 13% 2% 7% -3% -2% 6% 4% -2% 4% 1% 1% -3% 2% -3%
Mar -4% -12% -4% -11% -8% -5% -9% -2% -7% -6% -3% -13% -7% -7% -4% -6% -5% -10%
Apr -5% -25% -17% -20% -11% -25% -22% -14% -14% -17% -10% -23% -19% -25% -17% -15% -16% -21%
May -10% -7% -8% -11% -3% -11% -10% 2% -13% 1% -2% -18% -11% -11% -3% -8% -9% -14%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
%Change
Across Industries
Changes in M-o-M from February 2020-May 2020
IT
BPO
/ITES
Cons
tructi
on
Mate
rials
Bank
ing
Educ
ation
Man
ufact
uring
Auto
motiv
e
Telec
om
Petro
leum
Heal
thcar
e
Adve
rtisin
g
Trav
el &
Touri
sm
Medi
a
FMC
G
Texti
les
Real
Estat
e
Retai
l
Logis
tic
Impo
rt/Ex
port
Mar-20 -4% -12% -4% -11% -8% -5% -9% -2% -7% -6% -3% -13% 0% -7% -7% -4% -6% -5% -10%
Apr-20 -9% -34% -20%-29% -19% -29%-28%-15%-20% -22% -13% -33% -6% -25%-30% -21%-20% -20% -29%
May-20 -18% -39%-26%-36%-21% -37% -36%-14% -30%-22% -14%-45% -8% -33% -38% -24%-26%-27%-39%
-50%
-45%
-40%
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
%Change
Across Industries
Change in Hiring With respect to Pre-COVID-19
months

21. From trend line since May 2019 to Pre-COVID-19 in month of February 2020 is moving
towards downside. Possible economic slowdown and fear of recession will push
organization of restricting to hire freshers.
Hiring in manufacturing is highly impacted due to restrictions in working environment and
layoffs. It is quite evident that organization post COVID-19 will shift towards hiring back
experienced employees at lower remuneration taking advantage of unemployment
upsurge.
-12.00%
-10.00%
-8.00%
-6.00%
-4.00%
-2.00%
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
AxisTitle
Axis Title
May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19 Aug-19 Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19 Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 May-20
0-3years -1.98% 1.16% 5.71% -0.81% 3.27% -0.26% 0.53% 4.21% 1.01% -9.25% -9.92% -2.14%
Fresher Hiring Month-over-Month
0-3years Linear (0-3years)
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
Engineering /Production
Software, Hardware,
Telecom
Marketing & CommunicationsSales & Business Development
Customer Service
Entry Level
Entry Level

22. INDUSTRIES IN THE TIER 1, TIER 2-3 CITIES.
All 13 cities monitored by the Index witnessed decline in online hiring in May’20 on annual
basis.
Both Tier I and Tier II cities witnessed decline in demand for talent in May 2020.
Kochi (-43%), Baroda (-45%) and Ahmedabad (-45%) exhibited least year-on-year
decline. Others include, Chandigarh (-47%), Kolkata (-50%) Pune (-54%).
All key cities recorded steep fall; Mumbai (-65%), Bangalore (-59%), Delhi-NCR (-58%),
Chennai (-55%) and Hyderabad (- 53%).
Mumba
i
Bangal
ore
Delhi-
NCR
Hydera
bad
Chenna
i
Pune Kolkata
Ahmed
abad
Chandi
garh
Kochi Baroda
Coimb
atore
Jaipur
Feb 5.99% 10.95% 4.15% 16.03% 8.30% 12.67% 21.22% 27.30% 9.04% 16.41% 32.91% 5.12% -1.24%
Mar -5.57% -1.10% -5.67% 4.04% -5.16% 1.00% 10.57% 12.90% 0.57% 2.57% 13.82% -2.33% -12.08
Apr -18.21 -10.50 -24.73 -8.03% -23.33 -12.42 12.68% 3.18% -12.14 -9.09% 4.35% -12.21 -15.48
May -65.33 -59.33 -57.60 -52.88 -55.42 -54.18 -49.57 -45.03 -47.23 -42.64 -44.76 -54.49 -47.30
-80.00%
-60.00%
-40.00%
-20.00%
0.00%
20.00%
40.00%
%Change
Acroos Cities of India
Geographic Year-over-year Trends 2019-2020

23. Almost all the prime industries and functions registered dip in hiring activities in key cities.
HIRING TRENDS - FUNCTIONAL AREA
-70%
-60%
-50%
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
Mumbai
Bangalore
Delhi-NCR
Hyderabad
Chennai
Pune
KolkataAhmedabad
Chandigarh
Kochi
Baroda
Coimbatore
Jaipur
Change in Hiring Activities Pre-COVID-19 to Present
Situation
Mar Apr May
-40%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
Software, Hardware,…
Customer Service
Engineering
Finance & Accounts
Sales & Business Development
Senior Management
HR & AdminMarketing & Communications
Health Care
Logistics
Hospitality & Travel
Legal
Creative
Annual demand for professionals 2019-2020
Feb Mar Apr May

24. All job-roles indicated decreased demand between May 2019 and 2020. Of which,
Engineering/Production (-2%) and Arts/Creative (-2%) professionals saw the least
decline.
Hospitality & Travel (-36%) recorded the most-notable annual decline followed by Finance
& Accounts (-28%) and HR & Admin (-26%).
Other functions include- Software, Hardware, Telecom (-6%), Sales & Business
Development (-10%) and Customer Service (-18%).
“Some sectors have been obliterated, like hospitality and travel. Conversely to that, some are
absolutely booming. Logistics and healthcare workers are in huge demand as are certain
retail workers, like supermarkets.”
Softwa
re,
Hardw
are,
Teleco
m
Custom
er
Service
Engine
ering
Finance
&
Account
s
Sales &
Busines
s
Develo
pment
HR &
Admin
Market
ing &
Commu
nication
s
Health
Care
Logistic
s
Hospita
lity &
Travel
Legal
Arts/Cr
eative
Feb 3% 3% 3% 0% 1% 2% 0% 5% 2% -4% -3% 0%
Mar -5% -9% -4% -9% -7% -7% -4% -6% -6% -15% -4% -5%
Apr -5% -12% -4% -19% -12% -15% -8% -18% -11% -23% -14% -3%
May -6% -3% -9% -6% -3% -3% 0% 5% -1% -8% -5% 2%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
5%
10%
AxisTitle
Axis Title
M-o-M Demand Pre-Covid to Present Situation
Feb Mar Apr May

25. It is evident that hiring since COVID-19 has contracted due to limitations in transportations
and face to face engagement. Infrastructure and technology limitations has restricted in
fresher hiring.
ESTIMATED EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN INDIA FOR WORKING AGE
Source: ILO’s labour statistics database, ILOSTAT
Estimates are based on the historical relationship between unemployment rates and GDP
growth. They also take into account the regional context, as countries within the same
geographic area exhibit similar labour market characteristics.
-45%
-40%
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
Hiring Since COVID
Mar Apr May
-4.09%
-4.41% -4.46%
-2.90% -2.82% -2.73% -2.81%
-2.53%
-2.78%
-0.95%
-1.15% -1.17%
-5.00%
-4.50%
-4.00%
-3.50%
-3.00%
-2.50%
-2.00%
-1.50%
-1.00%
-0.50%
0.00%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Employment for age below 25
Employment for age below 25 Linear (Employment for age below 25)

26. CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the weaknesses and the strengths of India’s large
businesses. Now executives have an opportunity to make changes that will see their
companies through the downturn and position them for long-term success.
Every Recession has presented numerous challenges for every country, making it difficult
for industries to survive and strive, but they have also ushered an era of opportunities for
new-age industries to sprout and shape consumer behaviour for decades.
COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns have had a significant impact on the economy
and employment. Economic activity has shrunk and employees across sectors have faced
layoffs and salary cuts. Even as people get used to living with the virus with all precautions
in place, a big concern has been to re-start economic activity and get jobs back.
Against this backdrop, employers are increasingly turning towards cutting-edge virtual
hiring solutions to minimize the loss of potential candidates. Such solutions tap into the
power of the online ecosystem to eliminate locational restraints, enabling organizations to
seamlessly conduct talent recruitment and management no matter wherever they are.
Post lockdown there will be an impact. But based on the impact there will be a correction,
and there will be a revival also. This complete shutdown is not there for the whole industry.
CHALLENGES
A major recruitment-related obstacle being faced by companies post COVID-19, that has
disrupted their business continuity plans, is their inability to conduct effective hiring on
account of the pandemic-led strangulation of mobility. Since recruiters are unable to fill-
in positions as candidates can’t appear for face-to-face interviews because of social
distancing, companies are at risk of losing out on the best talent.
Against this backdrop, employers are increasingly turning towards cutting-edge virtual
hiring solutions to minimize the loss of potential candidates. Such solutions tap into the
power of the online ecosystem to eliminate locational restraints, enabling organizations to
seamlessly conduct talent recruitment and management no matter wherever they are.
People have to be flexible in accepting the jobs that are best available for them and
organisations also have to be flexible. There will be some layoffs, there will be salary cuts,
they have to accept limited days of working, but the cycle will come back in 1-2 quarters.
OPPORTUNITIES
Besides, in the post lockdown scenario, digital interaction will continue, as there could be
restricted physical mobility. Virtual onboarding and induction will gain momentum. Also,
organizations will become more compatible in providing work-from-home option to a
candidate.
The second quarter of the fiscal year will definitely see a massive change due to the
upcoming festive season as well as the on-going removal of the lockdown in a phased
manner. Some sectors which have already shown recovery and are further expected to
boost hiring are EdTech, insurance, finance, and e-commerce. Pharmaceuticals and
medical research will be a continued focus as health and safety supported by science will
take precedence. Many businesses are expected to see a full recovery in their operations
in the second quarter, especially those in e-commerce and ITeS sectors. Many e-

27. commerce companies have already announced additional plans for hiring ahead of the
festive season. And various ITeS companies expect to witness an increase in contractual
hiring as their clientele in Europe see improved business conditions. In the blue-collar
and entry-level segment, ITeS and e-commerce are expected to emerge as the biggest
employers in the second quarter, as per the recent survey conducted by OLX People.
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the weaknesses and the strengths of India’s large
businesses. Now executives have an opportunity to make changes that will see their
companies through the downturn and position them for long-term success.
Many organizations are therefore planning for multiple scenarios' and time horizons as
they shift from crisis response to recovery. Many are also planning for the possibility of
multiple waves of the pandemic and its continuing global footprint. As a result, we expect
it will be an uneven gradual transition from the respond phase to a new reality.
Organizations must prepare for different outcomes of the pandemic mild, harsh, or severe
and recognize that the recovery should be adaptable to different situations within different
countries and industries worldwide.
To do so, it helps to think of this recovery process as a spectrum of options. Some
organizations are hiring or expanding and others contracting. Some may bring more
employees back to the workplace while others are still working remotely, perhaps
permanently. Other organizations, especially those that expanded during the crisis, may
reduce their workforce or adapt to new environments. Leaders should ask how they will
integrate additional workers in the future, what services might be added or changed as a
result, and what other operations may be maintained in a remote capacity.

28. RISK VS REWARD
Working from home, digital adoption, and realigning policies and processes will greatly
help companies in the post-COVID-19 era.
The global recession, induced by COVID-19, will fundamentally change the way humanity
works, and socialises, for years to come. The COVID-19 crisis will be a catalyst to
unprecedented changes in every industry. Every industry will be forced to reform and
restructure in order to transform into the new realities that will emerge.
In the midst of lay-offs, a possible economic contraction and shrinking job opportunities,
a sense of fear and uncertainty is palpable among the Class of 2020, who will enter a world
changed by the COVID-19 crisis to look for their first jobs.
RISK
According to the All India Survey on Higher Education 2018-19, over 23 million students
are enrolled in undergraduate-level programmes across universities and colleges. A
section of these students, pursuing their last year of the programme, will graduate in
August as per University Grants Commission guidelines for central universities, while
states are still determining their own exam schedules. Freshers stare at an uncertain future
as COVID hits job market. The students now fear that the job market will dry up as
companies pause hiring to recoup the losses that piled up as the economy ground to a halt
in an attempt to check the disease spread.
Industry experts say the situation is set to take a particularly dire turn, as the economy will
open slowly and at rock bottom.
We have to realise that the job market was in extremely poor shape even before we
entered the Covid-19 crisis. In 2018, unemployment was at a forty-five year high, it will
only get worse, since we are likely to see an economic contraction, that is, the growth
rate will fall below zero for the year 2020 as estimated by World Economic Forum.
In 2018, the unemployment rate for secondary educated people was 14.4%, for those
with technical degrees it was 37% and 36% for graduates. These rates are double those
found in 2012. In 2018, nearly 30 million people who were unemployed and this number
is expected to rise by another 50 million this year.
Unemployment will at least double for new entrants this year, it will be catastrophic,
according to TeamLease Services, one of India’s largest staffing and human capital firm.
It will depend from industry to industry. We will have to see if the recovery is in a V-
shaped, U-shaped or a bathtub curve, bathtub being that the particular sector spends a
long time at the bottom.
The sunrise would be a ‘gentle one’, as companies will be biased towards retaining
present employees and not hiring freshers.
REWARDS
Onboarding: Post hiring, conventional onboarding methods should also be replaced by
virtual onboarding and engagement strategies which are riding on digitalization.
Organizations are also adopting AI / chat bot driven processes to improve their efficiency.

29. While pre-COVID-19 era saw digitalisation as a forward-looking priority for organisations,
it is now an imperative measure that is essential to catapult businesses towards the new
normal.
Additionally, hiring processes will have to be more inclusive and include various elements
such as flexibility in work schedule, developing skills, along with building an attitude and
ability among employees towards crisis management. This way, employees will be
enabled to contribute positively towards the business and reinforce their roles in the
organisation.
It is also important to note that the crisis impact has resonated with the hiring strategies
that got abruptly stalled, and in some cases, have resulted in layoffs. This also calls for a
strong focus on retention of employees, especially those who have impacted the business
positively in the past and in difficult times that we are navigating currently.
As new hires come on board during the lockdown — and beyond — companies such as
TCS, Procter & Gamble, Visa, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Flipkart have made the shift from
physical onboarding programmes to innovative, fully virtual experiences aimed at making
new joiners who are working from home feel included and welcome. For new hires
missing out on the direct contact and camaraderie of a physical workplace, companies are
rolling out initiatives that include gamified digital induction modules; virtual sessions with
country heads and CXOs; connecting new hires to ‘buddies’ who can advise and guide
them as they work remotely; access to online learning and training resources and much
more. This adaptation of technology has made process a must need post COVID situation.
Reimagining Fresher Onboarding in FY 2020, TCS reimagined the fresher onboarding
process. In a departure from the past, where campus recruits used to be onboarded in
batches staggered across the entire year, TCS onboarded all campus recruits, adding up
to over 30,000 trainees, in just the first two quarters of the year. This feat of unprecedented
scale was accomplished by front-loading the fresher training program even before they
were onboarded, through TCS Xplore, a digital training program that leverages the TCS
iON platform. This program provides video courses on technology topics, TCS processes
and soft skills. Through live webinars, trainee candidates interact with TCS SMEs and have
their questions answered. Proctored assessments test the candidates’ theoretical and
practical knowledge. High performers are rewarded with monetary incentives and early
joining dates, incentivizing better preparation and performance. Documents are verified
digitally, and physical onboarding takes place at multiple locations across India. On
joining TCS, a customized and differential training program is conducted based on each
candidate’s performance in the Xplore proctored assessment. Exit tests, conducted twice
a week, help ensure that the trainees are competent and can be deployed on billable
assignments.
P&G has created a customised app, P&G Connect, which provides resources to help
navigate the system and also serves as a learning and engagement platform. At the
company, managers and leaders hold virtual ‘meet & greet’ sessions with the new hires to
foster camaraderie
FLIPKART has initiated weekly virtual assimilation sessions across the organisation for
new hires to induct them into their respective teams, as they work remotely. Teams are
also creating their own ‘Learning Leagues’ and organising targeted knowledge-sharing
sessions. The top management is also involved in such exercises at companies.

30. Without the luxury of meeting them physically, there are regular video and audio calls
with new joiners to help them settle into their new roles, including a virtual session with
the country head of Visa. VISA has inducted 40 new hires virtually at its Mumbai and
Bengaluru offices. Apart from an induction by the hiring manager, which includes virtual
meetups with colleagues across functions, each employee also has access to Visa
University, the online learning management system.
At COGNIZANT, senior management is very closely involved in the assimilation process
of new hires. The company’s intranet portal has videos, articles and collaterals targeted
exclusively at new employees, and CEO Brian Humphries is a major contributor to these.
These messages and videos provide direction to new employees. In addition, the portal
also familiarises new employees with the processes and systems at Cognizant.
The chief HR officer at MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA, personally takes sessions with the
new hires, followed by the respective sector HR heads giving a view of their businesses
and strategies, over a five-day induction. Dedicated IT and onboarding SPOCs (single
point of contact) are assigned to each joiner to address queries. New hires also have
access to the interactive digital induction module which gives them a glimpse into
Mahindra’s various businesses, offerings and facilities.

31. REFLECTIONS ON THE INTERNSHIP
INTRODUCTION
To conduct a research on the change in fresher hiring trends post Covid among
corporates. Conduct the analysis from the companies across all industries on the hiring
patterns. To do an analysis from industries in the Tier l, Tier 2, Tier 3 cities. To Analyze
their approach towards hiring and onboarding freshers Post Covid situation in India. Study
the industry wise fresher hiring challenges and solutions found by corporates. Compare
the previous and current year fresher hiring numbers. Predict the fresher hiring trends for
2021-22 among corporates across all job roles.
Skills Learned
Market Research Methodologies
Documentation
Time Management
Interpersonal Skills: Communication
Presentation Skills
Stress Management
Persuasion Skills
Analytical Skill
Customer Service Management
Meeting Management
Internal Customer Service
Group Discussion
Team Effectiveness
Customer Focus
Personal Effectiveness
Project is very relevant for Talent Acquisition professionals and it gives up-and-coming
professional exposure to corporate working environment.
ANALYSIS OF INTERNSHIP
To conduct research, analyse, understand and bring out the best learning experience.
Each stage, there is a new challenge to use new techniques and methodologies.
Self-learning and webinars enable students to successfully do project, and enrich
learning. Webinar guides you to understand to conduct market research analysis.
CONCLUSION
It was interesting and relevant topic in the current scenario.

32. RECOMMENDATIONS
In just a few short months, life as we knew it has completely transformed. Thanks to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the world is changing rapidly—and while the future is still unknown,
we’re most likely heading toward a serious global recession.
With unemployment already on the rise and the labour market beginning to change
indefinitely, it’s now more important than ever before to be agile, adapt our strategy to the
worsening economic conditions, and get ready for hiring amidst a recession.
To navigate such an uncertain and unprecedented time. Recommendations to help get
started!
10 TIPS FOR RECESSION HIRING IN A POST-COVID-19 ERA
UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES TO THE JOB MARKET
COVID-19 has impacted just about every person, company, and industry out there—but
each has been affected in a different way.
Knowing where industry lies is the first step to revamping approach and hiring through a
recession.
“Some sectors have been eradicated, like hospitality and travel. Contrarywise to that, some
are absolutely flourishing. Logistics and healthcare workers are in huge claim as are certain
retail workers, like supermarkets.”
For example, that many previous hospitality employees will be looking for jobs in other
industries, and they will need to pay extra consideration to their convenient skills when
considering themselves for new roles.
Job seekers will also distinguish the health risks linked with certain roles such as frontline
positions, and might be cautious to apply for these.
GET AHEAD SHORT- AND LONG-TERM HIRING NEEDS
The key to recession hiring is to analyse and get ahead short- and long-term
needs before the post-COVID-19 era begins. To do this, you will need to quickly adapt
and adjust your hiring plan to effectively reflect the current and future state of the
workforce, instead of holding on to the plan you had made formerly the pandemic. Think
about how you are going to fill in the skills gaps at your organization, both now and later.
“Companies that are stressed today, should remember that this crisis will eventually end and
they should have a re-opening strategy in place. Keep former employees close because tens
of thousands of companies will re-open instantaneous, resulting in an unparalleled
recruitment storm.”
PREPARE FOR RECRUITMENT TECH LOAD
Staffing technology has never been more crucial than it is today. From remote interviewing
to applicant tracking, there are a number of solutions that can ease the process of hiring in
a recession. To prepare recruitment tech load, review the solutions that use right now and
see how they will help accomplish hiring needs in the weeks, months, and even years
ahead.

33. If we are looking for new tools, opt for agile solutions that you can continue using even
when your needs change. Here are some of the tools to consider adding to recruitment
tech pile to support hiring in recession:
 Sourcing tools
 Applicant tracking system
 Pre-employment assessment tools
 Virtual interviewing software
 Recruitment marketing suite
 Onboarding software
DEFINE WHAT CANDIDATE QUALITY MEANS FOR ORGANIZATION
While there’s no doubt that recruiters will soon see a substantial uptick in job applications,
it’s important to continue prioritizing job fit, person-organization, and candidate quality.
In times of cost optimizations and, budget cuts, organization don’t want to spend money on
hiring someone just to lose them because they weren’t a fit, and having to do the
recruitment process all over yet again.
By putting candidate quality foremost and making sure selecting the right candidates for
the roles in question, organizations can maintain a strong company culture and keep
engagement levels up—even during a difficult depression. Besides, the last thing
organization want is to be unable to find employees because you’ve made ill-suited
choices. Pre-employment assessments used first on in the hiring process can help
organizations weed through applications and find the people who are the best match for
their business.
Once organizations fully understand what candidate quality means for organization, they
should make it a point to analyse their recruitment channels and see where their best
candidates are coming from. Then they can focus your efforts on those channels and on
finding qualified candidates for organization.
FOCUS ON PROMOTING JOB SECURITY AND PROGRESS
When start hiring in a post-COVID-19 era, remember to focus on promoting long-term job
security and opportunities for development. That’s the number one thing job seekers will
be looking for in times of economic downturn.
If they’re trying to attract new employees during a recession, it’s important to build job
security into their employer value proposition (EVP). They can then promote security and
growth in their job postings and communications to candidates to ease their concerns
about the future.
ALIGN THE TEAM ON RECRUITMENT APPROACH
Recruitment strategy has obviously transformed, and it is need to make sure that internal
team is aware of the modifications. Making sure that people who are involved in
recruitment, such as hiring managers, team members, and executives, comprehend what
they’re focusing on right now and why.
By making sure team is aligned and up-to-date on your recruitment tactic, they can pivot
quickly and make sure everyone stays on the same page. They’ll also want to get their

34. team’s input when making hiring choices, so it will be helpful to make sure everyone is
allied from the jump.
NOT FORGET ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
It is easy to forget about diversity and inclusion in recruiting when you have a surge of
applicants lining up to work for you post-COVID-19. However, if organizations want to
continue building a productive, engaged workforce during the economic downturn, they
have to continue looking for diverse talent and creating an inclusive culture within
organization.
There is indication backing that diversity recruiting might even help company withstand
a depression. It’s been proven that inclusive companies fare better during tough financial
times.
Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, explained: “In our study of nearly 2,000
companies we found that key metrics related to equity and inclusion not only drive
stronger company innovation, but also predict whether companies will thrive or stumble
during a recession.”
FOCUS ON MAINTAINING A STRONG EMPLOYER BRAND
Mark Cuban, a well-known entrepreneur, said it best: how companies treat their
employees during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely define their brand for decades to
come. Your employer brand is always a top priority for your business; however, being
present and empathetic is especially critical, both right now and after the world returns to
some semblance of normalcy.
According to a LinkedIn survey, 1 in 4 company posts on their site mentions coronavirus.
What is more, companies on LinkedIn with the most engagement used specific keywords
and phrases more often than others. For example, terms like social distancing, public
health and take care garnered higher engagement than coronavirus posts with less
compassionate language.
The coronavirus posts from companies on LinkedIn that got the most engagement used
these words more often:
"Health"
"Help"
"People"
"Employees"
"Support"
"Social distancing"
"Health authorities"
"Public health"
'Take care"
"Healthcare workers"
Thinking about employer branding messaging and how one can reinforce employer brand
even in a difficult period, as it will have long-lasting effects.
HIRE FULLY REMOTE WORKERS AND FREE-LANCERS
Remote and contract work has been on the rise in recent years, with more and more
companies receiving less traditional work setups. Before COVID-19, 5 million employees,
or 3.6% of the U.S. workforce worked from home some or all of the time. With so many
companies enforced to embrace telecommuting, many believe remote work and
hiring will be the new normal in a post-pandemic world.

35. There is likely to be a significant upturn in the adoption of remote work. Some estimates
suggest that 25-30% of the global workforce will work from home several days a week by
the end of 2021.
It’s also a good time to consider hiring freelance workers if they’re unable to bring people
on full-time. This is a much better decision than a hiring freeze, and with 35% of the U.S.
workforce freelancing, there are plenty of candidates to choose from! Building a long-term
partnership with a freelance worker offers many of the same paybacks as hiring for full-
time, without all the costs that come with it.
BUILD A TALENT POOL AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH QUALITY CANDIDATES
Hiring efforts might be limited right now but it’s likely that companies are getting more
qualified candidates that they can hire. Building a talent pool and keeping them engaged
via relevant communiqué. Once you’re ramping up hiring again, making sure that talent
pool is the first choice to look for the candidates.
Here’s how Jennifer Ho, vice president of human resources at Ascentis, broke it
down: “Ensuring a solid pipeline of talent prospects will always be necessary. As
companies may find themselves in a hiring freeze, an established pipeline ensures
a smooth rebound when recruitment resumes. Also having a powerful employer
branding strategy integrated with your recruitment strategy will help bridge any
gaps.”

36. OUTCOME / CONCLUSION
The recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, given the human dimension of urgent workforce
challenges and the uncertainties facing business leaders, requires workforce strategies
which focus on both short-term recovery priority actions — Reflect, Recommit, Re-engage,
Rethink and Reboot — and reaching for the future and new normal — integrating the
attributes of Purpose, Potential, and Perspective.
These short-term actions — and long-term vision — present organizations with an
opportunity to rapidly assess and evaluate their earlier workforce strategies and response
priorities and to reposition themselves to thrive in the new realities to come. Organizations
may be tempted to dismiss the need for change or imagine recovery as a return to the
recent past. It is not. Organizations that return to their old ways of working may find their
competitors have taken advantage of the recovery to re-imagine their workforce and
business, positioning themselves to thrive in the future. By anticipating and orchestrating
these five priorities — Reflect, Recommit, Re-engage, Rethink, and Reboot — in the context
of a future directed towards Purpose, Potential, and Perspective — organizations can lead,
prepare, and support their workforce through the recovery phase while positioning
themselves for the next phase: thriving in the new normal.
The pandemic has caused turmoil in the labour market, with massive job and income
losses in the first half of 2020. Projecting labour market outcomes for the second half of the
year is a difficult task because of the lack of historical precedents that might give an
indication of how quickly labour markets can recover from such a crisis. However, it is still
essential to consider different potential recovery paths. To that end, the ILO model
predicts there will be recovery in employment in working age group below 25. Same
estimated by World Economic Forum in GDP recovery in year 2021 but fall in GDP growth
in 2020 Q2 and possible recovery in 2020 Q4.
Human memory is short and its grasp of history, even shorter. Therefore, we will do well
to remind ourselves that great progress has usually followed great tragedies. It is not
without reason that post WWII, economic expansion is also known as the golden age of
capitalism, post-war economic boom or simply the long boom. During this period, the
economies throughout the globe expanded bringing general level of prosperity and
bringing millions of people out of poverty and eventual destitution. This trend continued
until 1973-75. Let us look at a closer example. Economist and statisticians generally agree
that between 2004-2014, India saw its best decadal growth ever, in spite of the 2007-08
global subprime crisis. I have a very strong feeling that history would repeat itself.

37. ENHANCEMENT SCOPE
The project scope can be expanded by including more sectors and industries.
Estimation of hiring activities can be more precise and explanatory by including factors
and identifiers by using efficient predictive analysis methods.
Use of data from latest INDIAN STATISTICAL INSTITUTE.

38. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES
How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three
months to the end of September 2020 as compared to the current quarter?
Indian employers report cautious hiring plans for the third quarter of 2020 since it is
unpredictable when COVID-19 situation will end.
How have the recent changes to the job market affected the industry you’re most
active in?
It is important for you as a talent professional or a manager to stay on top of news about
the labour market developments to predict how they are going to affect your recruiting
efforts in the post-COVID-19 period.
How will it impact your candidate supply when you start hiring in a post-COVID-19
era?
The labour market is shifting from candidate-driven to employer-driven. However,
employers still need to be strategic about filling their roles and selecting the best
candidates.
What kind of candidates are you looking for?
Determine who an ideal candidate is for you before you start receiving applications and
review it once you get the applicants in.