State of Hiring: October 2026
Published 4 November 2026 · Updated 4 November 2026
Tech Is Back in the Room: IT Rebounds as Non-IT Hiring Takes a Post-Festive PauseOctober 2026 hiring across India's major sectors was Stable month-on-month (-2.4%) and 24.2% higher than October 2025. The headline hides a sharp rotation underneath.
The headline hides a sharp rotation underneath
October 2026 hiring across India's major sectors was Stable month-on-month (-2.4%) and 24.2% higher than October 2025.
IT was the standout
Technology hiring rose 14.6% MoM, the strongest move of any major sector. It is now almost level with a year ago (-1.8% YoY, against -21.6% YoY in August). IT's share of hiring climbed from 16.9% to 19.9% in a single month.
See the IT rebound ↓Non-IT hiring paused after a strong September
Seven of the eight major sectors were flat or lower MoM. FMCG (-17.1%) and Real Estate (-10.6%) fell sharply. Manufacturing, BFSI and Travel eased moderately. Pharma and Retail held steady.
See the sector view ↓The year-on-year picture remains strong
Travel (+72.4%), Pharma (+48.5%), FMCG (+45.8%) and Real Estate (+44.1%) are all well ahead of October 2025. Manufacturing (+20.5%) and BFSI (+13.2%) also show strong annual growth.
Compare sectors ↓The employer mix is shifting
GCCs made up 8.9% of technology hiring, up for the second month running (6.2% in August, 6.8% in September). Product and hybrid companies rose to 4.7%, their highest share since April.
See employer mix ↓The headline for talent leaders
October's story is not about volume. It is about where demand is turning, and how fast TA teams can respond.
October 2026 hiring trends at a glance
IT was the only major sector to post strong month-on-month growth. Every sector except IT and Retail shows strong year-on-year growth.
Hiring, month on month
ContextStable across India's major sectors, October vs September 2026.−2.4%
Stable
Hiring, year on year
ContextHigher than October 2025.+24.2%
vs October 2025
IT hiring, month on month
ContextThe strongest move of any major sector.+14.6%
Strong growth
IT share of hiring
ContextClimbed from 16.9% to 19.9% in a single month.19.9%
Marker shows 16.9% a month earlier
GCC share of technology hiring
ContextUp for the second month running: 6.2% in August, 6.8% in September.8.9%
6.8% in September
Q2 vs Q1 FY26-27
ContextMost of the gap comes from an unusual May peak in Manufacturing and Travel. October opened Q3 within 1.5% of the Q2 monthly average.−10.3%
Jul to Sep vs Apr to Jun 2026
Sector momentum map
Month on month change (up) against year on year change (across). Bubble size follows share of hiring.
The chart could not load. The full data is in the table.
Share of hiring by sector
Each sector's share of October hiring
The chart could not load. The full data is in the table.
View sector data table
| Sector | Share of hiring (Oct) | MoM change | MoM signal | YoY change | YoY signal | Oct vs April 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 26.4% | -7.6% | Moderate decline | +20.5% | Strong growth | -5.1% |
| Pharma | 23.8% | -0.6% | Stable | +48.5% | Strong growth | +9.4% |
| IT | 19.9% | +14.6% | Strong growth | -1.8% | Stable | -15.9% |
| Travel | 7.9% | -5.0% | Moderate decline | +72.4% | Strong growth | +9.9% |
| Retail | 6.6% | -0.4% | Stable | +1.9% | Stable | +9.9% |
| FMCG | 6.1% | -17.1% | Sharp decline | +45.8% | Strong growth | +7.8% |
| Real Estate | 5.8% | -10.6% | Sharp decline | +44.1% | Strong growth | +5.1% |
| BFSI | 3.4% | -7.4% | Moderate decline | +13.2% | Strong growth | -60.7% |
Hospitality joined coverage in January 2026. It fell 16.6% MoM in October after a September peak. It is left out of the totals above because it has no October 2025 data to compare against.
Financial-year view
Q2 FY26-27 (July to September 2026) ran 10.3% below Q1 (April to June). Most of the gap comes from an unusual May peak in Manufacturing and Travel. October opened Q3 within 1.5% of the Q2 monthly average, a Stable start.
Sector hiring trends: where demand is turning
Select a sector to see its numbers, what is driving them and what it means for hiring.
IT hiring rebounds: the gap to last year has almost closed
+14.6%
Month on month, strongest of any major sector
19.9%
Share of all hiring, up from 16.9%
−1.8%
Year on year, effectively Stable
−15.9%
vs April 2026 (−12.4% vs July)
IT hiring vs the same month last year
August -21.6%, September -21.4%, October -1.8% year on year.
IT hiring grew 14.6% month-on-month in October, the strongest growth of any major sector. IT's share of all hiring rose from 16.9% to 19.9%.
The year-on-year turnaround is the bigger signal. IT was 21.6% below the previous year in August and 21.4% below in September. In October it is just 1.8% below, which is effectively Stable.
The recovery is not complete. IT hiring is still 12.4% below July and 15.9% below April. In August and September it sat about 27% below April. But after a sharp fall in August and a flat September, demand has clearly reopened.
Market signal
A rebound this size at the start of Q3 suggests technology hiring held back in August and September may be moving again.
What this means for hiring
If demand keeps building, competition for engineers will build with it. Speed-to-offer will matter more.
Consumer sectors cool after a festive September
−16.6%
Hospitality, MoM (+11.6% vs April)
−17.1%
FMCG, MoM (+7.8% vs April)
−10.6%
Real Estate, MoM (+5.1% vs April)
−0.4%
Retail, MoM, Stable (+9.9% vs April)
Gap to April 2026: September peak vs October
The chart could not load. The data is in the table.
FMCG, Real Estate and Hospitality all dipped sharply in October after strong Septembers, yet each remains above its April level. Retail held steady.
The September peaks were large: Hospitality was 33.8% above April, FMCG 29.9% and Real Estate 17.5%. October gave back most of that, but not all of it. FMCG and Real Estate are also more than 40% ahead of October 2025. Retail is the exception, finishing the month Stable.
| Sector | MoM change (Oct) | MoM signal | Oct vs April 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality | -16.6% | Sharp decline | +11.6% |
| FMCG | -17.1% | Sharp decline | +7.8% |
| Real Estate | -10.6% | Sharp decline | +5.1% |
| Retail | -0.4% | Stable | +9.9% |
Market signal
The pattern looks like a post-festive pause rather than a downturn.
What this means for hiring
November and December are a window to plan ahead for these sectors.
Pharma and Manufacturing: the two anchors of the hiring market
50.3%
Together, Pharma and Manufacturing account for just over half of all hiring across the major sectors.
+20.5%
Manufacturing, year on year
−7.6%
Manufacturing, MoM (Moderate decline)
+48.5%
Pharma, year on year
−0.6%
Pharma, MoM (Stable)
Manufacturing is the largest single sector at 26.4% share. It eased 7.6% MoM, a Moderate decline, but is still 20.5% higher than October 2025. Its share has held between 26% and 28% for three months.
Pharma is among the most consistent sectors in the market. From June onward, its month-to-month moves have stayed within 5%, and October was Stable again (-0.6%). Its share has grown from 19.9% a year ago to 23.8%, and it is 48.5% ahead of October 2025.
Pharma share of hiring
October 202519.9%
October 202623.8%
What this means for hiring
Steady demand like this justifies always-on pipelines, rather than requisition-by-requisition sourcing.
BFSI: where hiring stands
−7.4%
Month on month
3.4%
Share of all hiring
−60.7%
Oct vs April 2026
+13.2%
Year on year, from a low base
BFSI hiring fell 7.4% in October and now makes up 3.4% of all hiring. It dropped by more than half between July and August and has not recovered. October sits about 61% below April.
BFSI is still 13.2% ahead of October 2025. But last year's October was itself a sharp fall from September, so that comparison starts from a low base.
What this means for hiring
With fewer open roles, every BFSI hire counts for more. Sharp sourcing and careful assessment will matter more than reach.
Employer mix: GCCs and product companies gain ground
GCCs made up 8.9% of technology hiring in October, up from 6.2% in August and 6.8% in September. Product and hybrid companies rose to 4.7%, their highest share since April. IT Services remains dominant at 86.4%, down from 93.4% in August.
Share of technology hiring by segment, October
IT Services, GCCs and product / hybrid companies
| Segment | Share, Oct | Context |
|---|---|---|
| IT Services | 86.4% | Down from 93.4% in August |
| GCCs | 8.9% | 6.2% in August, 6.8% in September |
| Product / Hybrid | 4.7% | Highest share since April |
GCC share of technology hiring
Up for the second month running
August 6.2%, September 6.8%, October 8.9%.
GCC share is still well below the 16% to 17% seen in April and May. Over the past 18 months it has swung between roughly 5% and 24%, peaking in May 2025, September 2025 and again in April and May 2026. GCC hiring arrives in bursts, not a steady stream.
What this means for hiring
Keep specialist talent communities warm between bursts. You will fill roles faster when the next wave lands.
Technology skills: AI/ML leads, build roles close behind
AI/ML is still the most in-demand technology skill at 18.8%. Backend Development follows at 17.2%, then Full Stack at 15.9%.
Share of IT skill tags, October
Build skills highlighted in green
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View data table
| Rank | Skill | Share of IT skill tags |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AI / ML | 18.8% |
| 2 | Backend Development | 17.2% |
| 3 | Full Stack | 15.9% |
| 4 | ERP / EAI | 15.5% |
| 5 | Cybersecurity | 10.7% |
| 6 | Frontend Development | 7.7% |
| 7 | IoT | 7.2% |
| 8 | Data Science / Analytics | 6.7% |
| 9 | Testing / QA | 0.3% |
Hiring across business functions: IT takes a bigger slice
IT roles made up 56.7% of all postings by business function in October, up from 53.2% in August. Every other function lost share.
Share of postings by function, October
Each function's share of postings across all functions
The chart could not load. The full data is in the table.
View data table
| Function | Share of postings (Oct) | Change since Aug |
|---|---|---|
| IT | 56.7% | +3.5 pts |
| Sales | 22.9% | -1.8 pts |
| Finance | 9.7% | -0.5 pts |
| Marketing | 5.5% | -0.9 pts |
| HR | 5.2% | -0.3 pts |
The talent map: each hub has a clear specialism
Bengaluru leads IT hiring. Delhi NCR and Mumbai lead Non-IT hiring. Delhi NCR is the only market in the top two for both.
Share of IT and Non-IT hiring by region
Each region's share of IT hiring and of Non-IT hiring
The chart could not load. The full data is in the table.
View data table
| Region | Share of IT hiring | Share of Non-IT hiring | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | 27.6% | 14.8% | Deepest IT market; strongly IT-leaning |
| Delhi NCR | 17.5% | 23.1% | Largest Non-IT market and second-largest IT market |
| Hyderabad | 14.1% | 8.2% | IT-leaning |
| Pune | 12.6% | 8.2% | IT-leaning |
| Mumbai MMR | 12.5% | 22.9% | Strongly Non-IT-leaning |
| Chennai | 9.2% | 8.0% | Balanced, slightly IT-leaning |
| Tier 2 and 3 cities (12) | 6.4% | 14.7% | Non-IT-leaning |
- Delhi NCR counts Noida and Gurugram alongside Delhi, which gives it an IT base second only to Bengaluru. Its corporate and sales ecosystem makes it the largest Non-IT market.
- Tier 2 and 3 cities take a much bigger share of Non-IT hiring (14.7%) than of IT hiring (6.4%). Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Jaipur and Kochi lead Non-IT hiring in this group.
What this means for hiring
Location strategy should follow function. Technology pipelines still centre on Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune. Non-IT hiring leans towards Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Tier 2 cities.
The October hiring landscape in five signals
1
Technology demand has reopened.
IT grew 14.6% MoM and is now almost level with last year.
2
Consumer sectors are taking a post-festive pause.
FMCG, Real Estate and Hospitality fell sharply after September peaks, yet all remain above April levels.
3
Pharma and Manufacturing carry half the market.
Steady demand with strong year-on-year growth.
4
GCCs and product companies are gaining share.
GCC share of technology hiring rose for a second straight month.
5
Build skills sit close behind AI/ML.
Backend, Full Stack and Frontend together make up about 41% of IT skill demand.
TA insights for October
Five priorities for talent acquisition leaders. Select each one to read the detail.
IT demand reopened in October. Refresh warm talent pools now and shorten interview-to-offer cycles. Read: what is a talent pipeline? · Read: the interview-to-offer gap
AI programmes still need backend and full stack engineers to deliver. Assess for production engineering depth alongside AI exposure. AI/ML hiring · Software engineering hiring
November and December are a window to line up FMCG, Retail, Real Estate and Hospitality talent. Consumer sector hiring · Contract hire and payroll
GCC share is rising again. Build niche talent communities rather than sourcing in volume from IT services pools. GCC hiring services in India · Read: passive candidate sourcing
Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune for technology. Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Tier 2 cities for Non-IT roles. Delhi NCR offers depth in both. Read: workforce planning · RPO and managed services
The PeopleLogic view
The advantage is no longer access to more candidates. It is knowing where demand is turning, and being ready when it does.
October shows how quickly India's hiring landscape can rotate. In a single month, technology went from two weak months to the fastest-growing sector, while consumer sectors stepped back from their festive peak.
For TA leaders, the lesson is that annual hiring plans need monthly steering. Organisations that read these shifts early and redirect sourcing as demand moves will reach scarce talent first.
About the report
The State of Hiring report is based on analysis of job listings and hiring patterns across key IT and Non-IT industries, technology segments, business functions and geographic markets.
The October analysis covers hiring trends across IT, Manufacturing, Travel, BFSI, Retail, FMCG, Pharma, Real Estate and Hospitality, along with technology roles, employer segments and major Indian talent markets.
Methodology
This report is based on PeopleLogic's internal hiring data. It tracks job listings across major sectors: IT, Manufacturing, Pharma, BFSI, Retail, FMCG, Travel and Real Estate. We show shares, percentage changes and directional signals, not absolute numbers. Month-on-month compares October 2026 with September 2026. Year-on-year compares it with October 2025. Skill, function and location shares count tags, so one job can appear more than once.
About PeopleLogic
PeopleLogic Business Solutions is a Bengaluru-headquartered talent solutions company with 18+ years of experience across technology and non-technology hiring, partnering with 300+ enterprises and GCCs across India and APAC.
Read more editions of State of Hiring and The People Weekly.
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Source: PeopleLogic, State of Hiring Report, October 2026.
Shares, percentage changes and directional signals from PeopleLogic's internal hiring data. Month-on-month compares October 2026 with September 2026; year-on-year compares it with October 2025.
