Mid-level hiring outpaces fresher intake in IT, GCCs as firms seek experienced hands

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In 2024, middle management hiring in India, particularly within IT services and Global Capability Centers (GCCs), grew faster compared to fresher hiring, according to data from staffing firm Quess Corp. Positions requiring 4-10 years of experience grew by 4% year-over-year (YoY) while fresher hiring grew at a slower rate of 3% YoY.

“IT Infrastructure and Operations Managers are needed to handle the growing complexity of IT systems, while Service Delivery Leads are critical for ensuring smooth outsourced service delivery within GCCs,” Kapil Joshi, CEO of Quess IT Staffing, told Moneycontrol.

This assumes significance at a time when fresher hiring is still not out of the woods, and attrition is on the rise for all major IT companies. Moreover, a recent Zinnov-Ness Generative AI benchmarking study shows that generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) significantly enhances the productivity of senior talent compared to juniors, therefore fundamentally reshaping the traditional talent pyramid.

The demand for mid-level professionals is particularly strong in cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai, where businesses are focusing on leadership and technical expertise to drive growth.

Within IT services and GCCs, roles such as Project Manager, Delivery Manager, and Product Manager are essential for overseeing complex projects, managing client relations, and developing products, according to Joshi.

A GCC is a captive unit set up by a company to carry out information technology (IT) and related business functions.

Meanwhile, IT infrastructure and Operations Managers are required to handle increasingly complex IT environments, while Human Resource (HR) and talent development managers are in demand to nurture personnel in the evolving tech sector. Business Analysts and functional consultants play a key role in ensuring that IT solutions are in line with business objectives, making middle management hiring a strategic priority for organisations.

“The rising demand for middle management roles in IT services and GCCs reflects the need for professionals with both technical and leadership skills,” Joshi added.

Nishant Nishchal, Partner at management consulting firm Kearney, highlighted a shift in GCC hiring, with companies moving beyond traditional IT and shared services to focus on core capabilities such as procurement, engineering research and development (R&D), digital transformation, and operations & maintenance (O&M) support centers.

"Given the specialised capabilities that are now a focus, companies are prioritising talent with proven expertise, leading to a bias towards experienced hires," he said.

As GCCs continue to expand in India and IT companies see a turnaround in demand after 1.5 years, their focus on higher-order capabilities is expected to further increase the demand for experienced professionals.