Entry-level hiring climbs 168% as AI roles and internships gain ground: LinkedIn

Entry-level hiring in India has surged sharply in recent years, with recruitment rising 168% between 2023 and 2025, driven by demand for AI-led roles, expanding opportunities beyond metros, and a growing reliance on internships as a hiring pipeline, according to LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2026.

The report, based on analysis of millions of career trajectories, points to a structural shift in how organisations are hiring and how early careers are being shaped across sectors.

---

AI and digital roles anchor demand

AI Specialist, Generative AI Engineer and Digital Content Creator are among the fastest-growing roles for fresh graduates in India, signalling sustained demand for digital and AI-linked capabilities.

At the same time, hiring is not confined to technology alone. Entry-level roles are expanding across Human Resources, Consulting, Information Technology, Marketing, Program and Project Management, and Business Development, reflecting a broader-based hiring recovery.

Nirajita Banerjee, Career Expert and India Senior Managing Editor at LinkedIn News, said the data reflects a shift towards skills portability across industries. “Early careers are increasingly shaped by experiences across roles and industries,” she said, adding that professionals must remain open to non-linear career paths.

---

Smaller firms and non-metros gain ground

The report highlights a significant redistribution of hiring demand across company size and geography.

Hiring into firms with 1 to 10 employees rose 64% for bachelor’s degree holders between 2023 and 2025. For the wider entry-level workforce, the increase was 168%, indicating that smaller organisations are becoming key entry points for early career talent.

Geographically, hiring is expanding beyond traditional hubs. Cities such as Vijayawada, Bhopal, Jaipur, Indore, Gwalior and Vadodara are emerging as fast-growing locations for entry-level roles, pointing to a decentralisation of job opportunities.

---

Internships become a critical hiring pathway

LinkedIn’s data shows a clear shift towards internship-led hiring.

A higher proportion of entry-level hires between 2023 and 2025 had completed internships compared to the 2020 to 2022 period. The most significant increases were recorded in Legal, Product Management, Consulting, Engineering and Business Development roles.

Post-graduation internships are also on the rise, particularly in Program and Project Management, Engineering, IT, Media and Marketing, indicating that employers are using internships as extended evaluation pipelines before full-time hiring.

---

Sector mix broadens beyond technology

While digital roles dominate, sectoral demand is diversifying. LinkedIn identifies Utilities, Education, Government Administration, Transportation and Logistics, and Energy Technology among the fastest-growing industries for career starters.

This suggests that hiring momentum is spreading into infrastructure, public services and energy-linked sectors, alongside traditional corporate and technology roles.

---

Outlook: skills and flexibility define early careers

The findings point to a more fluid early career landscape, where skills, adaptability and cross-sector mobility are becoming more critical than linear career progression.

For employers, the shift signals a growing need to build structured internship pipelines, expand hiring beyond metros, and tap into smaller talent pools. For jobseekers, it reinforces the importance of skills validation, project-based experience and openness to emerging roles.

As hiring patterns continue to evolve, LinkedIn’s data suggests that the entry-level job market is becoming both broader and more competitive, with AI capabilities and practical experience increasingly shaping outcomes.