HCLTech to hire elite freshers for data AI cybersecurity roles
HCLTech is switching up its hiring game by looking for high-potential freshers to fill roles in data and AI, cybersecurity, digital engineering, and enterprise platforms.
Instead of bringing in huge numbers, the company says it is focusing on quality over quantity, with Chief HR Officer Ramachandran Sundararajan noting they are building an "elite cadre" of new hires who are expected to evolve into Forward Deployed Engineers over the next two to three years.
HCLTech plans year-round hiring
About 15% to 20% of this fiscal year's (FY27: Apr 2026-Mar 2027) fresher intake will come from this elite group, depending on how much talent is out there.
Hiring will happen throughout the year instead of all at once.
Even as HCLTech added more than 1,000 freshers recently, overall headcount dropped due to people leaving.
On the bright side, the company just landed $2.4 billion in new deals last quarter and saw profits jump 20%, so they're betting big on quality talent for what's next.