White collar hiring slows as firms reorganize amid AI testing
If you're eyeing a white-collar job, things are a bit slow right now. Companies are holding off on big hiring sprees as they figure out how to use AI and automation in their workflows.
TeamLease's CFO Ramani Dathi says firms are still testing the waters with AI, so instead of adding new roles, they're reorganizing existing teams.
Data from Naukri JobSpeak shows hiring growth dropped sharply, from 12% in February to just 1% by May.
AI roles up 22% in May
While general hiring is quiet, there's strong demand for people with hands-on experience in machine learning, data engineering, and MLOps: AI-related roles saw a 22% year-on-year increase in May.
But companies say it's tough to find qualified talent, so those who fit the bill can command higher salaries, especially for contract gigs.
As Dathi puts it, this isn't about losing jobs forever—it's more about the job market reshuffling itself around new tech needs.