New Delhi: India’s Marketing & Advertising sector is witnessing a sharp rise in fresher hiring demand, driven by the growing importance of AI-powered marketing, campaign analytics, ad-tech operations, and performance-led digital strategies, according to the latest Career Outlook Report for HY1 2026 released by TeamLease EdTech.
The report revealed that fresher hiring intent in the sector surged from 11% in HY1 2025 to 62% in HY1 2026, marking one of the strongest year-on-year increases across industries. The sector’s hiring intent has steadily grown over the past two years, moving from 6% in HY1 2024 to 9% in HY2 2024, 11% in HY1 2025, and 67% in HY2 2025.
The findings underscore the rapid evolution of India’s marketing ecosystem, where brands are increasingly investing in digital advertising, social commerce, creator-led marketing, performance marketing, and AI-enabled campaign management.
The report highlighted a visible shift in hiring priorities, with traditional brand and creative execution roles giving way to data-driven and technology-oriented functions. Emerging fresher roles gaining traction include Digital Campaign Analyst, AI Marketing Associate, Ads Operations Executive, and Market Research Assistant.
Commenting on the findings, Shantanu Rooj said, “What stands out in the current hiring cycle is that marketing is increasingly being treated as a measurable business function rather than only a creative one. Entry-level hiring today is being shaped by campaign analytics, marketing automation, ad operations, and AI-assisted execution. Employers are looking for candidates who can work across platforms, interpret performance data, and contribute to revenue-focused digital strategies from day one. This is also increasing the relevance of work-linked and industry-aligned learning models that help freshers build practical, job-ready skills for evolving digital marketing roles.”
Among cities, Pune emerged as the leading hub for Ads Operations Executive hiring with 51% demand, reflecting the growing importance of ad-tech and campaign management ecosystems. Hyderabad led hiring demand for Digital Campaign Analysts at 47%, highlighting increasing employer focus on analytics, campaign measurement, and optimisation.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru and Mumbai continued to remain key centres for digital marketing and performance-driven hiring, supported by strong activity across advertising, technology, and consumer-focused industries.
The report also pointed to the increasing integration of AI and automation into entry-level marketing roles. Marketing Automation featured among the top domain skills in demand during HY1 2026, while certifications such as the “Digital Marketing with GenAI Advanced Program” emerged among the most recommended employability-enhancing credentials for freshers.
The study further noted that the shift toward performance-driven marketing had already started gaining momentum in HY1 2025, when Performance Marketing emerged among the top in-demand skills. India’s digital advertising market is also projected to reach INR 1.12 lakh crore by 2025, further accelerating demand for digitally skilled talent.
The report concludes that India’s fresher marketing hiring ecosystem is rapidly evolving beyond conventional digital marketing functions, with employers increasingly prioritising candidates skilled in analytics-driven decision-making, AI-assisted campaign execution, social commerce, digital operations, and performance marketing.
The HY1 2026 Career Outlook Report is based on responses from 1,051 employers surveyed between November 2025 and January 2026 across industries and cities in India.
