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3 Ways Global Tech Leaders can Win the Race for Top Tech Talent in India
3 Ways Global Tech Leaders can Win the Race for Top Tech Talent in India

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India’s technology sector is experiencing tremendous growth, with global enterprises increasingly viewing this market as a strategic focal point for hiring top software engineers. Indian tech talent rivals some of the most prominent American and European tech markets, with several cities - such as Hyderabad, Chennai, and Gurgaon - standing out as centers of engineering excellence. 

With six cities in India ranking in the top 20 global cities for software engineering performance on technical interviews (second only to the United States), it’s no surprise that organizations are ramping up their hiring efforts in India. However, in a market with nearly 6 million software developers, the ability to generate a predictive hiring signal at scale and with speed is essential. In this blog, we explore three key trends that can help global tech leaders capitalize on India’s booming tech sector based on Karat’s analysis of more than 300,000 technical interviews conducted globally.  

Trend #1: The Indian market is fast-paced

The hiring market in India moves faster than in the United States and Europe (US/EU). Candidates expect shorter windows from initial engagement to interviews to offers, and delays can result in high candidate dropout. Karat’s analysis of more than 300,000 interviews shows the median Indian candidate completed their technical interview 19% faster than their US/EU counterpart. 

This is the difference between going from invite to scheduling to completed interview in four days as opposed to five. Indian candidates were 38% more likely to complete their technical interviews within four calendar days, which is the time interval where the best hiring efficiency is observed. 

One way leading organizations adapt to this pace to plan ahead to ensure adequate interviewing availability. Another way to accelerate the process is having recruiters schedule interviews for candidates directly. These approaches are successful at a global scale, but are especially important for organizations looking to move top candidates quickly through the hiring process in the fast-paced Indian market.

Trend #2: Indian candidates value flexibility

Candidates in India are more likely to take advantage of flexible interview practices. 58% of Indian candidates chose to schedule interviews for off-hours (nights and weekends), compared to just 44% among candidates in the US/EU. Indian candidates were also slightly more likely to utilize redo interviews--an opportunity for candidates who felt they could improve upon their performance to take a second interview. 

The redo not only helps reduce false negatives for candidates who may have had a bad day, but it also helps identify candidates who are excited about your open role. In India, close rates (the percentage of candidates who accept offers) are 17% higher for candidates who took redo interviews compared to those who did not. Flexible interview practices help companies accommodate Indian candidates while also improving hiring efficiency. 

Trend #3: Candidate experience is vital to success in the Indian market 

India exhibits slightly higher interview completion rates than the US/EU, meaning candidates invited to interview are more likely to see the process through to the end. This is thanks to very low early dropout rates: just 7% of Indian candidates who receive an invite drop out before scheduling (compared to 17% in the US/EU). 

However, recruiters for India-based roles need to prioritize candidate experience with proactive and consistent communication. The India market experiences 24% more reschedules and nearly 2x more late cancellations within 24 hours of the interview (i.e. “no-shows”) than the US/EU, which can be frustrating for companies seeking to hire in this region. 

These no-shows are a side effect of the frustrations stemming from poor candidate experiences that have been commonplace in India for years. These experiences range from extremely slow hiring processes to companies “ghosting” candidates. This is particularly problematic in high-volume markets like India, where many organizations have interviewed the same candidates multiple times in a year for different positions due to lack of organization and follow-up with candidates. Taking time to provide a personal touch, communicating clearly and frequently, and closing the loop with candidates will help build brand advocacy in the Indian hiring market.

In post-interview surveys, the two most common positive candidate experience themes we see are around convenient scheduling, and about having an engaged, friendly, and professional Interview Engineer. The high completion we see in India rates are a testament to this, and the qualitative data backs it up, with Indian candidates averaging a 4.5 out of 5 experience rating (vs US/EU: 4.3).

Hiring in India is key for global success

India’s hiring boom is undeniable, with international enterprise companies increasing their interviewing efforts by 64% in the second half of 2022 compared to the previous year. The organizations that succeed in India will have a huge advantage over their global competitors and peers with access to world-class concentrations of top tech talent. To do this, engineering and talent leaders need to prioritize speed, flexibility, and delivering a great candidate experience. By doing so, they can attract the best and brightest talent that India has to offer. 

By Patrick Wu, Senior Insights Analyst, Karat


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