Microsoft, Oracle, Google step up hiring in India
Microsoft, LinkedIn, Oracle, Facebook and Google are increasing their staff in India triggering a talent war with Indian information technology services providers.
These US-based firms are seeking Indian engineers to work on technologies similar to their global counterparts even as they face rising protectionism in their home market.
“Facebook, LinkedIn and other companies are increasing headcount in India. Some of them doubled the number in the last four months,” a source said.
Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Oracle and Apple did not comment for this article.
Sources said the India delivery centres of these companies were on a par with global resources and they’re trying to create competence instead of acting as backend offices.
Other US-based companies like Target and Lowe’s are hiring engineers in India in areas like machine learning, big data analytics and networking.
“India is a hotbed for experimentation in digital technologies ,” said An and Sub ra ma ni am, engagement manager, Z in nov, a management consultancy and research firm.
Target India, which has 2,500 employees in India, will hire professionals in technology and areas such as marketing, supply chain and animation. “We will hire talent with Java and Open Source capabilities and for niche areas with expertise in machine learning and neuro-linguistic programming. In addition to technology, India has a talent pool in computer-generated imagery and animation. Our marketing team is looking to expand our CGI capabilities and tap this pool,” said Shalini Natraj, head of HR at Target India.
A Bain & Company report published last month said global in-house centres (GICs) in India would play a bigger role for enterprises. “Indian GICs will play a more active role in driving top-of-mind investment priorities of global C-level executives at Fortune 1,000 companies in the next three to five years. In addition, more senior leaders of the enterprise, particularly those two levels below CEOs, will operate out of Indian GICs over this period,” the report added.
Lowe’s, a $65 billion home improvement company that has 1,000 employees in India, said its IT and analytics capabilities in the country would amplify its growth strategy.