What Recruiters Want from Freshers in 2027

Every year, students ask the same question: what do recruiters actually want? For the 2027 batch, the best evidence comes from employer surveys, and they agree on one thing. Hiring is moving from where did you study to what can you show.

Are employers still hiring freshers?

Yes, with a shift in the mix. TeamLease EdTech's Career Outlook for January to June 2026 surveyed 1,051 employers between November 2025 and January 2026. It found 73% planned to hire freshers. The edition for July to December 2026 surveyed 1,097 employers and put the figure at 75%, while IT hiring intent fell from 81% to 76%.

These are press reports of the survey, not the full report, so check the original before quoting a figure. The direction is clear: demand for freshers is steady, and it is moving between sectors.

What has changed in how recruiters screen?

Coverage of the same reports describes three shifts.

1. From degrees to skills. Employers are moving away from degree-based screening toward skills-first recruitment.
2. From claims to proof. The reports tie fresher employability to internships, projects, portfolios, apprenticeships and hackathons.
3. From volume to selection. TeamLease EdTech's Shantanu Rooj, as reported by People Matters, described the change as "less about how many freshers get hired, and more about which freshers get hired."

For a student, that means the same degree can lead to very different outcomes depending on what you can show next to it.

What exactly do recruiters look for?

Here is a plain translation of what employers say, and what to show for each.

FACE Prep lists five areas freshers are screened on: aptitude, coding, communication, domain knowledge and AI literacy. The names are not new. The weight on applying them is.

How important is AI fluency for freshers?

Increasingly important. TeamLease's reporting says AI fluency is moving from a novelty to an expectation, and entry-level roles are picking up a faster learning curve because of AI tools.

What counts is judgement, not tool names. Recruiters want to hear:

• What did you use AI for?
• How did you check the result?
• What did you change, and why?

If you can answer those three questions about your own project, you are ahead of most applicants. Our AI skills roadmap for engineering students covers this in detail, and Build Theory's guide to vibe coding vs vibe developing shows how to build with AI and still explain every part.

How do recruiters read a fresher's resume?

Recruiters look at many resumes quickly, and many companies use applicant tracking software first. So:

• Keep it simple. One page, clear headings, no heavy graphics.
• Lead with proof. Put projects above education.
• Make every claim checkable. Include a link next to each project.
• Cut what you cannot explain. Anything on the page is fair game in an interview.

Does your college still matter?

It matters for access, because some companies recruit only from certain campuses. It matters less for evaluation. If your college is outside the top tier, the way to compete is to make your evidence easy to find: a clear profile, a pinned project, a short story anyone can read in a minute. See our placement preparation plan for Tier-2 and Tier-3 colleges.

What does this mean for colleges?

If employers want evidence, colleges need a way to collect and present it: projects, internships, assessments and skills in one record that recruiters can review. That is the thinking behind platforms like 3E, which we build at Poditivity. We write about what to look for in such a system in our placement management system guide.

Key takeaways

• Employer surveys show steady fresher hiring intent: 73% and 75% in the two most recent halves reported.
• Screening is moving from degrees toward skills, proof of work and behaviour.
• Show, don't tell: link every claim to something a recruiter can check.
• AI fluency means using tools and knowing when not to trust them.
• Colleges that record student evidence help every student, especially outside the top tier.