Pune: The city will witness an overall hiring growth of 14 per cent in sales sector in coming fiscal year as the sector will see maximum job growth in non-farm category, said Amit Vadera, General Manager, TeamLease Services. 

TeamLease Services presented a survey based on government reports which claimed that 2.5 million new jobs will be created in next three years owing to a combination of macroeconomic, strategic and technological factors like GST, FDI, digitisation and artificial intelligence. 

"It also said salaries would go up 25 per cent but the threat for the sector is from e-commerce," said Vadera. Pune has 11 per cent of India's total sales talent pool while the expected growth is 8 per cent. 

"Pune sector has seen a steady increase of 14 per cent in hiring sentiment," said Vadera, adding that the skill availability in Pune is learning agility, adaptability, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and self-determination. 

Pune's economic growth drivers are two-fold with conservative industrial/ manufacturing economy and the new age economy of IT and ITEs, added Vadera. The analysis of the survey presents that the rapid transformation of business models by modernisation, corporatisation, product and brand proliferation and technology has reshaped the sales function. 

"Although the sector sees a growth potential, sales skills are a critical deficiency across sectors and across all levels of an organisation. There is no school or college which gives you the skills required for sales sector," he said. But growth and investments, capacity creation/ expansion and innovation are the major drivers of sales jobs in FMGC, FMCD, Retail and e-commerce, he added. 

When asked about gender equality in this sector, Vadera said there was no study done in that regard but more women can be seen in over the counter sales.