Notwithstanding concerns of an economic slowdown, Indian employers are the most bullish worldwide when

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it comes to hiring, with robust recruitment plans for the next three months, especially in the services sector, says a survey.

"Indian employers report the most optimistic hiring intentions among the 41 countries and territories where the survey is conducted," global HR firm Manpower said in a report released today.

With a net employment outlook -- an indicator of hiring intentions -- of +41%, Indian employers are bullish about their recruitment plans for the first three months of 2012.

Reflecting better labour market conditions, the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey revealed the outlook has improved in six out of seven industry sectors for the March, 2012, quarter, compared to the previous three months.

As per the report, the services sector (+49%) and mining and construction sector (+47%) present the brightest hiring opportunities for job seekers in the next three months.

Manpower India Managing Director Sanjay Pandit said that despite uncertainties in global markets, hiring plans will bounce back after a slight decline in the final quarter of 2011.

"... Employers in India are anticipating a vigorous hiring pace in the next quarter. This trend is being led by the IT, banking and manufacturing companies, especially multinationals and large national corporations, which are planning to hire aggressively in the first quarter of 2012," he noted.

Going by the findings based on survey of 4,556 employers across India, the wholesale and retail trade sector had one of the weakest recruitment outlooks (+30%), though it was "solid".

The report said that employers in all four regions of India reported positive hiring plans for the next three months.

"With a net employment outlook of +44%, employers in the South, East and West regions report the most robust hiring plans, with employer optimism in the North region trailing only slightly with a similarly booming outlook of +40%," it added.

Globally, the Manpower Group's survey showed that hiring expectations are positive in 31 of 41 countries and territories for the quarter ended March, 2012.

"Hiring intentions for the first three months of the new year are strongest in India, Brazil, Taiwan, Panama and Turkey...," the survey said.

On the other hand, the weakest hiring intentions were reported from Greece, Hungary and Italy, where a greater percentage of employers are planning to trim payrolls rather than hire staff, the report noted.