New Delhi, March 8, 2010: More women are likely to join the corporate workforce in the country this year, with overall hiring prospects picking up and companies increasingly believing in maintaining a healthy male-female ratio, recruitment experts said.

"Most organisations that stressed on being equal opportunity providers ensured that the male-female ratio was maintained. Now, with opening of markets and opportunities, there will be a resurgence of female job applicants," staffing firm TeamLease Services General Manager Surabhi Mathur Gandhi said.

IT services firm ITC Infotech's HR Head Anand Talwar said, "Yes, more women are expected to join this year into the country's workforce. As they make up about one-fourth of the workforce and with hiring prospects picking up significantly, the female employee strength is also expected to rise."

Some other specialists said that certain sectors such as retail, telecom, hospitality, banking and outsourcing are likely to attract most of the female talent.

"The sectors which are a lot more open to women include telecom, retail, BPOs, KPOs and pharma research firms," Korn/Ferry International practice head, leadership and talent consulting Nina Chatrath said.