Freshworks Hiring Process for Freshers (2026)

Last updated: 11 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: Freshworks does not publish a fixed fresher process: applications go through its SmartRecruiters job board and each team runs a screen, skill rounds and a manager conversation. Entry-level openings are scarce in 2026. As of October 2026 its board listed 29 mostly senior roles, after cuts of about 660 jobs in November 2024 and about 500 in May 2026.

Key takeaways

• Freshworks routes all job applications through its SmartRecruiters board and groups roles into Product and Engineering, Sales and Marketing, Customer Service and Success, and Corporate.
• As of October 2026, Freshworks listed 29 openings, 11 in Bengaluru and 11 in Boston, with mostly lead, staff, principal or manager titles.
• Freshworks cut about 660 roles, around 13% of its workforce, in November 2024, according to Inc42.
• Entrepreneur India reported in May 2026 that Freshworks cut about 500 roles, around 11%, after having about 4,500 employees at the end of 2025.
• Freshworks says it serves more than 74,000 customers in over 120 countries.

What is the Freshworks hiring process for freshers?

Freshworks does not publish a fixed fresher process; its careers page sends every applicant to its job board on SmartRecruiters, and each team runs its own interviews. A typical path is an online application or referral, a recruiter screen, one or more role-specific rounds, and a hiring manager conversation, followed by an offer and background checks.

The honest headline for 2026 is that entry-level openings at Freshworks are scarce right now. The company has cut staff twice in 18 months, and its current listings lean senior. That does not mean the door is shut, but it changes how you should approach it.

This guide covers what Freshworks and reputable outlets say publicly and what that means for a fresher, especially one hoping to start in Chennai. For other employers, see our company hiring process guides.

What kind of company is Freshworks?

Freshworks builds customer service, IT service and sales software for businesses, and says it serves more than 74,000 customers in over 120 countries (Freshworks About). Indian business press often describes it as Chennai-born; Inc42 called it a Chennai-based company in November 2024 (Inc42).

Its careers page groups roles into four areas: Product and Engineering; Sales and Marketing; Customer Service and Success; and Corporate and other functions (Freshworks Careers). It lists five values: championing customers, being empowered to make an impact, setting high standards, making bold moves, and winning as one team.

Those values are worth memorising in your own words, because behavioural questions tend to map to them.

Is Freshworks hiring freshers in 2026?

Freshworks is hiring, but mostly for experienced roles. As of October 2026, its SmartRecruiters board listed 29 openings: 11 in Bengaluru, 11 in Boston and the rest in Berlin and other US cities (Freshworks on SmartRecruiters). The visible titles were lead, staff, principal, manager or director roles, and no Chennai openings appeared.

The context explains why:

In the May 2026 report, CEO Dennis Woodside said more than half of the company's code was now generated with AI tools, and the company said it would shift investment toward its employee experience products such as Freshservice (Entrepreneur India).

For a fresher, the takeaway is practical: keep Freshworks on your list, set a job alert, but do not make it your only target this year.

What does a Freshworks interview loop usually involve?

The table below describes stages commonly seen at product software companies of Freshworks' kind. It is a preparation map, not an official Freshworks process, and the order varies by team.

For engineering roles, expect data structures, problem-solving and questions about how a SaaS product handles many customers at once. For customer-facing roles, expect role-plays: an upset customer, a demo, or a renewal conversation.

How should a fresher prepare for Freshworks?

Prepare as if you already work with its products. A focused plan:

1. Get hands-on with a product. Use whatever trial or free access is available for a Freshworks product, such as Freshdesk or Freshservice, and set up a small help desk.
2. Learn the vocabulary: tickets, SLAs, automations, knowledge base, CSAT.
3. Choose your track: engineering, customer success and support, sales, or corporate.
4. Build proof: for engineers, a project with clean APIs and tests; for support or success, a short write-up of how you would cut response times for a small business.
5. Map stories to values: one story each for customer focus, high standards and teamwork.
6. Show AI fluency: given the company's stated AI shift, be ready to explain how you use AI tools and check their output.
7. Tailor your resume and check it with the Asuraa AI resume reviewer against the specific posting.

If customer-facing roles appeal to you, our guides on customer support jobs for freshers and sales jobs for freshers show how those careers grow.

What should you do if Freshworks has no junior openings?

Keep Freshworks as a target, but build a wider SaaS plan so your job search does not stall. A sensible approach:

• Set an alert on the SmartRecruiters board for Bengaluru and any India location, and check it weekly.
• Apply to comparable product companies. Indian SaaS and product firms test similar skills. Our Zoho hiring process guide covers another Chennai-rooted software company with its own approach to early-career hiring.
• Understand the trade-offs between product and services employers before you choose; see product vs service companies in India.
• Use customer-facing roles as an entry point. Support, customer success and inside sales roles at SaaS companies teach you the product deeply, and people often move into product, solutions or account roles later.
• Keep your product skills current. Help-desk tools, CRM basics and AI features are transferable across SaaS employers, so the time you spend learning Freshworks products is not wasted if you join someone else.

The point is to treat one company as an option, not a plan.

What do most guides on Freshworks hiring get wrong?

Most guides still describe Freshworks as a big Chennai fresher recruiter with an annual drive and a fixed set of rounds. That picture is out of date. The company's headcount was around 4,500 at the end of 2025 and fell further after the May 2026 cuts (Entrepreneur India), and its October 2026 openings were concentrated in Bengaluru and overseas, with senior titles (SmartRecruiters).

The useful correction: treat Freshworks as a competitive product company with occasional entry-level openings, not as a volume fresher employer. Build skills on its products, network with current employees for referrals, and apply when a junior role appears. Meanwhile, apply to other SaaS and product firms. If you are targeting Chennai specifically, our guide to jobs in Chennai covers the wider market.

How do you apply to Freshworks safely?

Apply only through the SmartRecruiters board linked from freshworks.com, and verify anyone who contacts you. A genuine process will include interviews and will not ask you to pay. If an offer arrives without interviews, through a personal email address, or with a request for money, treat it as fraud. Before you share ID documents or bank details with anyone claiming to hire for Freshworks, confirm the role exists on the official board and that the recruiter can be traced to the company. Scammers often borrow well-known brand names precisely because candidates are eager to say yes.

Related guides

• Company Hiring Process Guides for Freshers in India (2026)
• Razorpay Hiring Process for Freshers (2026)
• Wells Fargo India Hiring Process for Freshers (2026)
• PhonePe Hiring Process for Freshers (2026)

FAQ

Does Freshworks hire freshers in 2026?

Freshworks hires, but entry-level openings are limited in 2026. As of October 2026, its SmartRecruiters board listed 29 roles, mostly at lead, staff, principal or manager level, after workforce cuts in November 2024 and May 2026. Set a job alert, build skills on its products and seek referrals, but apply to other product companies in parallel.

How many interview rounds does Freshworks have?

Freshworks does not publish a fixed number of rounds. Candidates usually meet a recruiter screen, one or more skill rounds suited to the role, and a hiring manager discussion before HR and the offer. Engineers face coding and design questions, while support, success and sales candidates often get role-plays. Your recruiter can confirm the exact loop.

Where are Freshworks jobs located in India?

As of October 2026, the India openings on Freshworks' job board were in Bengaluru, with no Chennai roles visible, even though the company is often described as Chennai-born. Locations change as teams hire, so check each listing on the SmartRecruiters board. Some roles may also be in the company's US and European offices.

Why did Freshworks lay off employees?

Inc42 reported in November 2024 that Freshworks cut about 660 roles as part of a restructuring to improve efficiency. In May 2026, Entrepreneur India reported a further cut of about 500 roles, linked to a strategic realignment as AI took a larger role in software development and the company shifted investment toward employee experience products.

How should I prepare for a Freshworks interview?

Get hands-on with a Freshworks product such as Freshdesk through any available trial to learn tickets, SLAs and automations. Then prepare for your track: coding and design for engineering, role-plays for support and sales. Map behavioural stories to Freshworks' values such as championing customers and setting high standards, and be ready to discuss how you use AI tools responsibly.

How do I apply for a job at Freshworks?

Go to the careers page on freshworks.com and follow the links to its SmartRecruiters job board, where every opening has its own application. Tailor your resume to that job description. Genuine hiring includes interviews and never asks for payment, so treat any offer through personal email or with a fee request as fraud.

Final thoughts

Freshworks remains a respected product company, but in 2026 it is a selective employer rather than a volume fresher recruiter. Learn its products, prepare for your specific track, and keep several applications moving at once. You can find other entry-level SaaS and product openings on Asuraa Jobs.