84% Of Professionals In India Feel Unprepared To Find A Job In 2026: Report

In India, 84% of professionals feel unprepared to find a new job, even though 72% are actively seeking new roles in 2026, according to a report released by LinkedIn. This situation arises amid the growing influence of AI in hiring, rapidly changing skill requirements, and a highly competitive job market, the report stated.

As many as 87% are comfortable using AI at work, while many are uncertain about its use in hiring, with 77% feeling there are too many stages in the process and 66% finding it increasingly impersonal. Around 48% feel recruiter response time and lack of feedback exacerbate this, leaving professionals of all generations struggling to make their applications stand out.

The research indicates that AI has evolved from a productivity

tool to a confidence booster for Indian job seekers, with 94% planning to use it in their job search and 66% saying it boosts their interview confidence. About 76% of job seekers believe finding a new role has become tougher over the last year.

Applicants per open role in India have more than doubled since early 2022, intensifying competition and leaving many feeling unprepared. It’s not just job seekers facing challenges, nearly 74% of Indian recruiters find it harder to locate qualified talent, it stated.

The report further added that around 32% of Gen X job seekers are considering new functions or roles, while 32% of Gen Z job seekers are looking for positions outside their current industry. Meanwhile, more individuals are moving away from traditional roles towards entrepreneurship, with ‘founder’ becoming a popular title on LinkedIn.

Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and Sr. Managing Editor, LinkedIn India News, stated, “AI is now a foundational part of how careers are built and how talent is evaluated across India’s job market. What professionals need most is a clear understanding of how their skills translate into opportunity and how hiring decisions are actually made. When used with purpose, AI tools can bridge that gap by helping people identify the roles they’re right for, prepare with intent, and focus their learning where it matters most. That’s where LinkedIn helps job seekers and hirers meet the moment.”

As per LinkedIn’s India Jobs on the Rise report, Prompt Engineer has secured rank 1 followed by AI Engineer at 2, and Software Engineer and rank 3, indicating sustained demand for AI and tech talent. Manager of AI and Strategic Advisor secured the fourth and fifth places, respectively.