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New Delhi: While a record number of Indians will be actively seeking new jobs in 2026, many professionals feel they are not prepared to compete in the rapidly evolving job market. Many have also found themselves left behind in the AI-driven recruitment process due to increasing competition, coupled with uncertainty about job fit and skills gaps.
According to a LinkedIn report, 84 per cent of professionals feel they are not prepared to find a new job, while 72 per cent said they are actively looking for a new role this year. This comes amidst the rise of AI in the recruitment process. Data reveals that the number of applicants per role in India has more than doubled since the beginning of 2022, indicating that competition is intensifying and many feel unprepared. Nearly 74 per cent of Indian recruiters felt that finding the right candidate had become more difficult in the past year.
The report finds that almost 32 per cent of Gen X job seekers are considering new functions or roles, while 32 per cent of Gen Zers are looking for roles outside their current industry. Interestingly, more people are stepping outside of traditional roles and into entrepreneurship, with 'founder' rapidly growing on LinkedIn.
Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and Senior Managing Editor, LinkedIn India News, said, "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."
LinkedIn's India Jobs on the Rise report shared the top 25 fastest-growing jobs in the country. Prompt Engineer stands tall in the first position. AI Engineer and Software Engineer placed second and third, respectively. The rankings also indicate healthy demand across sales and brand strategy, cybersecurity, and advisory functions.
LinkedIn research data clearly illustrates today's job market, across generations, from professionals just starting their careers to experienced workers. The reason is simple and clear: technology has not become a trusted ally as the hiring process has become more automated. With job applications being rejected without proper explanation before any human interaction, it's not entirely clear to everyone what employers are truly looking for. Considering these ambiguities, the belief has emerged that predicting career progression is becoming difficult. This is not great news for the Indian job market.
Undoubtedly, change is inevitable. We must upgrade our skills and adapt to a technology-driven world. The growing gap between employers and prospective job seekers is not necessarily due to a lack of skills. AI has its own advantages and disadvantages; it makes data-driven recruitment more efficient but also more impersonal. The current scenario reveals that recruitment systems are evolving faster than career norms. The real test for the Indian workforce is not about learning new skills, but about better understanding the system itself.
