68% of Indian professionals to look for new jobs; 51% expect 31%+ hike | Personal Finance
Amid broader employment uncertainty, Indian professionals are approaching 2027 with strong career ambitions, as 68.4% are planning to actively look for a new job, according to foundit’s Career Reset Survey 2027.
Career growth emerged as the biggest motivation for switching jobs, cited by 40.3% of respondents, ahead of higher salary (29.7%) and better work-life balance (20.3%). However, compensation remains a key consideration, with 51.5% expecting a salary hike of 31% or more to make a switch worthwhile.
While 18.1% intend to stay in their current jobs but remain open to opportunities, only 3.7% plan to stay and grow within their existing organisations.
Based on responses from 9,951 professionals across India, the survey revealed that career growth, higher compensation and future-ready skills are shaping career decisions, with 94.1% confident of finding a good job if needed.
“What stands out is that career growth is taking precedence over immediate financial gains, even as salary expectations remain high. At the same time, the growing emphasis on AI upskilling signals that professionals recognise the need to continuously evolve as job roles transform. For employers, the challenge is no longer just attracting talent, but creating meaningful growth opportunities, building future-ready capabilities and ensuring that hiring practices keep pace with changing workforce expectations,” said Tarun Sinha, CEO, foundit.
Career growth takes priority, while salary expectations remain high
Career advancement remains the strongest factor influencing job changes in 2027, followed by compensation and work-life balance. Job security, despite broader employment concerns, ranks lower as a primary switching motivation.
Career growth, rather than higher pay, emerged as the leading reason for considering a switch.
Salary alone would not prompt a switch
Around 31.2 per cent said a salary hike of 31-50 per cent would make a switch worthwhile, while 20.4 per cent expected an increase of more than 50 per cen
AI upskilling gains momentum as professionals prepare for changing roles
As AI continues to reshape workplace requirements, 82.1% of respondents view it as a career opportunity, including 67% who are actively upskilling. Another 15.2% recognise its potential but have not yet taken action.
Around 67 per cent said they saw AI as an opportunity and were already actively upskilling
Hiring delays and lack of feedback remain major frustrations
Despite strong employment confidence, the recruitment experience remains a challenge. Over half of respondents (52.7%) cite applying for jobs and never hearing back as their biggest frustration, followed by lengthy hiring processes (19.1%) and fake or irrelevant job listings (11.6%). Another 9% identify automated or AI-led rejections without feedback as their primary concern.
Overall, 80.8% identify recruitment-process-related issues as their biggest frustration, highlighting the importance of timely communication and transparency in hiring.
Work-life balance and flexibility remain key career priorities
When asked what they would most like to change about their careers, 29.6% prioritised better work-life balance, followed by moving into a future-proof role (27%) and earning significantly more (26.4%).
Workplace preferences also remain divided, with nearly 56% favouring hybrid arrangements, compared with 23.7% preferring fully remote work and 20.3% favouring fully office-based roles. The findings highlight the importance of flexibility as professionals reassess their career priorities for 2027.
