A significant majority of Indian professionals, nearly seven out of ten, are actively planning to look for new jobs in 2027. This intent is coupled with high salary expectations, as more than half anticipate a pay raise of at least 31% to make a career move worthwhile, according to foundit's comprehensive Career Reset Survey 2027.
The survey, which polled 9,951 professionals across India, found that 68.4% intend to search for new roles. A striking 94.1% expressed confidence in their ability to secure a desirable opportunity if they chose to switch.
Why Indian Professionals Are Seeking New Roles
The primary driver for job changes among Indian professionals is career growth, cited by 40.3% of respondents. Following closely, higher salary expectations accounted for 29.7% of reasons, while a better work-life balance motivated 20.3% of those looking to move.
Despite career advancement taking precedence, salary demands remain substantial. The survey indicated that 51.5% of professionals are looking for a salary hike of 31% or more when changing jobs. Notably, one in five respondents expects an increase exceeding 50%, while 12.9% stated that salary alone would not be enough to persuade them to switch.
Only a small fraction, 3.7%, plan to stay and grow within their current organizations, with another 18.1% intending to stay but remaining open to new opportunities.
Career Growth & AI Adoption
Tarun Sinha, CEO of foundit, highlighted a shifting mindset within the Indian workforce. "India’s workforce is entering 2027 with a clear shift in how professionals view career growth and long-term employability. Despite broader uncertainty in the job market, the confidence to explore new opportunities remains strong," Sinha stated.
He added 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."
The survey also revealed a positive outlook on artificial intelligence, with 82.1% of respondents viewing AI as a career opportunity. Of these, 67% are actively upgrading their skills, while 15.2% acknowledge its potential but have not yet taken action. Only 5.7% expressed concern about AI reducing job opportunities.
Recruitment Challenges and Work Preferences
Recruitment processes continue to be a source of frustration for many professionals. Over half of the respondents (52.7%) cited applying for jobs and receiving no response as their biggest concern. Other frustrations included lengthy hiring processes (19.1%), fake or irrelevant job listings (11.6%), and automated or AI-led rejections without feedback (9%).
When asked about their top career priorities, 29.6% chose a better work-life balance, followed by moving into a future-proof role (27%), and earning significantly more (26.4%). Hybrid work arrangements emerged as the most preferred choice, favored by nearly 56% of professionals. Fully remote roles were preferred by 23.7%, while 20.3% opted for entirely office-based work.