A majority of Gen Z and millennials in India believe that it will be more challenging for them to find jobs in 2026, as their ambition for a career change faces the new pressures of uncertainty and unpreparedness, LinkedIn reported on Thursday
According to data exclusively shared by the professional platform with The Hindu, as job search gets challenging, India’s younger professionals are seeking clarity and transparency to streamline career growth.
Some 80% of Gen Z and 75% of millennials say it will be more challenging to find a job this year, LinkedIn found.
These observations also made the platform conclude that young Indian professionals need guidance and career clarity amid AI-powered hiring.
Nirajita Banerjee, a 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.’’
However, 77% of Gen Z and 71% of millennials also said it was hard to find reliable advice and guidance to help in the job-seeking process, LinkedIn said. “They [job seekers] sought clarity from recruiters on what they could’ve done better,” LinkedIn reported based on its recent research. “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,” Ms. Banerjee added.
LinkedIn also found that nine in 10 millennials and 89% of Gen Z felt confident using AI at work, well ahead of older cohorts (Gen X 79%, Boomers 77%). This readiness, LinkedIn said, was driving ambition — 84% of Gen Z and 74% of millennials plan to look for a new job in 2026, compared with 53% Gen X and 42% Boomers.
As per another data set released by LinkedIn, some 84% of professionals feel unprepared to find a new job, although 72% said they were actively seeking a new role in 2026.
This mindset comes amid the rise of AI in the hiring process, rapidly shifting skill requirements for today’s jobs, and an increasingly competitive, but selective job market, it said further.
Published – January 08, 2026 10:23 pm IST
