Amazon has shared the findings of a survey commissioned by the company to gauge the pulse of the impact of COVID-19 on jobs and future career plans among Indian professionals. The Amazon Job Seeker Insight Survey  was conducted by Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, from August 17 to August 23, 2021 and covered 1000 professional adults across India. 

The study reveals that Indian professionals are looking for new and different types of work, with 59% of them actively searching for a job. Following are the key findings from the survey:

COVID-19 is prompting professionals to rethink their career paths

• More than 1 in 3 (35%) employed professionals in India saw their pay cut as a result of COVID-19.
• More than 2 in 3 (68%) jobseekers in India are looking to switch industries as a result of COVID-19.
• 1 in 3 (33%) jobseekers in India are looking for a new job right now where they can do more meaningful work

Also, Job seekers in India have new concerns about the job search process. 51% of Indian job-seeking adults are interested in pursuing opportunities in industries they do not have experience in. When applying for a job, 55% of Indian professionals claim compensation is a major factor they look for. Job security is a major priority for 56% of Indian professionals following the pandemic. For half of Indian professionals (49%), opportunities that will help them learn and develop is a high priority when considering a job.  For 47% of Indian professionals, having a safe workplace environment is a high priority when considering a job.

Professionals in India seek training

• 75% of Indian professionals are concerned their current set of skills will become outdated in five years.
• 90% of India professionals are interested in learning new and transferrable career skills, 74% of these professionals claimed this interest was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 45% of professionals in India believe technical and digital skills are essential for career advancement; and around 38% believe marketing skills are important for career advancement.
• 76% of employed Indian adults are already given support through additional training offered by their employers. 93% of these adults have already utilized these trainings. 97% would like more job trainings to be offered.

The study underlines the changing concerns, aspirations and interests of Indian jobseekers, particularly brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Professionals are looking at broadening the industries and skill sets to stay relevant in the changing job market. Recently, in line with its commitment to create 20 lakh direct and indirect jobs in India by 2025, Amazon recently announced 8000 direct job openings across 35 cities in the country. These job opportunities are spread across consumer, corporate, technology, customer service, and operations roles.