As per the findings of Universum, a global consulting firm that helps employers improve their attractiveness to prospective jobseekers; employers around the world say that India and China are among the five most difficult markets to recruit from. This in a way highlights the widely acknowledged skills gap that is prevalent in the region. The findings come at a time when there is increased competition across India Inc for talent acquisition, especially at the leadership level. Most HR heads across corporate India admit to facing a dearth of top notch talent at the top level stating that the talent pool which comprises of people with a global view and strategic foresight is shrinking. According to the survey, four out of 10 employers said they were currently facing the problem of finding the right and competent people and another four in 10 said that this unavailability of right talent could be an issue in the future as well. This could be one possible reason why a number of Indian companies today are more open to hiring professionals from unrelated fields that may not be a fit right away but have the necessary soft skills. The survey also revealed that employers in India believe the two main reasons why their top performers leave are for money, followed by new challenges for professional development in another company.