Indian employees hesitant to seek jobs in West: Study

A significant number of employees are apprehensive about moving to the West for jobs due to global economic uncertainty, while highly skilled ones are returning on account of good opportunities back home, a study by TimesJobs.com said.

"40 per cent Indians are cautious about moving to the West for jobs due to economic slowdown," according to the study.

Besides, highly skilled professionals are returning home seeking economic opportunities that they once sought abroad, it said.

The study further said that 34 per cent Indians still prefer to move to the West for job, while 26 per cent would like to turn entrepreneurs.

Out of the total respondents who mentioned that more Indians are seeking job opportunities in the country, 28 per cent believe that maximum job opportunities are in IT, telecom and manufacturing sector.

"There has been a drop in the number of applications for international positions. It dropped by 4 per cent in January 2014 from an average 1 per cent increase in November-December 2013. However, during January-March this year it did register an overall increase of 3 per cent," the study said.

Besides the fear of global uncertainty, it is the lure of job security and better future prospects that are bringing the talent back home, said 58 per cent of the surveyed firms.

Good salary combined with benefits such as extra allowances and perks are also playing a major role in bringing back professionals to the country, according to 25 per cent of the employers in the TimesJobs.com study.

Maximum job opportunities are in the manufacturing and petrochemical sector, it added.

For senior leadership positions, international exposure is deemed crucial, hence, returning workforce has bright chances of getting top jobs in these sectors, it said.

While candidates are apprehensive about taking up a job in the international market, global employers are still vying for Indian talent.

TimesJobs.com data highlights that across international locations, engineers, IT, accounting and finance professionals are most sought after.

Demand is huge for talent with 5-10 years of experience, followed by 10-20 years of experience, it added.

Image: Good salary combined with benefits such as extra allowances and perks are also playing a major role in bringing back professionals to the country; Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com