US slow down worries Indian youth

India will continue to be an attractive job destination but the economic slump in the US is causing worries among students here, a study conducted by IT consulting and services company Accenture found. For students graduating this year, India is seen as having the most job opportunities, with the US a close second. While 46 per cent of Indian respondents were concerned that the weakening economy would affect their job prospects, they we-re far less concerned about macroeconomic volatility than university graduates worldwide.

The study, based on a global survey of 286 graduating students in India and a total of 2,464 in eight countries, found that 87 per cent of Indian university seniors have started looking for a job, compared to three out of four overall. Engineering, computers and math are the top professions chosen by Indian graduates. Despite concerns about a challenging job market, many Indian respondents would trade-off some salary to work for a prestigious company, have interesting work or the opportunity to gain global experience.

“India’s long-term attractiveness is its highly favorable demographic profile, with more than half its working population below the age of 25. The findings of this study can provide food for thought for employers to gain insights on this young group of professionals,” said Mr Deepak Malkani, partner, Talent & Organisation Performance, Accenture India.