Why India’s Gen Z risks missing the networking advantage – PRESS Insider

Indian job applicants with an inside connection are nearly 8.5 times more likely to be hired than those without one. Yet 83% of Gen Z professionals in the country hesitate to network with people who could help their careers, according to new LinkedIn research. The contrast points to a divide between recognizing the value of professional relationships and knowing how to build them. While 79% of Indian Gen Z professionals consider such relationships important, 52% do not know how to begin and 53% struggle to turn contacts into meaningful connections. Confidence is one barrier. The survey found that 44% fear being judged, 39% worry about bothering people and 37% are concerned about sounding inauthentic. A lack of guidance may be another. Nearly three in five respondents said nobody had clearly shown them how to develop professional relationships, leaving many uncertain about whom to approach, when to make contact or what to say. That hesitation matters in a labor market where personal connections remain closely associated with opportunity. Nearly 30% of Indian Gen Z respondents said they had found their next role through an online professional community. LinkedIn’s hiring analysis found that applicants in India who already had a first-degree connection
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