Most young Indian professionals do not know to find mentors

The country is experiencing a mentorship gap as over 70% of young professionals are clueless about who to approach when they want advice on their career path, according to a survey.

"More than 70% of professionals in their early 20's and 30's say they are keen on seeking advice on their next career move but do not know where to go for answers," according to a LinkedIn survey.

It revealed that the current mentorship gap has resulted in 25-33 year olds experiencing a state of professional crisis in steering their careers in the right direction.

This online survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of LinkedIn from October 31 and November 3 among 6,014 respondents aged 25-33 across the US, UK, India and Australia.

About 58% of the respondents said they felt pressure to succeed in their career, and finding a job or career that they are passionate about was the number one cause of anxiety. Further, 57% also agreed that they do not have the right connections to find a mentor.

In the recent years, India has evolved as a hotbed for entrepreneurship and innovation, leading to a dramatic shift in the type of skills in demand, it said.

In this changing landscape, mentorship is key to guide young India in the right direction to reach their individual goals, it added.

"Change and evolution is at the heart of the Indian economy right now, and organisations, startup entrepreneurs, salaried professionals, freelancers are all taking risks for the first time. In such an enterprising climate, quick, quality advice can be life changing," LinkedIn India Country Manager and Head of Product Akshay Kothari said.

Organisations, therefore, are focusing on candidates with diverse backgrounds, strong soft skills, creativity paired with an analytical mindset, the survey said.

In this dynamic environment, the right guidance helps adapt to the changing needs, it added.

With this in mind, LinkedIn has launched Career Advice that connects members across the network for quality advice whether professionals are seeking advice on their career path, looking to switch to a new industry or aiming to understand best practices for a project.