Career turnaround: two thirds of Russians plan to change their profession in 2026
In 2026, 67% of Russians surveyed are considering starting a career in another professional field, according to the results of the service's research. hh.ru (available from Izvestia). At the same time, 21% of participants plan to continue working in their current specialization, and another 12% of respondents have not yet decided on a further professional direction. Izvestia investigated what this trend is related to, why so many Russians want to change jobs, and in which areas there is the largest staff turnover.
Changing the sphere
The results partially illustrate objective trends in the labor market and in the economy as a whole, the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development told Izvestia. Its structural transformation creates new requirements for the qualifications of employees and at the same time creates new opportunities for self-realization.
"As part of the implementation of the Plan for Structural Changes in the Economy until 2030, the Government is pursuing a proactive policy to encourage the redistribution of labor resources from areas where demand for employment is declining to sectors that require an influx or retention of employees," the ministry said.
It is difficult to evaluate such a study, since neither the questions, nor the methodology, nor the data on the size and quality of the sample have been published, the Federal State Budgetary Institution VNII Truda of the Russian Ministry of Labor told Izvestia. If only users of a job search site participated in the survey, the results may not reflect the objective situation on the labor market. A professional transition requires training, and there are few specialties with a quick entry.
— If we are talking about the proportion of people who plan to change their profession or field of activity, then the survey data looks more reliable, but these are fundamentally different phenomena in the labor market. A change of field of activity is available to a wide range of representatives of industry-wide specialties: for example, a programmer can move from an IT company to an IT division of a large bank, and an energy engineer can move from an energy company to construction, the All-Russian Research Institute of Labor noted.
Such changes can be considered as a normal process of employee redistribution, the research institute noted. In the context of the "job seeker market," employers are generally more relaxed about candidates with limited experience in a new field, which reduces barriers to entry.
At the same time, it is important to distinguish between stated intentions and real actions, the All-Russian Research Institute of Labor emphasized. Moreover, the survey was conducted on the eve of the New Year, when expectations of change are increasing. The implementation of such plans will depend on a variety of personal circumstances: the current workload, income level and working conditions, the attractiveness of the new offer, the difficulty of mastering the profession and the willingness to spend their own time on training and adaptation.
Such studies require careful interpretation, Sergei Katyrin, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia. The 67% figure does not mean that all these people will actually move into a new profession within a year. Most often, this refers to the desire for additional earnings, temporary employment, or the development of skills in related fields. A sudden departure to another field in the real economy is unrealistic, since a professional change involves time, training, and financial reserves.
— At the same time, it cannot be denied that changes in the labor market are indeed taking place. People have become more active in comparing conditions, assessing prospects, and looking to places where incomes are higher and demand is more stable. That is why engineering and technical specialties, logistics, and industry are receiving increased attention today," he believes.
According to him, if we talk specifically about staff leakage, then, according to a number of surveys, it is observed primarily in retail, the hotel business and part of office services — there is the highest turnover due to workload, stress and salaries below expectations.
An old trend
The desire to change professions is a continuation of a trend that began back in the covid years, Olga Karpulevich, a leading analyst on sovereign and regional ratings at Expert RA agency, told Izvestia. A permanent job "for life" is becoming rare.
"It's not only income levels that are pushing for change, but also stress, fatigue, a sense of instability, and a revision of the work—life balance," she stressed. — At the same time, learning new skills is increasingly perceived not as a bonus, but as a necessity to remain competitive. Most often, we are not talking about a sharp change in the field, but about the transition to related areas, especially in the technical and IT professions, although not everyone succeeds in implementing such plans.
Demography and migration have a strong impact on the labor market: the labor force is concentrated in a limited number of regions where there are large projects and investments, the expert believes. The shortage of personnel is most noticeable in industry, construction, medicine, education, trade and logistics, while high turnover remains in the service sector and office professions. In these circumstances, it is more profitable for employers to retain and retrain employees than to constantly look for new ones.
The survey data is more likely to indicate an anxious mood than a real willingness of Russians to massively change their profession, Victoria Khaba, head of the Business Russia subcommittee on the development of human resources in the computing and IT market, told Izvestia. Against the background of economic difficulties, companies are reducing hiring, there are fewer vacancies, and competition is higher, which makes people feel unstable and think about backup options.
It is important, according to her, that we are not talking about those who are already learning a new profession, but about those who are just thinking about changes. This is a signal of tension in the labor market. The talk about artificial intelligence is adding to the concern, although its widespread adoption in business is just beginning.
— The largest staff turnover is recorded in areas with massive staff, in retail and in functions with a high proportion of routine and automation. It is impossible to stop this process, but it can be mitigated by understanding in advance where a new need for personnel is being formed," Victoria Khaba said. — In the coming years, the key will not be specific professions, but adaptability, learning ability, and the ability to work with digital and AI tools at a professional level.
The growing interest in changing professions is primarily due to dissatisfaction with current work, Tatyana Ushkats, an expert at the RUDN University Faculty of Economics, confirmed to Izvestia. People are often not satisfied with income levels, lack of career prospects, toxic environments, and burnout.
"This trend is not new and is supported, among other things, by government retraining programs," the expert said. — It is reinforced by technological changes and the spread of remote employment, which make new areas more accessible. The highest staff turnover is observed in trade, medicine, construction and IT due to the high workload and requirements for continuous development, and better working conditions, an understandable growth system and employee motivation help to contain it.
The origins of interest
Interest in changing jobs is associated with the restructuring of the economy, the growth of examples of successful career transitions and dissatisfaction with income, especially against the background of inflation, Tatiana Podolskaya, an expert at the Presidential Academy, confirmed to Izvestia. This request was formed several years ago and has become stable. People strive to increase their earnings, find new prospects and more control over their employment, especially young people.
Technology is rapidly changing the requirements for professions, and economic uncertainty and increasing workload are exacerbating burnout, Egor Diashov, chairman of the Financial Markets Commission at the Moscow State Educational Institution Opora Russia, noted in an interview with Izvestia. People strive for more stable and sought-after professions, better pay, and a flexible work format.
"At the same time, staff turnover remains high, especially in large companies and mass industries, and it can be slowed down due to competitive salaries, a social package, remote work opportunities, training, internal mobility and more attentive attitude to employees," he explained.
Young people are most interested in changing their profession: more than half of people aged 18-24 plan to change their career path, which indicates their flexibility and willingness to try new things, the press service said. hh.ru . Obsolescence of professions, relocation, burnout, and the desire for development and higher status are pushing for this.
At the same time, 77% of employers primarily look at skills rather than past positions when hiring, especially in IT, fintech, logistics, services and industry, therefore, when moving to a new field, it is important to develop in-demand competencies in advance.
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