New Delhi, May 5 (IANS): Over eight in 10 Indian professionals say skills are more important than degrees compared to 20 years ago, a new report said on Friday.

According to the professional social networking platform LinkedIn, Indian professionals today are embracing skills over degrees as a way to chart new career paths.

About 76 per cent of professionals in India agree that there is less importance now on degrees being a prerequisite for jobs as compared to 20 years ago.

"Professionals are approaching their careers with a new mindset than they were 20 years ago. Whilst salary is still a key consideration, we're witnessing a new generation of workers who are more at ease with career twists and turns, refuse to compromise on their values and seek to determine how, when and why they work," said Ashutosh Gupta, LinkedIn India Country Manager.

"Building a strong network and professional brand with a continued focus on upskilling is now more important than ever to land new opportunities," he added.

The report showed that 82 per cent of Indian professionals agreed that companies are now more comfortable hiring professionals who don't have relevant work experience but have the right skills.

The data also revealed that the importance of learning new skills as skill sets for jobs in India has changed by around 29.63 per cent since 2015.

The majority of Indian professionals (84 per cent) believe that in the future employers will value professionals with diverse skill sets and experiences over those who are specialised in a certain job function.

Upskilling is more important than ever, with 87 per cent saying it's more important to continually learn new skills now than it was 20 years ago.

Further, the report stated that non-linear career paths and career pivots are on the rise.

A majority of Indians (83 per cent) feel that career paths 20 years ago were more straightforward, and the skill sets that were required were more obvious.

However, this is changing as 85 per cent of Indian professionals agree that transferable skills have become more valued and acceptable, as more professionals pursue non-linear career paths.

About 84 per cent of Indian professionals are more open to career pivots as compared to 20 years ago.

Nearly 88 per cent of professionals in India say they would choose to work for organisations that demonstrate alignment with their beliefs and values.

When it comes to the importance of networking, about 84 per cent believe that a strong network is more critical to career success today than it was 20 years ago.

Unlike some who believe that people are born networkers, 71 per cent of Indian professionals believe that networking is a skill that can be learned and developed over time.