Srinagar, Jan. 1 -- As the calendar turns, many professionals do the same: they refresh their CVs, update LinkedIn, and begin quietly scanning for better roles. The timing is not random. In most places, the first quarter of the year is a "reset window"-budgets reopen, teams finalize annual plans, and employers move from "considering" hires to approving them.

The encouraging message for job seekers is that new-year hiring usually brings genuine openings. The caution is equally real: employers increasingly hire with sharper filters. Across sectors and regions, hiring decisions now tend to revolve around one core question: Can this person produce measurable outcomes quickly and reliably?

This outlook is designed to be broadly applicable-us...