Digital Adda – Secrets of Effective Hiring at scale
- Professional Skills
Just as forex reserves are an asset for any country, these days talent is the new currency and an asset for any nation. Recruitment and retention of tech talent pool is a big struggle for all organizations. For businesses to scale and grow profitably, the biggest asset and requirement is availability of digitally fluent talent. So how do large enterprises, MSMEs, Staffing companies and Training and Placement Organizations meet this challenge head on?
To find out, NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime organized a Digital Adda round table on “Secrets of Effective Hiring at Scale”. The session was moderated by Jyotsna Minocha, Program Head Career Services, FutureSkills.
At the outset, M Kalaa, who is Head Campus Hiring (India) TCS, said that it is not about the right talent rather it is about the right fit for the right job. As a recruiter, it definitely counts when an individual is able to demonstrate that besides the degree, they have an additional skill (FutureSkills) or an edge over others. They have taken the initiative to add to their resume. The candidate should be able to demonstrate the additional skill that they claim to have learnt.
Recruiters are looking not only at your LinkedIn profiles but your other Facebook and Instagram profiles too.
Suchita Dutta, Executive Director, Indian Staffing Federation (ISF), opined that Information Technology being a fast-moving industry, opportunities depend on the skills candidate has acquired along with constant upskilling and most importantly attitude of the candidate. Lack of skills is the reason that even in a candidate driven market, a very miniscule percentage is getting opportunities, while 25% jobs remain unfulfilled. Considering this situation, Suchita was ready to commit that all FSP certified candidates would be assured of at least getting an interview call. She revealed the latest trend where employers pick up a bunch of students and give them the security that a job is coming their way in case they get certified and meet the skill requirements.
Speaking about the uberization of jobs, Manmeet Singh said that even gig workers can sustain themselves only if they upskill regularly. It also means that there is greater scope for getting additional workforce – home makers, retired personnel, students etc can upskill and will be readily absorbed. Manmeet Singh, who is Deputy CEO, V5 a First Meridian Company, providing staffing solutions emphasized that the learnability quotient has to be high. Alternate source of talent is what all need to look at.
Organizations are leaving no stone upturned to entice candidates. To fill the talent crunch, recruiters look at both fresher hiring and lateral hiring. Organizations like Indore based IT company Infobeans have adopted a number of ways to get the best talent onboard. Besides referral programs to attract better talent, lucrative joining bonuses are offered to skilled candidates. You will be surprised to know that these range from providing iPads to company sponsored overseas trip with spouse to candidates.
The panel also discussed how the model of training has moved to online learning from physical training. Whereas earlier candidates would spend upto two quarters getting trained, companies are now looking at catching them while they are in college and training them with customized curriculum so that they are deployable upon hiring.
Manmeet Singh mentioned that platform-based skilling and at your own pace skilling is very important FutureSkills Prime is a wonderful scheme which meets both these criteria. The platform has the latest courses, government certifications, backed by major OEM players, and even provides government incentives of upto Rs 14,500 upon certification in aligned courses. On the question of hiring at scale Manmeet, was gung ho about initiatives like Talent Connect Portal where employers can source certified candidates and NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime’s Career fair, a virtual multi-city job fair which saw 30K registrations and made logistics of entry level/fresher hiring very smooth.
Students who complete the Digital Engineering course and get successfully certified on FutureSkills Prime are assured of straight entry into the second round of interviews by companies like Cyient and LTTS.
This promises to be a win-win situation for both learners and employers as this assures the former that they will get past the first screening round and of course saves time and efforts for the latter.
Develop learning agility in your four years of college life so that it keeps you in good stead over your 40 years professional life was the advice that Prof. Dr. Shitalkumar Rawandale, Founder President, Maharashtra Training and Placement Officers (MTPO) Association had for learners. He explained that TPOs endeavor to push students as far as skills are concerned and urge them to acquire additional certifications in emerging technologies along with a college degree.
The need of the hour is for colleges to make themselves more visible and students to make themselves more saleable. So if you are upskilled in emerging technologies, show it on your social media. Your chances of getting hired will be directly proportional to your ability to demonstrate your skills and what you have learnt.