Poonam Butola - Post-Lockdown, We Have Seen Huge Changes in the Hiring Process (Talent Acquisition Manager From India)

 

A fresher is not expected to have technical knowledge so he/she is always evaluated on the basis of their soft skill, by that we mean how they communicate, their personality and attitude.

Tell us more about your background and journey.

I am living in Delhi but my roots are from Uttarakhand. I am a B com graduate and did my Masters in Marketing from IMT Ghaziabad. After my graduation, I joined a research-based firm in Delhi and got an opportunity to work with a formal journalist of the Times of India. 

During my tenure with the company, I got the chance of attending various Press conferences and the opportunity to talk to top-level managers of the Agriculture Ministry and private firms.  During that time, I wanted to pursue a career in media, but things didn’t go as planned. 

After my Master's, I got an opportunity to work as a Hiring manager with a recruitment startup firm where I am still working as a Manager-Talent Acquisition.

Being an HR, what skills do you look for in a fresher?

A fresher is not expected to have technical knowledge so he/she is always evaluated on the basis of their soft skill, by that we mean how they communicate, their personality and attitude.

I feel there should be a sense of responsibility towards the work they are doing because I have come across many interns and fresher’s who were casual in their approach. So, they should be dedicated towards their work apart from the technical skills which they can obviously learn in the company itself.

What is your opinion about remote working?

Personally, I don’t like working remotely but at times like this one doesn’t have an option. I would rather go to the office because we meet our co-workers and there is a lot more interaction and learning. 

It's only helping in saving the commuting time but I feel I am more productive when I work from the office.

How do you keep your employees and teams engaged?

Before the pandemic, we used to go out for office parties and sometimes arrange small parties in the office itself. We have a small team of about 10 to 12 people and it's always fun to play different games in the office on occasions.

But now since everyone is working from home we try to have at least one online session with the team every week to keep everyone engaged by carrying out various activities.

Do you believe that internships are important for a fresher student or should he go for certification courses during the holidays?

I believe that internships allow the students to have real-world experience. It gives them the chance to explore different career paths and helps in making connections which will definitely help them in long run.

On the other side, enrolling in an online certification course also helps the students in the same way. It always gives an edge over other candidates when applying anywhere for a job.

Both Internships and certifications help in building the resumes.

What changes do you observe in the industry hiring process post lockdown?

During the lockdown, we have seen a big change in the hiring process across industries. While many sectors like travel, events, and hospitality have taken a huge hit: there has been a huge spike in hiring for Tech guys.

We have been hiring extensively for people in the digital, e-commerce, and IT space. The format of the hiring process has changed. Where people were averse to having telephonic or video calls interviews; now everyone has moved to Google meet and zoom calls for the same.

The unfortunate truth is hundreds and thousands of people have lost their jobs, people are working on salary cuts, let alone witnessing financial growth; but we are hopeful that things will be back on track soon.
 

For any help or clarifications, connect with her on LinkedIn

Interviewed by - Mukund M