HR needs to ensure to have a smooth and seamless process which will surely enhance the feel-good factor for the incoming candidate. I feel more and more organisation will adapt to this change and try to make the process completely virtual and also should add more personalisation to the process which will enhance that feel-good factor even more.
Tell us about your background, journey and upbringing.
I was born in Bhanjanagar a small town in Southern Odisha, India. I come from a middle-class family. My father worked with Prasar Bharti and had a transferable job and hence we moved places quite often.
I completed my Mechanical Engg from KIIT University and then decided to pursue my MBA from XISS in Human Resource Management post which I started my professional journey in the HR domain.
How did you narrow down on this profession?
Well after I finished my engineering I had an offer from Accenture but did not want to get into an IT job and hence thought of pursuing higher studies that's how the idea of an MBA came into my mind.
After I cleared my entrance exams and interview rounds with the various MBA colleges that I had applied to, I decided to go ahead with MBA in HR from XISS.
It seems Onboarding, even in 2021 is a long drawn out process behind the scenes. How do you envision this changing in future?
An effective, seamless Onboarding always has a good impact on the incoming candidate and also on the organisation in the long run. Going completely virtual in the Onboarding process has been a lookout for most of the organisations during the pandemic.
HR needs to ensure to have a smooth and seamless process which will surely enhance the feel-good factor for the incoming candidate. I feel more and more organisation will adapt to this change and try to make the process completely virtual and also should add more personalisation to the process which will enhance that feel-good factor even more.
What’s one thing you would like to change in how background verification is done in India?
Background verification is an important check for any organisation before making a new hire.
Especially with the current COVID situation the same has become quite difficult and time-consuming as well. As we know that mostly these checks are conducted by a third party the one thing that I would definitely want them to change is to bring about a lot more professionalism in conducting these checks which is a major letdown with most agencies. They visit the homes of the candidate for residence proof check, liaison with educational institutes to verify the education details wherein personal visit is required.
So having the right polite behaviour and approach and responding professionally is what is highly recommended and essential.
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How do you handle someone who has lied on their resume?
It’s quite simple - “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything” And above all one should never lie to oneself. People often feel that they can get away by lying on their resume but most of the times it’s just the very opposite.
Recruiters, hiring managers are too smart to catch hold of the same and it obviously doesn’t create a good impression. If I find someone lying about something on the resume during the interview itself then it’s a complete rejection because you can never trust such a person on the job.
And even if by chance they get selected and are caught during the background verification check about some information that they have lied about then we initiate the action as per the legal framework and they are asked to leave the job.
(Do remember that organisations blacklist candidates and you cannot apply to them again)
Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this?
I think the same has to be looked at as per the organisation/job objective and its requirement.
To put it simply there are many jobs (especially technical) wherein you need to have the know-how as to how something is to be done. Some basic things that you are taught in your grad and post-grad days form the basis and basis of how the work is getting done. So obviously having a formal degree in such a case is a must.
However, there are jobs wherein you do not require a formal degree in a particular subject matter and you can deliver as per the requirement.
In such cases, I do feel that the organisation can do away with the requirement of having a formal degree and can look for behavioural and competency fitment being the only criteria for such jobs.
What advice do you have for aspiring HR professionals?
I think with the pandemic situation that we are currently in, HR has the most important role to play. It’s something that aspiring professionals should look like a great opportunity to be in and try to learn from these times.
Also having the basic concepts clear, being aware of the latest trends and technologies in various sub-domains of HR and having honesty and empathy in their approach towards everything they do will surely make them a good HR professional.
Which is your favourite book and why?
To be true I am not at all an avid reader. I seldom read books, however with whatever little that I have read the one that I liked and would recommend anyone to read is “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. This was gifted to me by my wife at an airport when our flight had got delayed.
A wonderful book about the ancient Japanese technique - Ikigai and many other concepts to find one’s purpose in life.
From the many good teachings and quotes, my favourite one from the book is the Japanese proverb - “Nana korobi ya koi” which means - “Fall seven times, rise eight”
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Interviewed by - Vanshika Jain
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