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A `fair' deal for IT cos, job-seekers

Raja Simhan T.E.

CHENNAI, Sept. 18

SERPENTINE queues, folders in hands, sweating it out. Are we talking about the queue outside the US consulate in the neighbourhood? Hardly.

This was the human chain waiting to deposit application forms and resumes at the drop boxes of companies participating in the now-routine IT jobs fair.

This time around, Chennai was the hot spot. The venue had over 25 IT companies, from India and abroad, participating in the fair, waiting to make fresh recruitments.

Organised by the Bangalore-based Prizedjobs.com, the three-day IT Jobs Fair attracted around 20,000 IT professionals, including freshers and experienced personnel.

Mr S.V. Mani, Chief Executive Officer of the Budapest-based Orion Infotech Ltd -- part of the $2.5-billion Singapore-based Thakral Group -- said that such a fair gives companies an opportunity to engage in `fast forward recruiting', or picking up the rig ht candidate in a much faster endeavour.

``Unlike conventional recruiting, such as advertising in the media and then waiting for response from potential candidates, a job fair helps us pick the right candidates within a couple of days,'' he added.

The first day of the fair lasted only three hours, but the company received over 200 applications. And this wasn't targeting freshers; eligibility conditions included a minimum of two years' experience.

``This shows the quality of candidates India has,'' said Mr Mani, who flew in from Budapest specially to participate in the fair and recruit a few professionals.

According to Mr K. Lakshmikanth of Prizedjobs.com, the IT industry has become people-driven and companies, realising this, are willing to come down and meet the candidates.

He said that the company will conduct such job fairs in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi. For this, it plans to spend around Rs 65 lakh.

``The company will get returns to the tune of around Rs 40 lakh, while the balance will go towards promoting our Web site (www.prizedjobs.com),'' he added.

On the one hand, the job fair will drive people to visit Prizedjobs.com, and on the other, the `virtual bazaar' would try to bridge the gap between companies searching for candidates and vice-versa.

Mr Anthony Joseph, Director (Human Resources), Sierra Optima Ltd -- an associate of Sierra Atlantic Inc -- said that the company was able to attract over 5,000 visitors in just two days.

``From our side, we have closed five deals, and will be in touch with 20 more in a few days,'' he added.

For Mr Joseph, other than recruiting on the spot, the job fair gave an opportunity for brand building.

``Nobody would have known us earlier. But, now at least a few thousand people know us, which is very good for us.''

And for the candidates, the fair gave an opportunity to visit IT companies such as Dishnet DSL, CBSI, Intel, L&T ITL, Mascon, Mascot and Satyam Computers and get a feel of what the industry requires.

While for the experienced, the fair gave immense opportunity, the case was not the same for freshers. A candidate said that most of the companies just accepted the resumes from freshers, saying that they would revert back soon.

``The companies were looking more at ME and M.Tech candidates, giving little scope for skill-based candidates,'' he added.