Date:26/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/26/stories/2005092601220200.htm

Back Microsoft India to double headcount at both centres

V. Rishi Kumar

The new jobs cover specialised areas, where hi-tech research-driven work is handled across 5-6 main streams. The recruitment is a combination of campus inductions and lateral entries.

Hyderabad , Sept 25

MICROSOFT Corporation (India) has embarked on a recruitment drive that will see the corporation doubling its headcount both at Hyderabad and Bangalore development centres.

The Director of Human Resources, Microsoft India, Ms Tess Field, told Business Line that the recruitment would cover India Development Centre (IDC) based at Hyderabad and the Global Delivery Centre (GDC), Bangalore.

The IDC which has 1,000 people, would grow to 2,000; the GDC, which accounts for about 500, would have double the strength during this financial year, she said.

"Unlike some of the markets where Microsoft recruits, it is a lot more challenging to find the right talent here. This is because of the large talent base". "For instance, in Europe, the choice is from a select group, and the process is pretty easy and could possibly be completed over a telephonic conversation. But here it is different. Due to large number of applicants, the task is long drawn. Therefore, our recruiters short-list them, and then we finalise the person for the job," she explained.

"These jobs cover specialised areas in the IDC, where high-end technology research driven work is handled across 5-6 main streams of development work. The recruitment is a combination of campus inductions and lateral entries depending upon the expertise we are scouting for.

"Unlike before where the training was significantly handled abroad, this is now being addressed in India itself. The mix is not as multi-cultural as in the US, since the recruitment is predominantly from India," Ms Field said.

"Apart from creating the curriculum, we are developing systems where a candidate can do majority of the testing work on the Web visiting our site. This would further streamline the function of recruitment.

"Apart from recruitment and training the candidate, the HR function now covers grooming leaders and managers, and managers to manage managers. Given the nature of work and the environment they get to work, our attrition levels are way below the industry's," she said.