According to a recent analysis by HirePro, an AI-powered recruitment automation firm, virtual hiring has emerged as a widely accepted recruitment method across the educational ecosystem. HirePro’s study reveals that 95% of students, 90% of academia, and 71% of corporate recruiters feel at ease with digital recruitment processes, highlighting the growing acceptance of virtual hiring. The study surveyed over 20,000+ students, 350+ colleges, 200+ corporates and 100+ recruiters.
The study reveals that a hybrid approach combining physical and virtual processes is most preferred, with 51% of students, 67% of academia, and 49% of corporate recruiters favouring this mixed methodology. This balanced approach allows organisations to leverage the benefits of both traditional and digital recruitment methods. All three stakeholder groups – students, educational institutions, and employers have advocated several key advantages of virtual hiring. 78% of students reported enhanced convenience, and 84% noted better access to a larger number of companies. Academia experienced similar benefits, with 83% noting improved convenience and 90% reporting better company access. Corporate recruiters also acknowledged these advantages, with 78% citing improved convenience.
In this episode of the Momentum Podcast, we dive into the challenges and opportunities of scaling entry-level hiring in India. Joined by Mr. Mohit Sharma, Head of Talent Acquisition at KPMG India, we delve into how Generative AI (GenAI) is revolutionising talent acquisition, particularly in high-volume and early talent hiring. He shares insights on how Generative AI (GenAI) can transform every touchpoint in the hiring lifecycle. From automating routine tasks to creating personalised candidate experiences, Mohit emphasises the importance of user-centered design principles in building scalable and impactful solutions.
Drawing from his experiences, he highlighted how some organisations are leveraging GenAI to improve interview quality by analysing the nature of questions and offering recommendations to interviewers for enhancement.
With practical insights from a seasoned talent acquisition leader, this episode offers a fresh perspective on integrating cutting-edge AI solutions into early talent recruitment while keeping the human touch intact. This discussion is a must-listen for HR professionals, recruiters, and tech enthusiasts seeking to future-proof their hiring strategies.
Subscribe to our YouTube and Spotify channels for more insightful conversations on the future of recruitment, fearless hiring, tech-driven recruitment, college hiring, and innovation in talent acquisition.
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Frequently asked questions
Question: How is GenAI revolutionising entry-level hiring? Answer: GenAI enhances candidate engagement, improves interview quality, streamlines sourcing and assessments, and transforms the entire recruitment lifecycle.
Question: How can generative AI transform high-volume recruitment? Answer: GenAI automates repetitive tasks like screening, assessments, and engagement, making large-scale hiring faster and more efficient while improving the candidate experience.
Question: What challenges does early talent hiring face, and how can GenAI address them? Answer: Early talent hiring faces challenges like high volume, intense competition, and manual processes. GenAI tackles these by enabling faster sourcing, accurate assessments, and proactive engagement.
Question: How does GenAI enhance the candidate experience? Answer: By providing personalised interactions, timely updates, and seamless communication, GenAI ensures a smoother recruitment journey for candidates.
Question: What advice would you give to companies adopting GenAI? Answer: Focus on clear objectives, user-centric design, and aligning AI tools with organisational goals to enhance efficiency and experience.
Question: What are the future trends in entry-level hiring? Answer: Increased use of AI for predictive hiring, skills-based assessments, and enhancing onboarding with tailored candidate experiences.
Question: How can organisations improve diversity in high-volume recruitment with AI? Answer: AI tools can be designed to minimise unconscious bias by focusing on skills and qualifications instead of demographic factors. Additionally, diverse candidate sourcing strategies can be enhanced through AI-powered platforms.
Question: What role does GenAI play in candidate assessment during recruitment? Answer: GenAI enables dynamic, skills-based assessments tailored to the job role. By analysing candidate responses in real-time, it ensures faster, fairer, and more accurate evaluation processes.
Question: How does AI improve the efficiency of the recruitment process? Answer: AI automates repetitive tasks like resume screening and initial assessments, allowing recruiters to focus on high-priority candidates and reducing time-to-hire.
Question: What are the benefits of using GenAI in candidate engagement? Answer: GenAI enhances candidate experience by providing personalised interactions, real-time updates, and quick responses, keeping candidates engaged throughout the recruitment process.
Question: Can AI help in improving the onboarding experience for new hires? Answer: Yes, AI streamlines onboarding by automating document verification, scheduling training, and answering frequently asked questions, ensuring a smoother transition for new employees.
November 27, 2024Sneha BhartiPodcastsComments Off on HirePro Momentum Episode 8 | GenAI and the Future of Entry-Level Hiring: A Conversation with Mohit Sharma, Head of TA, KPMG India
IN A COUNTRY that has produced a legion of successful male business leaders, from N.R. Narayana Murthy to Mukesh Ambani, the number of key female business leaders remain abysmally low, a reflection of the glaring gender disparity in business education, despite the global push for diversity and inclusion. Are institutions truly reflective of India’s demographic diversity, or is it a case of ‘diversity on paper?
A closer look at the gender composition of premier Indian business schools reveals a story of a slow but incremental change. According to data from the Ministry of Education, the gender ratio in India’s top 10 business schools has improved over the 2014. But benchmarked against global business schools such as Wharton (50%) or Harvard (45%), there’s still a long way to go.
While IIMs, including IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta and IIM Kozhikode boast of a more diverse student body than they did a decade ago, the progress has not been uniform. IIM Bangalore has a female representation of around 40% in its postgraduate programme for the 2024-26 batch, up from 21% five years ago, the highest women participation in the programme in last 18 years. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, director, IIM Bangalore recalls when he first joined the institution as a faculty 28 years ago, female students comprised only 15-17% of the class.
Meanwhile, IIM Calcutta reported 32% female students in its 2024 batch, an increase from 17% in 2013. IIM Kozhikode touched a high of 54% women intake in the PGP batch of 2013-2015, from less than 10% earlier.
“We have seen a significant shift in recent years wherein companies pledge to be diverse organisations, and then the recruitment team ensures the numbers reflect that commitment,” shares S. Pasupathi, COO of HirePro, an AI-powered recruitment and automation firm, adding, “The business side may dictate the numbers, but the recruitment team decides how to achieve diversity goals.” In fact, campus hiring has become a key strategy, he says, for achieving diversity goals in recent years.
“Today, every organisation is advancing diversity as a goal, ensuring their DEI mandates are met. This means when companies announce their hiring numbers, they always include the percentage of female employees and other diverse candidates. In the past, this may not have been a priority, but now most firms aim for a 30-50% hiring mandate of female candidates,” says Pasupathi.
Commentary from leading IT services players following the Q2 FY25 results indicates two big hiring trends: First, hiring is back and players are hitting the campus trail. Two, hiring will be focused on specialised skills even for entry-level candidates. This means that campuses now have to ensure students focus on building specialised skills. More importantly, colleges have to make sure they have courses that support this.
A recent research by HirePro, an AI-powered recruitment platform, surveyed over 20,000 students across 350 plus colleges and saw participation of over 200 corporates and 100-plus campus talent recruiters.
The survey revealed that more than 63 per cent of colleges have begun taking steps to prepare for an Al-driven future. This includes focusing on curriculum enhancement (4o per cent), collaborating with tech giants for research-based projects and learnings (27 per cent), specialised under graduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) courses on AI, ML and data science (17 per cent) and creating awareness of the impact of AI on the nature of jobs among other initiatives.
Most campuses seem to have started taking at least baby steps to equip their students with AI skills. Many have introduced new courses on AI, while some have gone further by setting up completely new departments or even an ‘AI centre’ that deals exclusively with AI subjects, highlighted the survey.
Experts also point that AI is such an evolving technology, the need for industry collaborations will be crucial. “The new age Skills like AI are evolving at a much faster pace. The academic system will not be able to refresh its course content or train the faculty at the same pace. Hence there will always be lag. This can be fulfilled only through a bridge course which will have to be delivered by a finishing school or any course content developed and administered by industry bodies,” said S Pasupathi, COO, HirePro.
It’s been only a week since the Indian government opened its internship portal for companies to put up posts to attract youth, and corporations are already feeling uneasy. For one, a part of corporate India is overwhelmed with the government aiming to provide 10 million internships over the next five years. They just don’t know how these many interns can be incorporated into their functioning.
Diversified conglomerates like Larsen & Toubro and M&M, and over 100 other companies have reportedly placed postings. The portal is expected to now open for nearly 50,000 job applicants register themselves over a fortnight starting 12 October.
So, internships have to align with employment availability, said Pasupathi S, the chief operating officer at recruitment agency Hirepro. Essentially, the focus should be more on capital-intensive sectors like manufacturing that have a high potential to absorb talent.
A recent HirePro study unveils that 63 per cent of colleges in India are taking proactive measures to prepare for an AI-driven future by incorporating multiple strategic steps in their approach. The report highlights that colleges are not only focusing on immediate job-ready skills but also positioning themselves to lead the way in preparing students for future AI-led industries.
The study, which surveyed over 20,000 students and 350+ colleges, reveals that 40 per cent of institutions are enhancing their curriculum to include AI-related subjects and disciplines. Additionally, 27 per cent of colleges are collaborating with tech giants for research-based projects and learning, further strengthening ties between academia and the industry.
Specialised academic courses are also on the rise, with 17 per cent of institutions offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science, ensuring students gain deep technical knowledge. Furthermore, 13 per cent of colleges offer certificate courses tailored to AI-related fields, while 7 per cent are working to raise awareness about AI’s impact on the future of work. Interestingly, only 3 per cent of colleges have gone the extra mile to establish Centres of Excellence (COE) or AI labs on their campuses, underlining the need for more investment in infrastructure that can drive innovation and practical learning.
This report reflects the shifting priorities within higher education as institutions take meaningful strides towards ensuring that students are not only prepared for the jobs of today but are also equipped to thrive in a future increasingly dominated by AI technologies.
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, talent acquisition has emerged as a key driver of growth, innovation, and success. No longer just about filling vacancies, talent acquisition teams now play a strategic role, aligning hiring strategies with business objectives. AI and automation amplify efficiency, requiring recruiters to evolve into trusted advisors. In this episode, we explore the seismic shift in talent acquisition, from tactical recruitment to strategic business partnership.
Join us as we uncover how forward-thinking organisations harness talent acquisition to propel business growth and discover the future of hiring with Mr. Zakee Sheikh, Head of Talent Acquisition at Cummins India. He shares his 20+ years of expertise in optimising and transforming talent acquisition operations. With a focus on technology, process excellence, and stakeholder partnerships, Mr. Zakee has helped organisations build diverse workforces and enhance candidate experiences.
This episode explores five critical aspects of talent acquisition: its evolution from transactional to strategic, technology’s role in optimising hiring metrics, building diverse workforces through partnerships, enhancing candidate and hiring manager experiences, and its impact on driving business success.
Subscribe to our YouTube and Spotify channels for more insightful conversations on the future of recruitment, tech adoption in hiring processes, college hiring, and innovation.
You can also tune in to the audio version on Spotify below
Frequently asked questions
Question: How has talent acquisition evolved over the years? Answer: Talent acquisition has shifted from traditional hiring methods to technology-driven recruitment. The need for faster, more efficient processes and a better candidate experience has led to the adoption of AI, automation, and other technologies.
Question: What are the core pillars of talent acquisition today? Answer: The key pillars are time to hire, cost of hire, quality of hire, and the candidate and hiring manager experience. These factors help align recruitment strategies with business objectives.
Question: How can talent acquisition teams become strategic partners to the business? Answer: Talent acquisition teams can evolve by understanding business goals, working proactively with stakeholders, and developing annual recruitment strategies. This enables them to anticipate hiring needs and drive business outcomes, transitioning from enablers to strategic partners.
Question: What impact do technology and AI have on talent acquisition? Answer: AI and technology have transformed about 50% of recruitment processes, automating tasks like sourcing, screening, and interview scheduling. This frees recruiters to focus on strategic activities like candidate engagement and consulting with hiring managers.
Question: How can organisations shift from hiring for experience to hiring for potential? Answer: Companies should prioritise skills and potential over experience, value diversity, and broaden the scope of candidate backgrounds. A talent advisor can guide businesses to embrace bold recruitment decisions and build a more dynamic workforce.
Question: What emerging technologies are shaping the future of recruitment? Answer: Generative AI, assessment tools, interview scheduling tools, and CRM systems are key technologies that are transforming talent acquisition by automating administrative tasks and improving candidate evaluations.
Question: Will technology replace recruiters in the future? Answer: No, technology will not replace recruiters. Instead, it will enhance their capabilities, allowing them to focus on strategic areas such as candidate assessment, stakeholder management, and business advising.
Question: What role does diversity play in modern recruitment strategies? Answer: Diversity is a critical component of recruitment today. Companies prioritise diverse hiring to bring in varied perspectives and skills, which can lead to greater innovation and better problem-solving.
Question: How can recruiters maintain the human touch in a tech-driven hiring process? Answer: By leveraging technology to handle administrative tasks, recruiters can devote more time to building personal connections, understanding candidate needs, and acting as trusted advisors to both candidates and hiring managers.
Question: What is the future outlook for talent acquisition by 2030? Answer: By 2030, around 60% of recruitment processes will be automated. Recruiters will evolve into talent advisors, focusing on strategic partnerships, candidate experience, and aligning recruitment with broader business goals.
October 15, 2024Sneha BhartiPodcastsComments Off on HirePro Momentum Episode 7 | Elevating Talent Acquisition: From Enabler to Partner With Mr. Zakee Sheikh, Head Talent Acquisition – Cummins India
When students prepare for campus placements, many assume that a high CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) will open doors to the best job offers. However, a new report titled The New Reality in College Hiring by HirePro reveals a stark contrast between what students believe and what employers actually prioritise.
The report, based on a survey of over 20,000 students, 350 educational institutions, 200 corporate entities, and insights from more than 100 campus recruitment experts, provides a look into the differing perspectives on the key factors that influence placement decisions.
CGPA vs Skills: The report’s comparative analysis exposes a significant gap between students’ perception of academic performance and the reality of corporate expectations. According to the survey, students rank academic performance (CGPA) as the top factor for placement success. In contrast, both academia and corporates place CGPA at the bottom of their list, ranking it 10th in importance.
Internships have increasingly become a preferred mode of candidate selection for many corporations and most students and corporates prefer 4 to 6 months (one semester) of internships as an appropriate time for learning, says a report. According to a report by AI-powered recruitment automation firm HirePro students (53 per cent), colleges (40 per cent) and corporates (57 per cent) prefer internships that last for 4-6 months (one semester) as it is neither too long nor too short.
Students see internships as an opportunity to learn the real-world nuances of what they study in classrooms, while being mentored by a knowledgeable expert, said the report.
“Students now prefer engaging with companies well before the final placement cycle, with contests and hackathons serving as an initial touchpoint and internships representing the next step,” HirePro COO S Pasupathi said.
The debate over whether Indian graduates are truly prepared to join the workforce has gained momentum in recent years, given the evolving nature of the job market that requires continuous skill enhancement. The catalogue of in-demand skills are also changing, with new ones emerging at a rapid pace. A recent study by HirePro, an AI-based hiring platform, sheds light on this debate, as it focusses on the wide gap between employer expectation and the perception of academic institutions about the industry-readiness of their students. The survey, which has brought to light the gap between academia, students and corporates, included 20,000 candidates, 350 colleges, and 200 corporates.
The report highlights a significant disconnect between academic institutions and industry expectations. Here are the key highlights.
– While 70% of educational institutions assert that their graduates are well-prepared for the workforce, with at least 60% deemed job-ready, only 16% of companies agree that students meet industry standards.
– 71% of students contend that a high CGPA alone is insufficient for securing employment, stressing the need for a stronger focus on technical skills. Despite this, both academia and the industry continue to emphasize only on academic performance.
– 67% of students expressed a desire to become entrepreneurs within the next decade. But only 5% of the surveyed companies indicated a preference for employees with entrepreneurial ambitions, despite promoting intrapreneurial opportunities.
– More than half the companies surveyed anticipate that candidates will possess skills in generative AI during placements.
Broadly speaking, the findings underscore the need for improved academia-corporate partnerships to develop effective job-ready programmes.
