Due to Coronavirus impact, most of the companies have resumed their hiring activities but the skill sets needed have changed. Companies looking for the candidates with digital skills at lower and middle levels. At the leadership and managerial level, candidates must have the ability to remote, floating teams.
With the help of Google docs, Hangouts, Zoom, and Skype for communication remote work are much easier. Many industries such as travel and tourism, real-estate, mortar retailers are badly affected due to Covid19. On the other hand, some industries like Healthcare are growing. To speed up the hiring process in this pandemic many companies are offering candidates the option of video interviewing.
Coronavirus impact in hiring process
Approximately 10 million people have lost their jobs across India and around 400 million jobs have been lost in the world due to the financial uncertainty around Covid-19. Till mid-June 2020, hiring activities remain silent. Several companies going on a cost-cutting spree by removing staff and freezing hiring.
However, human resource officials of MNC’s said that hiring has now picked up speed. The skills in demand, however companies looking for digital slant.
Mr. Vibhash Naik, Head, HR, L&D & Administration, HDFC Life Insurance, said that digital expertise is becoming a basic requirement and almost a necessity for talent that one hires. Mr. Vibhash also informs that the candidate at the leadership/manager level needs to have the capabilities to operate and deal with remote, floating teams.
They need to have the ability to collaborate and work with cross-functional team members. Whom they have not seen face to face. Naik explained that HDFC Life started hiring from August but addition to headcount is based on business criticality.
Product distribution has also moved online. The idea is to hire candidates who have knowledge of electronic sales. And know how to server customers online and keep them engaged.
Kapil Udaiwal, Chief People Officer, IDBI Federal Life Insurance, inform that social distance is the need of the hour. The digital journey of most life insurance companies is fast-track. Though, we are keen to hire individuals who actively know digital tools and data to reach out to new customers, improve sales & processes and enhance the customer experience,” he added.
The companies which are already operating in digital space, the hiring activities has been robust. But digital-ready talent is the first demand.
President-HR, at edtech firm upGrad, Preeti Kaul inform that the company continue to be cautiously optimistic during the pandemic. Hiring is on in full wave for us across all of our functions,” Kaul update.
upGrad is looking for agile and adaptable’ individuals who can accommodate with the current changes in the workplace ecosystem with remote working.
She inform that there are many assessment tools use to check the candidates’ adaptability towards remote working.
Skills such as cloud computing, cybersecurity and full-stack developers are in demand in the IT sector.
Wipro CEO Thierry Delaporte, during the company’s recently analyst meet inform that there is a huge focus on cloud and other new-age technologies. These technologies include cloud computing, data science and artificial intelligence.
Deval Singh, Business Head, Mobilization (hiring) team at human resource firm TeamLease Services, inform that companies are ready to hire candidates. Who is having 2-3 years less experience than the requirement if he/she has the appropriate digital skills.
Skills in demand after covid 19?
In FMCG sector, they hire individuals who are active on most of the social media platforms. And who also can help the company in brand building activities online. They prefer someone can help the company to grow brand marketing on social media platforms. Rather someone who may not be adept at social media.
Remote work can be boring if a candidate is not self motivate themselves and energetic. Most of the companies are expecting you to be your own cheerleader and coach now.
Interviewers are looking at EQ (emotional quotient) now, more than IQ (intelligence quotient). Emotional intelligence or emotional quotient refers to the ability of an individual to handle communicate, stress and emphasize with colleagues or clients. Also, to understand their own emotions in a positive way to resolve critical issues and deal with crisis situations.
Job seekers understand the fact that when organization put their safety first, the candidates are putting their employers first.
To conclude, the author believes that the coronavirus impact on jobs is huge and changes are not easy during pandemic. The employers need to ensure that they should hire a candidate who has the capability and the agility to work remotely and communicate with team through digital channels.
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