Get interviewed, hired from comfort of home on WhatsApp
Yogita Rao
Mumbai
A few students from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, were in for a surprise when their future employer recently formed a WhatsApp group called the `The Internship' and added them to take their interviews.
The Gurgaon-based creative director who was interviewing them thought it would be more creative in the comfort of their own surroundings. It would also cut down on the time and energy spent on travelling.
The strategy worked. The advertising agency hired all six as interns.
Even as interfaces like Skype and Google Hangouts and other networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are being increasingly used during campus recruitments, the WhatsApp interview was probably the first of its kind and has caught the fancy of many on networking sites.
One of newly picked interns, Sai Padwal, said he had no idea that the conversation was supposed to be an actual interview. Students are very comfortable online as it is a regular medium for them. In live interviews you are judged on everything.But it depends on individual preferences. A few recruiters who are unable to come to the campus for interviews do opt for online interviews,“ said Atul Shukla, IIT-B placement manager. The institute's placement cell also uses LinkedIn to connect to recruiters, said the student.
“At SP Jain Global, we help students present them selves well through LinkedIn, we advise them to write and upload blogs, their media appearances, and share news-worthy articles. The students go through mock interviews which are video re corded for review and ex pert coaching. From clot hing to posture to voice and demeanour, we help them present their best professio nal selves on Skype and vi deo interviews,“ said CJ Me adows, director of innova tions at SP Jain Global Scho ol of Management. At NMIMS, recruiters use Sky pe for interviewing on rare occasions. Tanima Nigam, co-ordinator from Lady Shri Ram College said that several companies prefer using he online platform if they are unable to make it to he campus(COURSTEY THE TIMES OF INDIA FEB 7)