Changing Recruitment Paradigm

 The month of September is marked with intense placement activities across engineering institutions
of the country. Companies conduct online assessments followed by in-person interviews to recruit
candidates.
 However, the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically altered this paradigm and has presented new
challenges for the recruiters as well as the candidates.
 Fresher candidates have numerous hurdles such as completely virtual processes, lack of previous
years’ mark sheets and a job crunch in the market due to the pandemic, while companies face the
challenge of ensuring that students are not cheating during virtual tests.
 Few companies which have started their placement process have taken a fully virtual route and have
updated their test formats to prevent unfair practices.
 They are using artificial intelligence (AI) engines to track student behavior during the test and to test
their ability to work with teams- assessments that are normally made in person.
 The top campus recruiters are still offering salaries at par however, the catch being that they are
sticking with trusted partner institutes for their hiring requirements.
 According to recruitment experts and companies, campus recruitment process will extend much
longer this year, as companies will assess their employee requirements on the go, unlike in previous
years.
 Non-IT sector companies are yet to start placements in full swing. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
has shifted their nationwide placement process to October as institutes sort out their teething issues
around delayed exams.
 Placements by companies such as Wipro and TCS are most sought after because they cover the
largest number of institutes.
 The major challenge for all recruiters will be to avoid malpractices this time as tests are largely being
held virtually outside proctored centres.
 Companies such as Capgemini, have introduced game-based aptitude tests beyond general aptitude
and coding queries which makes it harder for candidates to take screenshots of the test.
 Since many students are yet to clear their third-year exams, delayed by the lockdown, companies are
making some exceptions for the eligibility criteria. Students are also being tested on their behavioral
skills and team-work abilities before the technical rounds this time.
 AI-proctored reports of the candidates are available to help in conducting technical and HR
interviews of these candidates.
 To manage its campus placements programme, IT major Infosys has built capability to
simultaneously test applicants across partner colleges in a proctored online environment and has also
added AI into the assessment engine to identify unfair practices.

Reference:https://www.livemint.com/news/india/it-firms-look-at-online-means-to-help-manage-
campus-placements-this-year-11599803064985.html