I was at this interview drive on Saturday for almost 5 odd hours. Candidates kept coming in, and it was kinda fun (or may be I just tried to enjoy myself!) talking to and having discussions with seemingly potential candidates.
By the end of the day, rather by mid-day I actually started feeling sad for the IT population that I have been grilling for the last few years. In fact, one of the candidates from one of the most popular IT state of southern India, had come in with a 3+ years of experience to show on paper, but was one really ungroomed chap. With an unshaven face, donning a pair of sandals, and nothing much (in fact nothing at all!) to show off technically, he seemed like a person straight out of exile :-)
I felt kinda sad for such population, coming from a small hamlet, and getting a sneak into the IT industry they probably never underwent any grooming sessions or even cared for such a thing.
At least a couple of times, I thought about sharing my email address with him so as to help him groom a little, of course only if he showed any willingness to, and even help him with some technical skills. This could have helped him cracked future interviews, and I'd have gained myself some karmic points too :-)
Not sure if my professional obligations allow me to share contact details with a rejected candidate, if it does, I would love to get into this path to voluntarily help groom people.
Am sure it'd give immense satisfaction to help groom people from where they are, to a point where they could stride on their own...
By the end of the day, rather by mid-day I actually started feeling sad for the IT population that I have been grilling for the last few years. In fact, one of the candidates from one of the most popular IT state of southern India, had come in with a 3+ years of experience to show on paper, but was one really ungroomed chap. With an unshaven face, donning a pair of sandals, and nothing much (in fact nothing at all!) to show off technically, he seemed like a person straight out of exile :-)
I felt kinda sad for such population, coming from a small hamlet, and getting a sneak into the IT industry they probably never underwent any grooming sessions or even cared for such a thing.
At least a couple of times, I thought about sharing my email address with him so as to help him groom a little, of course only if he showed any willingness to, and even help him with some technical skills. This could have helped him cracked future interviews, and I'd have gained myself some karmic points too :-)
Not sure if my professional obligations allow me to share contact details with a rejected candidate, if it does, I would love to get into this path to voluntarily help groom people.
Am sure it'd give immense satisfaction to help groom people from where they are, to a point where they could stride on their own...
There's no issue sharing your email address with a candidate. It's a very good idea if you think he would benefit from it.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate, yes I'd do that next time possibly.
DeleteGiven the impending competition we face from countries like Taiwan (cheaper outsourcing) we need to improve the quality of people. So yes a great thought and I think we can share the email details.
ReplyDeleteEven if we can't we can get hold of them on social media or anything else.
Also just to highlight I think the lack of experience comes from the fact that leading IT gaints just waste bright minds by hiring them and not giving them any work. It they just work their pockets nothing else, so yes sadly fresher candidates do suffer a lot.
Thanks Basu, good to know that we think we can share contact details, however I'd like to know what the handbook states.
DeleteWell, I really don't think IT giants are to be blamed for any fiasco of this kind. Whatever be the project, folks are always free to learn and improve their own skills all by themselves. Coming into professional walk of life, I really don't think guys who have 2-3 years experience in the industry need any hand-holding to improve on their skills.
And if they were really 'bright minds' as you said, they could easily move on. I was into production support myself in the industry when I started for a matter of fact. Ultimately, it's ones aim whether to stay where he/she is or to change gears and move on in life to do better and bigger. No?
There are two categories. Firstly who are compulsive and secondly who need a push sometimes or everytime. The former category will often make a impression wherever we put them and will move ahead. The latter one where major candidates fall...need luck as to get some aspirants mostly level above them and to an extent at co-level.
ReplyDeleteThese problems do existed before and were ignored; thus as a result have manifolded.
It would be really good if we can aid them. But again a big question mark, till when can we act as a support for them ? may be for a particular moment or for some time..after then ?. What i feel is at some point time preferably at earlier time of the career,they need some motivated spark or environment...the source of which can be an individual or a group or a enterprise. The change of mindset in that period will extract their true potentials.
Albeit saying so, yes we should do bit whatever we can do from our end.
-Latters-
Yes, that's a great thought pal. AlThough it is true that you cannot hand-hold someone forever, but yes for the budding years of one's career which is generally between 1-4 years, guiding stars will definitely help us have better professionals.
DeleteNo surprise at all that you felt the way you did. If you think the person would be receptive, it is absolutely the right thing to do. It is only professional to help a fellow professional to do better. Delivered in the right way, such an intervention can be life changing. We do need to be careful and keep it professional.
ReplyDeleteThere are I am sure many people who go through the same experience, a few of them, my past colleagues, have made it their life's mission to help young people find their feet in the industry and help them do the right things for the right reason. You can read about what they are doing at http://www.firespike.org.
That is heartening to know about the initiative from the folks at FireSpike. We can only hope budding professionals do take good advantage of such initiatives.
DeleteYes, it was a spur-of-a-moment thought for me during this interview, and hence I chose not to offer an helping hand right away, but yes in the future if am a witness to such folks (which is very likely!), I'd already have my castle of thoughts built around it to put forward my helping hand in the most professional manner.
Thanks Neerav!
I think Indian IT industry is going under serious quality issue. I completely agree with you Shreyas and recently I came across couple of similar candidates. One guy had more than 5 years of IT experience. He was leading the team of 5-6 people but he was not even aware of basic collections in java, not even polymorphism :(
ReplyDeleteI think now most of the companies who want the technical people are focusing on actual coding exercise which will give you clear picture of whether candidate has hands on experience of working on tech or it is just the theoretical knowledge. I feel if companies become little more stringent on their strategies to select candidates these bluff masters have to groom themselves and make India IT industry best in the world professionally. So my suggestion would be, while selecting a candidate be very particular and make the candidate realize that they do not anything if at all candidate really needs to be groomed. Help the colleagues in your team/office and this way we can start the grooming era :)
Cheers,
Saurabh V.
Very well said Saurabh. Yes, the coding exercise helps very well to actually pick the creamier lot than just picking people who have skin-deep knowledge of things..
DeleteHowever, most IT companies do maintenance and support services, for which they don't really need the best brains in business. Add to that, the timelines that they have while hiring, they do not really care @ candidate quality. For them numbers matter more than grey cells :)