Key Initiatives for Resolving Hiring Challenges

Sunil Bharadwaj is working as Deputy General Manager – Strategy & Supply Chain at Raymond limited. He is an experienced Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement Professional with 15+ years of experience spanning the entire value chain. He has worked in different sectors such as Engineering & Construction, Building Materials, FMCG, Water & Power.

How did you decide to get into this field?
As a Mechanical Engineer, I developed interest in the field of Materials and Operations Management. Considering the tremendous scope for Operations Management across industry sectors, I decided to pursue my post graduate studies in this area and build a career in supply chain.
What are the Challenges faced when hiring entry level talent?
Generally, companies make the best efforts to screen and hire the most suitable talent with an eye on the future. But then it’s not always possible to get the right fit. I don’t think there is any company that gets it right all the time, despite following a very rigorous and professional approach.
How are these challenges overcome? Do companies take any specific initiatives
Some of the key initiatives:
- Specifically designed engagement strategies
- Job rotation
- Learning and development programs
- Defining a clear career path and progression map
What are main/key skills that organizations look for while hiring entry level talent?
A mixture of soft as well as hard (functional/domain) skills are assessed based on a pre-defined matrix
How is Entry Level Talent currently hired?
Through engagement with Engineering colleges and Management schools
What are your expectations in terms of Hard and Soft Skills from Entry Level Talent?
Soft skills – attitude, self-confidence, clear articulation
Hard skills – functional clarity, conceptual understanding
Do you offer live projects, internships to students?
Yes – students are hired for summer internship projects