60% of the 660 professionals surveyed – research an organization before accepting their job offer. Further 35% of them rely on company review sites to do this research about the company, reveals JobBuzz.

April 25, 2017: Today’s professionals no longer look for jobs, they are looking for career development and long-term growth. With a host of information channels available to them, they carefully review any job opportunity by scanning company reviews to assess the reputation of the organization and the career growth offered.

Most professionals research companies online

In a recent study conducted by the recently revamped JobBuzz, (a company rating platform powered by TimesJobs) the clear majority of working professionals agreed that whether one is at the beginning of job search, preparing for an interview or contemplating a job offer, being armed with information about the prospective company is in one’s best interest. Among the 660 working professionals who participated in the study 60% of working admitted to checking up on the company before accepting a job offer.

Over 35% of professionals rely on company review platforms to check out and research a prospective company. About 30% them use web search and scan through articles, stories, media mentions and Wikipedia to gather insights about the organization they are looking to work with.

About 19% of the surveyed professionals rely on word-of-mouth to get an understanding about the work culture, leadership and other aspects of the organization and 16% scan the company website for relevant information.

“The quality of talent an organization is able to attract and retain is crucial to its success in today’s highly competitive environment. TimesJobs’ study clearly shows that companies that are active on employer review sites are able to engage with top talent and build their reputation as one of the best places to work – giving them the critical edge as an employer of choice,” says Nilanjan Roy, Head of Strategy, Times Business Solutions.

Company Reviews help assess organizations candidly

Emphasizing the importance of company review platforms 35% professionals say that they could assess the company comprehensively – across multiple parameters. Nearly 30% feel they are a big benefit when you are unsure of which company to select, since they give you a lot of information and provide suggestions. Another 15% say they do not rely on only on company reviews, but seek out other sources as well while making career decisions. Interestingly 20% professionals felt that most reviews on such websites were planted or fake.

However, the significance of having a good number of positive reviews on a company rating website must not be discounted. This is further supported by the fact that 25% of professionals use company rating websites every time they get a job offer. About 45% say they use it sometimes, when they are not very knowledgeable about the company, while 20% say they rarely use it and 10% say they access other sources for company information. Incidentally besides reading reviews about future employers nearly 70% professionals also say that they also post their own reviews about their current & previous organizations.

Company Culture is the most important factor

TimesJobs Study also revealed the checklist of parameters on which professionals use to assess a potential employer. Among the factors mentioned, company culture is the most crucial factor for almost 40% professionals, for 35% of them work-life balance is their focus while checking company reviews. Nearly 30% professionals say salary scales are of high importance for them. Rewards and recognition is a decisive factor for another 30% professionals and 25% look at the learning & development opportunities critically.

Reviews impact Employee Perceptions

The impact of company reviews on a professional’s decision can be gauged by the fact that 90% of the surveyed professionals’ perceptions had been altered after reading a company review. For 50% professionals, it had positively impacted their decision to take up the job at a specific company, implying the review has created good impression about the company. For 40% professionals, it has negatively impacted their decision and created a bad impression about the company. Another 10% professionals said their career decisions were not impacted by reading reviews.

This JobBuzz study clearly reiterates that the days of indiscriminately applying to jobs through newspapers, or depending on friends and family for recommendations are passֳ©. In today’s highly competitive business environment online and social media are the new modes of recruitment, the critical aspect is how effectively companies can engage and respond to past, present and future employees on these platforms.

JobBuzz itself was recently revamped with a slew of new features that significantly enhance engagement and the insights it provides into companies. A brief description of the newly launched features:

• Top 5 reasons to work: Surveyed feedback from employees working in that company. It highlights what the employees feel positively about their company.
• Top 5 reasons to leave: This is also a survey result of the employees. It tells the parameters employee does not like or enjoy in their company.
• Average job tenure: Job tenure in a company speaks a lot regarding the work culture, career growth, salary standards, etc. This is a unique feature available only on JobBuzz. Here candidates can find a comparative analysis with respect to industry standards.
• Employee strength by Education: It speaks of the mix of employees with respect to various educational qualifications. Candidates can compare the company with the respective industry standard.
• Employee’s Feedback for New Joinees: Feedback from the employees for new joinees. Includes suggestions, advice and tips for them to settle into the organization.
• Employee’s Feedback for company/management: Feedback, advice or suggestions from the employees for improvement/betterment in certain areas of the management/company.
• Rating Trends: Rating trends across the year provides very important insights about the company. Candidates can find how the company is perceived among its employees in terms of Career Growth, Work Culture, Salary Hikes and Work-Life Balance over a period.
• Insights from employees: Provides insider information regarding the company. Includes candid experiences regarding certain sensitive information like salary hike, frequency of promotions, etc.
• Compare with competitors: Provides a comparison between two companies with respect to different HR policy parameters.
• Interview Tips: With the widest range of potential interview questions, TimesJobs further helps professionals understand different employer’s interview methods and help them prepare to ace their interviews.

Visit http://jobbuzz.timesjobs.com/ to discover more about the company of your interest.

About TimesJobs.com:

TimesJobs.com, a flagship business of Times Business Solutions (TBS), is a platform to help competent professionals make smarter career decisions. With over 25 million registered jobseekers across the board and more than 60 million page views every month, it is fast becoming the most preferred career portal among the candidates.

TimesJobs is leading in the recruitment and employment space with its pioneering and dynamic divisions because it successfully meets all the needs of the jobseekers. Its major platforms include:

• TechGig: India’s biggest dais for tech professionals to help them Learn, Showcase & Compete in the IT industry.
• JobBuzz: A well-known portal that provides information & insights about different companies, job profiles and interview processes.
• StepAhead: StepAhead offers Professional Resume writing and distribution services, career astrology, resume improvement to help jobseekers accelerate their career.

Also, TimesJobs has the largest collection of jobs in the market, which ensures that whenever and wherever there is a great opportunity, jobseekers will discover it on the platform.

In the recruitment market as well, being the biggest platform for competent professionals who think of their careers first, TimesJobs has become the destination of choice for recruiters who seek to engage with the right talent.

The post Companies that leverage Review Platforms attract Top Talent: JobBuzz Study appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

Indian Hospitality’s First-of-Its-Kind Casting Call for Top Talent to Join One of the Most Highly Anticipated Hotel Openings of the Year

Mumbai, 10th June, 2016 – Lights, Camera, Action! W Goa, part of the iconic W Hotels Worldwide, Inc., concluded India’s ‘first-of-its-kind’ recruitment search yesterday at The St. Regis Mumbai. W Goa Casting Night is a series of events to recruit talent, who embody the passion and drive to deliver the brand’s Whatever/Whenever® service promise, to join one of the most dynamic hotels in India. Following the success of the Night Casting in Mumbai, a similar event will be conducted in Goa for further recruitment to fill up over 200 positions in this new design-led hotel.

W Goa is part of a global renowned brand, W Hotels Worldwide. Born in New York City in 1998, the brand now has nearly 50 hotels in gateway cities and exotic destinations around the globe including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Hong Kong, London and Maldives. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and healthy lifestyle with Fuel. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, stylish retail concepts, signature spas and inspiring residences.

“Recruiting the right talent will play a vital role in the success of our brand’s debut in India,” said TJ Joulak, General Manager of W Goa. “W Hotels are all about delivering Whatever/Whenever® service and unconventional experiences to our guests. We are looking for talent who understand our guests’ lifestyles and are passionate about our brand’s DNA. What better way to start cultivating the brand than by creating a recruitment drive that resembles a bold, sparkling environment embodying the W brand’s ethos and the state of mind of Goa.”

True to the W Hotels brand, W Goa took an unconventional recruitment drive style, opting instead to do a “Night Casting” – selecting their talent in a spectacle of music, lights and entertainment at night. Held in the Ballroom of The St. Regis Mumbai, the venue was transformed into a W Living Room, W Goa’s signature bar, with a cosmopolitan vibe, music and signature mocktails being served to the potential candidates. Upon arrival, candidates were treated like superstars with photo moments on the red carpet.  To mark the opening of the Casting Night, W Goa management team unveiled a special pre-opening video on ‘Goa State of Mind’ giving attendees an exclusive sneak peak of the hotel.

At the Casting Night, potential candidates were invited to go through series of interactive sessions conducted by a panel of judges made up of W management team, to assess their aptitude, personality and service minds. This almost “reality-TV” type process encourages extra dedication from the burgeoning hopefuls and will allow the true star talents to shine.

W Goa aims to recruit over 200 Talent in various positions including Style (Housekeeping), B&F (Beverage & Food instead of Food & Beverage), Welcome (Front Office), Sales & Marketing, Engineering, Finance, Human Resources and Spa. Further to the Casting Night events, the Casting Call will continue and interested candidates are welcome to apply by submitting their profile, three photos that best represent their personality and a short write up about their ‘W Edge’ and what makes them the right fit for the job. The casting call is open to those from all walks of life, regardless of prior hotel experience or training. W Goa embraces diversity in gender, ethnicity, religion, orientation, age, personal style, physical aptitude, and education. This outlook is a cornerstone of the brand’s success.

W Goa – State of Mind

W Goa is spread over 25 acres on the scenic Vagator beach in North Goa. Once, home to the hippies, this laid back beach has evolved into one of the most exciting and vibrant destinations within Goa. From its trendy cafes serving a host of international and local flavours to its fashionable boutiques and eclectic music clubs, there is an aura of creativity and cultural mix, which makes this a destination of choice for those who yearn both.

With a private coastal setting and breathtaking views of the sea and the Chapora Fort, W Goa will offer 160 rooms and villas. Dining options include the Pan Asian restaurant, Spice Traders and the all-day dining, The Kitchen Table, which will serve local and international flavours. The bar along the Wet Deck is ideal to sip on cocktails or refuel with healthy smoothies. The Rock Pool, a unique venue carved out of the rocky mountain, is the ideal place to savour the sunset. The FIT gym and Spa by Clarins will ensure you are feeling refuelled and ready for a calendar of W Happenings showcasing what’s new and next in fashion, music and design. Guests will also experience the brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever® service that delivers whatever they want, whenever they want it.

For the latest updates, please visit W Goa Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wGoaVagatorcove.

About W Hotels Worldwide

W Hotels is an iconic global lifestyle brand with 48 hotels, including 18 W-branded Residences, in the most vibrant destinations around the world. Inspiring, innovative and influential, W has been disrupting the hospitality scene for more than 15 years, fueling a lust for life for its guests through insider access to what’s new and next in fashion, music, design and fitness. On track to reach 75 hotels by 2020, W Hotels and Escapes have been announced for Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Goa, Abu Dhabi, Phuket, Dubai, Amman, Jakarta, Panama, Costa Rica, Riviera Maya, Muscat, Hainan Island, Suzhou, Changsha, Chengdu, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Shenyang, Marrakech, Brisbane, Aspen and Madrid. For more information, visit whotels.com/theangle or follow Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The post W GOA RECRUITS TOP TALENT WITH A UNIQUE NIGHT CASTING EVENT appeared first on Core Sector Communique.

While 39% organisations lost top talent to start-ups in just the past 6 months, overall, 45 per cent of companies surveyed agreed that they had lost their choicest & top talent to start-ups in the past revealed a recent TimesJobs.com study.

Start-up Craze – The Entrepreneurial Rush

Many of the best and brightest of India Inc’s talent are bailing out of their high-paying, prestigious jobs with big corporates to join start-ups or set up their own business. The IT/Telecom sector has witnessed the maximum (40%) talent movement to startups followed by ITeS, Retail and the Manufacturing & Engineering sectors.

The Game of Power

Freedom to innovate and positions/designations are pointed out as the key factors luring top talent to startups, by nearly 60 per cent of the respondents to the TimesJobs.com survey.

The attraction of having a position of power and of being in a leadership role is the maximum at the middle level. 65 per cent organisations said that maximum talent movement is at the middle level and 55 per cent of middle level managers are attracted by the designations offered, TimesJobs.com revealed. The experience range of these high-value job-hoppers lies between 5-10 years, said 48 per cent of the survey. The fact that middle level employees are getting to exercise leadership positions at start-ups is the biggest factor driving them to leave reputed & established organisations.

“A major reason for this exodus of talent is that in a big company mid-managers can take almost 10-15 years to reach leadership positions, while start-ups offer them a head start at the power and opportunities that leadership provide at a much earlier stage in their careers.” says Vivek Madhukar, COO, TimesJobs.com

TimesJobs’ survey reveal Over 60 per cent candidates with 2-5 years experience move to startups to explore their creative side and about 67 per cent of the candidates with 5-10 years experience join startups for better positions and designations.

Playing to their Strengths

“While money may not be the biggest attraction in start-up organisations, they are cashing in on the concept of the ‘new work world’, which offers freedom to innovate, flexibility and leadership positions to lure Gen Y workforce out of their big corporate jobs. The fact that Gen Y is restless and seeks instant gratification, interesting work and quick results – start-ups are the place where they are getting what they want.” explained Vivek Madhukar, COO, TimesJobs.com

According to Sunil Goel, MD GlobalHunt, “Startups have minimum liabilities and so they experiment and innovate with one specific area. Top talent have risk abilities and willingness to work all around the functions, hence they select to join the startups.” As far as designations are concerned, he added, that while in established companies there is a huge pool of people and so the hierarchy has to be maintained to make sure that new entrants are clear about their role, work areas and KRAs, in startups the resource pool is limited. It doesn’t matter what designation it should be called.

Besides, professionals today have become more optimistic about the future of the country, its economy and the markets. Hence, they are no more risk-averse. Also, with many startup success stories doing the rounds and world-figures espousing the concept of entrepreneurship, the workforce is getting lured, highlighted Aditya Narayan Mishra, president Staffing, director Marketing, Randstad India.

Joining a Start-up

Advantages

• Opportunity to develop multiple skills, as one is expected to work take on multiple roles.
• Higher growth opportunity and faster learning curve with first-hand experience of working with top management.
• One grows with the organization, hence, higher opportunity to earn better remuneration, added perks and profit sharing.
• More accommodating towards work flexibility options.
• More freedom to think out of the box and ample opportunities to innovate.

Disadvantages

• Less organised work culture with the company at an evolution stage, hence, systems and processes not yet refined, leading to confusion and trouble in communication, especially for new joiners who are not yet accustomed to the corporate atmosphere.
• Employees are not able to leverage the brand equity if it does not do well in the long run.

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