Careers Resources for Indian Students
INDIA CAREER RESOURCES - Important Sources of Information
Job Portals are one of the best sources of vacancies, providing a common platform for job-seekers, employers and recruitment agencies.
Most job portals offer extra services such as career advice, resume service for a fee. Additionally, the top sites organise career fairs, and
walk-ins in association with their employer-partners in several strategically important locations, they also have their presence globally,
mainly the US, UK & Middle East markets. Besides, these sites carry links to placement/recruitment agencies. Some of the sites are:
Naukri (www.naukri.com) (that also has an exclusive portal for graduates by name “Firstnaukri.com”), Monster India
(www.monsterindia.com), Jobs Ahead (ww.jobsahead.com).
Employer websites are an abundant source of information. Most employers have interactive web pages in their “Careers” section
online, where candidates can directly fill-in applications, check job vacancies, follow up on status of their applications and even
subscribe to job alerts, by registering. Speculative resumes/applications are processed carefully from time to time by employers,
depending on the requirements. The careers page also usually provides information on employer expectations, graduate schemes (such
as internships), career pathways and general HR information.
Newspaper Dailies publish a weekly supplement of “Job Opportunities/Appointments” section. Most such dailies also have an online
version, free of cost with special features such as job opportunities and survey results only made available to (paid) subscribers. Some
of the more popular regional/national dailies are “The Times of India & Economic Times” in West, “The Hindu & Business Line” in South,
“Hindustan Times” in North, “The Telegraph” in East.
Business Magazines that are weekly or fortnightly are available in different categories(such as politics, business) and are good sources
of information on best employers, industry trends. E-magazines are accessible on the net for free. However, features such as cover
stories, special surveys are available only for subscribers. Some of the top magazines are India Today (www.indiatoday.intoday.in),
Outlook (www.outlookindia.org), Business Standard (www.business-standard.com), Business World (www.businessworld.in), Business
Today (www.businesstoday.intoday.in).
Recruitment Agencies/Head hunters are useful in connecting job-seeking candidates with employers and opportunities. Some Indian
industries mainly rely on the agencies for hiring. Along with a strong industry and functional knowledge, they provide their clients (both
employers and job-seekers) with an extensive geographical reach. They charge a fee for their services to the employers, but not the job
seeking candidates. Each agency specialises in multiple industries and functions. Most agencies have international presence, mainly in
the US, UK, South East Asia and Middle East. Some of the top agencies include Mafoi Consultants (www.mafoi.com), ABC Consultants
(www.abcconsultants.net), Alp Consultants (www.alpconsultants.com) and Omam Consultants (www.omam.com).
Networking plays a vital role in hiring in India and is one of the most effective mediums. People network with family, friends, alumni
from school/college/university faculty, general contacts from industry conferences or through social networking sites such as LinkedIn
and many others.
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Employee Referral Program (ERP) This once informal word-of-mouth reference activity has evolved into structured recruitment
route in organisations in the form of Employee Referral Program (ERP). Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), Ernst&Young (E&Y), IBM,
CISCO, Infosys and TCS are some of the employers that use ERPs effectively and meet 25-40% of recruitment targets through
referrals.
Social Networking Sites There are several social sites for different purposes. LinkedIn is the most popular networking site for early
and experienced professionals in India. LinkedIn is an online network of more than 25 million users from around the world,
representing 150 industries, linking thousands of qualified professionals. It is definitely a great tool to network and show case one’s
professional presence online or simply seeking recommendation or advice.
Alumni Networks are a very important source of information and a great way to keep in touch with seniors from
school/college/university. Usually a platform to share information on industry, job vacancies as well as general communication.
Online graduate forums are extremely popular in India. These are graduate communities online for job postings, industry updates,
sharing hints and tips on resume/interview skills and also serve as discussion forums. Eg: Graduates World (www.graduatesworld.com),
Yuva Jobs (www.yuvajobs.com), Law Students of India (www.lawstudentsofindia.com), Rainmaker (www.rainmaker.co.
Reprinted with thanks to UCL Careers Service (The Careers Group, University of London)