The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Job fairs to tap potential candidates

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 20, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Job fairs to tap potential candidates

Staff Reporter

An opportunity for students to know what companies look for

JOB HUNTERS: Candidates wait outside Em.El.Em Kalyana Mandapam, on the first day of the job fair organised by NIIT on Saturday. — Photo: M.Vedan

CHENNAI: Two job fairs were held in the city on Saturday and Sunday. One, organised by NIIT, featured 15 IT and three ITES companies. This fair was aimed at tapping potential candidates graduating this summer.

Over 500 candidates flocked to the venue during the first session. "We will get back to companies, take rejected CVs, find out why those candidates were rejected and get back to candidates," said S. Venkatesh, senior vice-president, NIIT limited. NIIT would suggest appropriate courses to these candidates and help them get placed in a good organisation.

"Companies build a database of prospective candidates to fill vacancies during the course of the year. Students get an idea of the job scene. Since a few companies conduct tests and interviews here, candidates know what is expected of them," Mr. Venkatesh added.

Participating companies included Element K, Sify, Real Image and HCL. For them, the fair meant a brand building exercise. "Even if we get 50 good candidates, we are doing a great job," said Deepak N.G. of Sutherland Global Services.

"Besides brand building, we collect profiles to suit specific needs of our company," said Augustine Chelliah, HR Executive, Sify. Companies such as HCL were looking at candidates with good verbal and written communication skills.

For Harish Diwakar, student of MCA at Gandhigram Deemed University in Dindigul, the fair meant "good exposure" and an opportunity to know what companies looked for.

At the fair organised by SlashSupport at Ethiraj College, over 100 candidates were given offer letters. "Since we just completed a round of campus placements, we are looking at candidates who will fill our requirements immediately. A passion for technology and good communication skills are the two factors we consider," said Balasubramaniam Venkataraman, Manager.

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