In recent years, a growing demand has been observed from companies for recruitment services, particularly for entry level candidates from various industries. There’s been a noticeable decline in the job readiness and employability of freshers from colleges, especially so in Tier II, III, and IV cities, and a high volume of job applicants exhibit a lack of job readiness. Also, it’s a trend consistent across different industries and roles. Well, this issue pertains not to candidate’s subject knowledge, but rather their overall job preparedness. Employers frequently encounter a need for substantial on-the-job training to bring candidates to a level of readiness for effective team work and professional responsibility. This challenge has only intensified over time, rendering the hiring of suitable entry-level candidates increasingly difficult for employers.

It is in response to this challenge, ZIGME CAREERS has emerged. Founded by Rima Naware & Meenakshi Ginodia Jalan, ZIGME is an employability platform designed to address this issue by enabling employers to readily identify candidates who are suitably prepared, confident, and equipped with the necessary skills for the job. The firm offers a comprehensive workforce solution that provides students with personalized learning paths and mentorship to develop work ready skills, ensuring they are fully prepared for the modern workplace. For employers, ZIGME offers direct access to pre-vetted, job-ready talent, reducing recruitment costs and improving retention rates by matching candidates with the right job roles from the beginning.

The firm’s main focus is on developing the mindset, attitude, and skills of entry-level candidates to prepare them for the

workforce. While it also has programs for experienced professionals, its primary goal remains to help the freshers. ZIGME aims to boost their confidence, enhance their professional demeanor, and offer personalized guidance to help them choose their career paths wisely. On the employer side, it simplifies the hiring process by presenting them with a curated pool of qualified candidates. Its offerings include ‘Prep Me’, ‘Mentor Me’, ‘Know Me’, ‘Hear Me’, and ‘Read Me’. These programs are all part of its employment preparation. For employers, it provides a filtered selection of candidates, allowing them to choose the best fit for their needs.

Meenakshi Ginodia Jalan, Co-Founder, ZIGME says, “We’ve created a unique career tech product designed to connect employers and freshers. Our platform offers mentorship, training, upskilling, and job services tailored for freshers, eliminating the need to visit multiple vendors. We focus on generic employability, providing personalized guidance regard less of field of study”.

Employers and job seekers encounter challenges in finding the right talent and job opportunities, falling prey to the wrong hiring approach and lack of clarity. Both employers and candidates must approach the hiring process with seriousness and consideration. In this regard, Rima adds, “Many companies often hire candidates out of necessity, even if they may not be the best fit. However, ZIGME works with a wide range of clients, from startups to large Indian companies & MNCs, ensuring its solutions are customized. Its specialization lies in identifying the right talent pool for each client based on their unique needs”.

Both Rima and Meenakshi have extensive experience in the business domain (10 years), and a total of 19 years in HR. They quite understand the ground reality from both the employer’s and candidate’s perspectives. “We engage with colleges, assess students based on industry expectations, and offer support for placement and internship opportunities to those scoring 80 percent or above. Below 80 percent, we provide advice and conduct one-on-one sessions to improve communication and confidence. Employers can access candidates through a simple and automated system”, says Rima, explaining the process of onboarding candidates for the job.

Positioning & Future Pathway

ZIGME holds around 3500 college connections today and engages with freshers through various channels. Its recent projects with two major companies improved the recruitment process and resulted in over 1200 successful hires. The firm’s focus on ensuring that individuals are well prepared from day one is leading to faster growth and better learning outcomes at ZIGME. It collaborates with prestigious institutions and companies in the fintech, microfinance, and BPM sectors to meet their recruitment needs.

“AI is a crucial part of our platform. We are implementing bot buddies to train candidates and developing a mobile app. We are also exploring generative AI to filter information & candidates, and plan to offer virtual reality experiences for career exploration”,signs off Meenakshi.