“Job portals set to expand base in small towns”
Shveta Pathak

Sanjeev Bhikhchandani started naukri.com when not many had even heard of online job portals in India. Eight years hence, the venture that led to the birth of the online jobs industry, worth over Rs 100 crore today, is a market leader with over 55 per cent share. In Ludhiana recently, he spoke about the online head-hunting scenario in the country. Excerpts from an interview:

How many registered users does naukri.com have?

There are over 20,000 registered companies and 5 million registered users. We are receiving 10,000 new resumes everyday and by the end of this year, the number is likely to be more than 1 crore. The site is visited primarily by job-seekers, head-hunters and also people who seek expert advise on resume writing, interviews, issues relating to a new job or even an existing job.

What are the advantages of a job portal?

The reach is wider as there is no geographical restriction. For companies, the cost is significantly reduced, there are options to advertise at as low as Rs 500. The time taken in reaching out to the right candidate is also cut down.

How can the user of a job portal derive maximum benefit from it?

Firstly, a job-seeker can derive maximum benefit if he gets himself registered and fills in all the required details pertaining to skills, qualifications and contact numbers. The resume posted on the site should make a good impression and be professionally prepared. Besides, a job-seeker should visit the site regularly, at least twice a week, to check the latest opportunities.

Which are the popular jobs?

Currently, it is Information Technology (IT) and ITES that rule, be it in terms of companies visiting the job boards or candidates looking for jobs. Jobs abroad are also getting popular as people find it easier to reach companies in other countries through the Internet. Considering the growing demand for overseas jobs and also from companies located abroad, we have now decided to tap foreign markets. We plan to open an office in Dubai this month.

What scope do you foresee for job portals in future?

The growth of job portals is directly connected to growth in the number of Internet users. Currently, India has over 5 million users and this number would significantly rise in the coming years. So would the popularity of job portals. Presently, over 80 per cent of the users of job portals come from the top six cities. In the coming years, smaller towns and rural areas are likely to participate in a big way. However, in the long run, this industry will not be monopolised by any one player. Three to four players are likely to lead this segment.