Monster, But Not Your Boss
Online job portals are trying to turn the tech slowdown to their advantage.

March 29, 2001 -- BT TRENDS -- Monthly pay cheques and job security may seem pre-industrial to the job hoppers of the internet age. But with paper wealth-oh, it was heady to have had ESOPS-going out of fashion, and the tech slowdown benching software stars, most people in the industry are happy to have a job at all. Points out T. Muralidharan, 42, Managing Director, careermosaicindia.com: ''There is virtually no new job creation in the manufacturing sector, and within it and sales, the focus has shifted from new jobs to replacement jobs.''

Logically, having fewer people to place should spell bad news for online placement outfits such as careermosaicindia and monsterindia.com, which opened shop in India early this month. It's just that it isn't. Explains Krishna Krovi, General Manager, monsterindia.com: ''Companies are now more specific when it comes to recruiting, since they have specific projects, where they need specific skills.''

Placement portals, with their vast database of employers and employees, see the slowdown as an opportunity to prove their quality and cost-effective capabilities. Monsterindia.com, for instance, is doing specific searches for companies, while going beyond mere placement in the case of individuals. Krovi claims the site also does career management. With newer software markets opening up in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and France, the job portals expect to be as busy as ever match making. That apart, what such portals are really waiting for is the old economy companies to move their search and recruitment online. If that happens, Krovi's resume is one that you won't find on the internet.

For more information, contact :
Ms. Rajeshwari on telephone 91-40-7727700, fax 91-40-7727725 or e-mail :
[email protected].