Latest news with #Kraftshala
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid, Recruiters Say
Recruiters reveal the seven ways Gen Z is blowing their shot at their dream jobs and tips on what to ... More do instead. You've probably heard of the Seven Deadly Sins that are said to doom people. Now, job recruiters are naming the the seven deadly job interview mistakes that doom new graduates in a highly-competitive job market. We all make mistakes, but there's one mistake none of us can afford to make, and that's failing to ace a coveted job interview. Here are seven deadly job interview mistakes that can sabotage your future, no matter your generation, preventing you from landing the job of your dreams. The 7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes Gen Z has been severely judged by employers and older predecessors, and their reputation in the job market is rapidly declining. But sometimes the criticisms leveled against them are too harsh, unfair and one-sided. Underneath the surface, many experts insist there's a young generation in need of support and direction to help prevent them from making deadly job interview mistakes. Some experts notice that younger employees go quiet or totally check out during one-on-one job interviews. Some people have labeled the look the 'Gen Z stare," but research suggests it's because 30% of Gen Z actually fear one-on-one chats with their managers. The team at Kraftshala surveyed 30 people serving as recruiters, team leaders, hiring managers and CEOs across seven partner companies that hire. To pinpoint Gen Z's biggest interview red flags that were costing them coveted jobs, the team asked recruiters questions like, 'What signals a lack of preparedness or seriousness?' or 'Are there any recurring traits or attitudes among Gen Z candidates that concern you?' and "What makes you decide not to move forward with an otherwise qualified candidate?' The survey revealed that Gen Z has an over-reliance on AI-generated answers that feel scripted and lack depth and real-life examples, plus overly casual language—and other behaviors that signaled a lack of professionalism. Kraftshala founder Varun Satia explains. 'Gen Z has immense potential, but our recent survey highlighted some shocking mistakes that are sabotaging their careers, like relying too heavily on AI, giving shallow responses or coming across as too casual. To stand out, they need to show genuine preparation, depth and professionalism in interviews.' Satia shared more detail on how seven recurring red flags on how Gen Zers are sabotaging their careers. Several employers in the survey found that Gen Z job applicants were using AI to complete test exercises and on-the-spot assignments given during interviews. One employer reveals that they could hear an AI chatbot's voice in the background uttering responses like 'great question!' According to the team, 'Discovering that a candidate used AI during the interview instantly indicates their incompetence to many employers and also raises worries that they'd put the company's confidential information in an AI system.' 'No job interview rule states that a candidate should know anything and everything about the company they are applying to,' Satia says. 'But, being well-researched and posing sincere questions about the company's work can earn you brownie points with the hiring manager. At least five employers noted that multiple Gen Z candidates were largely clueless about the company.' The team concludes that the most common complaint from every employer was that Gen Z is unable to talk about their skills and work experience in depth during interviews, despite having impressive resumes. 'Over 10 employers stated they had to guide the candidate multiple times with follow-up questions to get them to talk about their skills or try to nudge them to answer the main questions,' Satia notes. 'While this can be due to a lack of confidence, hiring managers sometimes write this as laziness and disinterest.' Team Leaders claim that they are more than happy to be flexible for a valuable employee. However, Gen Z's demands for flexible hours and even four-day work weeks during interviews raise red flags. 'A senior HR exec revealed that a candidate openly stated that being 10 minutes late to work should be acceptable without being questioned by the management. This doesn't seem like a huge deal at first glance, but it's not wise to say this to a hiring manager.' The team acknowledges that Gen Z's use of slang is one of their defining traits. They don't follow a strict corporate language. But the hiring team sees it as another indicator of un-professionalism. 'While they want to see someone who brings fresh breath to the company's work culture, using professional language during interviews proves, the applicant will be able to fit into their working environment. Some employers shockingly stated that a few Gen Z candidates even appeared for online interviews while still in bed.' Honesty is the best policy, except when you take it too far in a job interview, Satia points out. 'The HR doesn't want you to lie about your skills, but they have revealed that some Gen Z candidates took too much time to talk about their social media, mental health and even family issues during the interview. This is naturally a huge red flag in employers' eyes,' he states. Satia describes how one hiring team lead pointed out that a candidate claimed he put 'mental health above all else,' claiming he wouldn't show up to work if he didn't feel like it. 'Mental health needs to be a part of corporate conversations.,' Satia says. 'But the employer instantly deemed the candidate as 'unreliable' after hearing this.' Most hiring managers claim they are most likely to hire a candidate who sends a thoughtful thank-you note/email to them after the interview. Satia says it's a great opportunity to not just thank the interviewer for their time but to reiterate why you are a great fit for the job. It proves that you are truly interested in the job. Unfortunately, hiring teams point out that most Gen Z candidates fail to do this. A Final Wrap On 7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes When you consider avoiding ahead of time the seven deadly job interview mistakes that job seekers commonly make, it can give you a leg up on landing your dream job in a highly-competitive job market.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Alternate career options for UPSC aspirants looking to restart journey
Each year, thousands of youngsters spend several years preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It is a process that demands discipline, focus, and a strong sense of purpose. But for those who eventually decide to step away from the exam, whether after one attempt or five, the next step often feels unclear. This is because the exam became a central part of their identity. And once that phase ends, the question of 'what now?' can be difficult to answer. This is not because there are no options, but because it is hard to reimagine yourself outside the frame you have operated in for years. Why it is not really a restart There is a common misconception that moving on from UPSC means starting from zero. But preparation for the civil services develops valuable abilities: understanding complex ideas, structuring arguments, staying consistent over long periods, and communicating clearly under pressure. These are traits that modern employers look for, especially in fast-paced, problem-solving roles. The challenge is a lack of industry exposure and direction. We work with many professionals who have come from exam-focused backgrounds, including UPSC aspirants. And one thing we have consistently seen is that once people are placed in the right environment, one that simulates real-world challenges and offers timely feedback, their learning curve is fast. Let us look at some roles that align well with the skills former aspirants already have: ♦ Digital marketing and content strategy: These are structured, analytical domains that require clarity of thought, storytelling, and data interpretation, areas where former aspirants often excel. ♦ Sales and business development: For those who enjoy problem-solving and relationship-building, sales roles offer rapid career progression and exposure to core business functions. ♦ Teaching, mentoring, and EdTech: Especially relevant for those who want to help others navigate competitive exams or contribute to learning ecosystems. ♦ Policy, development, and CSR roles: Think tanks, NGOs, and CSR teams in companies often look for people who understand policy structures and bring a disciplined approach to research and execution. ♦ Product and operations roles in startups: For those who like solving real-world problems, these roles reward rigour, process thinking, and ownership. The skill shift What often differentiates a successful career transition is not additional theory, but exposure to how real work happens. Many UPSC aspirants are used to studying and absorbing knowledge. But in professional settings, action matters more than answers. That is where outcome-focused programs come in. You need to work on actual projects, get feedback, and understand how teams solve problems in real-time. This is the approach we have built at Kraftshala, where learners get to apply concepts, make mistakes, improve, and eventually build proof of work. It is also what gives companies the confidence to hire people who may not have a 'traditional' background but the ability to learn and contribute. Mindset over résumé One of the most common concerns we hear is: Will companies hire me after a career gap? And the answer is: yes, but not automatically. What matters is how you have used your time and how you present your transition. Recruiters today are more open to unconventional journeys, if there is clarity, initiative, and proof of capability. Internships, freelance work, thoughtful content, and real contributions go a long way in showing that you are repositioning. Moving forward is not giving up Choosing to stop preparing for UPSC is a choice to build something different. The instinct that led you to prepare in the first place, a desire to contribute meaningfully, to grow, to build a respected career, can still be fulfilled. Many of our students come from similar backgrounds. Nilanjana, for instance, spent three years preparing for UPSC before switching gears to marketing. With the right direction and exposure, she quickly built a portfolio and now works with leading brands. There are many such stories, not because people lowered their ambitions, but because they redirected them. In conclusion The time you spent preparing for UPSC was not wasted. It just needs to be reframed. You have built a strong foundation. Now it is about picking the right environment to apply it. Careers are not built in a straight line. And they do not need to begin with a rank. They begin when you decide to re-engage, with clarity, intent, and the willingness to learn in a new context.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
News from the world of education: May 7, 2025
Workshop on GenAI Great Learning will host a two-hour workshop titled Become AI-Ready 10X Faster: A Workshop on Gen AI and Low-Code, on May 10 at 12:00 p.m. Tech enthusiasts, and students looking to harness the power of Gen AI with minimal coding expertise can attend the workshop at a fee of Rs.99. Details at MBA 2025 prep programme Career Launcher invites applications to BLACKI Batch, an MBA 2025 preparation programme to help students get into Indian B-schools. It provides end-to-end preparation, covering CAT and Non-CAT entrance exams. Eligibility: In phase 1, students with an academic profile of 90/90/80 will be selected, and will be eligible to take part in Phase 2. In Phase 2, a 25-minute test will be conducted to assess students' aptitude skills. Further details on the programme, eligibility, and more at Admissions and scholarships Scope Global Skills University has opened admissions for 2025–26. For details on courses, application, eligibility, and more, visit Kraftshala has launched its Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Sales, Marketing and Business Leadership. Students from all fields can apply by May 20. Details at The University of Sheffield, the U.K., invites applications for its Masters in Public Health course starting this September. Eligibility: A three-or-four-year Bachelor's degree from a recognised university, with a minimum of 60% in any subject or a medical degree. IELTS 6.5 (with 6 in each component) or university equivalent. Scholarship: 75 International Postgraduate Taught Merit Scholarships in 2025 with each scholarship being a competitive award worth £10,000 towards the original tuition fee. Details at IIM Bangalore invites applications to its Bachelor of Business Administration in Digital Business and Entrepreneurship BBA (DBE) programme. Eligibility: Pass in any recognised class 10 board. A pass in class 12 or equivalent with a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average in recognised board exams for general category and NC-OBC and EWS category candidates; 55% marks or equivalent CGPA for SC, ST and PwD (>= 40% disability) candidates. Candidates can take the IIMB Entrance test or can apply with their 2023, 2024, or 2025 CUET (UG) General Test scores (i.e., only Section III), or 2023, 2024, or 2025 JEE Main scores. Deadline: June 17 IIMB DBE Entrance test: July 20 Details at Registrations are in progress for the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) May cycle. Eligibility: Candidates must be graduates in any discipline; final-year UG students. Schedule: Paper-Based Test (PBT): Exam date: May 31 Deadline: May 25 Computer-Based Test (CBT): Exam date: June 8 Deadline: June 2 Details at Pearl Academy invites applications for Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes. Eligibility: For Bachelor's, a 10 + 2 pass in any stream; for Master's, a Bachelor's degree/diploma from a recognised university, in any stream. For UG and PG, candidates will have to appear for an entrance exam which includes a written exam and personal interview and showcase their portfolio. Deadline: May 27 Details at Macquarie University, Australia, announced its Early Acceptance Scholarship worth AUD 40,000. Eligibility: UG and PG Indian students aspiring to commence their studies in 2025 and 2026. They must be a citizen of India; accept a Letter of offer and pay the commencement fee by the deadline; remain enrolled in each compulsory study period, and must not be a recipient of a government sponsorship or scholarship that covers full tuition fees, unless approved by the university's scholarship team. Rewards: AUD 10,000 annual scholarship for each year of study, towards tuition fees covering all coursework degree programmes taught at the Sydney campus. Details at The University of Birmingham Dubai has launched the 125 Scholarship initiative. Eligibility: Awarded to Indian students enrolling this September, who exhibit the highest standards of academic excellence. Students for UG and PG programmes will be considered. Value: Up to 50% of tuition fees Details at Events Appointments The Lalit Suri Hospitality School appointed Anupam Mukherjee, former General Manager, Fortune Park Hotels Ltd., as the new Dean and Head – Operations. Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (GLIM) appointed Debashis Sanyal as its new Director. Before this, he served as director at GLIM Gurugram, Vice Provost-Management and Dean at NMIMS University, Mumbai, to name a few. Sanjeev Vidyarthi, architect, urban designer, spatial planner, joined Anant National University as Provost. The School of Liberal Studies and Media at UPES hosted Prof. Miles Hewstone, Professor Emeritus at the University of Oxford, to discuss Liberal Studies: A Degree or a Superpower? He also shed light on why Liberal Studies, especially Psychology, Political Science, History, and Journalism, were not just relevant, but indispensable in today's polarised and digitally driven world. The University of York, the U.K., recently announced plans to open a new campus in Mumbai. Its first cohort is expected to arrive in 2026. It will offer UG and PG programmes in Computer Science with AI and Cyber Security, Business, Economics, and more. IIM Kashipur hosted its 12th convocation where 598 students received their degrees. These included 319 students from MBA, 161 students from MBA (Analytics), 34 students from Executive MBA (E-MBA), 72 students from Executive MBA in Analytics (EMBAA), and 12 students from Ph.D. The A4G Impact Collaborative (AI for Good) launched Responsible AI—Governance and Ethics Symposium hosted at Delhi Technological University. Anil Antony, National Secretary and National Spokesperson, BJP, was a panellist. Panel discussions included Human Values and Legal Frameworks for AI Integration, featuring insights from philosophers, ethicists, and legal scholars, and AI's Impact and Societal Governance Models with insights from economists, technologists, and policy experts. Quest Global announced a $10 million endowment to Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute (RPI) and established the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Endowment and the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Fund. It is aimed at advancing engineering innovation and entrepreneurship and to equip RPI students and faculty to solve challenging engineering problems of the present and future. Mahindra University's Internal Quality Assurance Cell and the Confederation of Indian Private Universities, organised the Bharat Higher Education Summit 2025 themed Building Next Generation Leaders in Higher Education. Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, delivered the inaugural address. Panellists and keynote speakers stressed on the importance of aligning higher education with global standards while also embracing indigenous knowledge systems, digital innovation, and experiential learning. O.P. Jindal Global University, in collaboration with ATLAS SkillTech University and upGrad, hosted a national seminar on The Future of Online Education and Skills Development – Towards Viksit Bharat 2047. The Presidential Address was delivered by Ronnie Screwvala, Co-Founder of upGrad and Swades Foundation. BML Munjal University, in partnership with the NHRDN Rewari-Alwar Chapter, hosted the third edition of its Women in Leadership (WIL) Conference themed Power, Progress, and Possibilities. It included a panel discussion on The Future of Work: AI, Innovation, and the Changing Leadership Landscape where leaders from IBM, JSW Group, Hero FinCorp, and Kent Engineering explored the impact of AI on leadership, skills, and workplace dynamics. Smiling Tree collaborated with Hansraj College, University of Delhi, for a green outreach programme at PM Shri Composite School, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where over 35 students participated. Birla Institute of Management Technology held its 37th convocation where 713 students received their degrees. Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President of India, was the chief guest. Duolingo has launched 28 new courses for Indian learners, where they can learn languages such as Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, and German in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu. They primarily support beginner levels (CEFR A1–A2) and include immersive features such as Stories, to develop reading comprehension, and DuoRadio, to develop listening comprehension. ITM Skills University hosted The BBA Conclave: Shaping Business Minds to empower future business leaders. Students gained insights into topics of digital transformation and the modern banking sector by interacting with industry experts including Ramakant Raju, a MICA alumnus with expertise in Digital Marketing and E-Commerce; Siddhartha Kalhansa, the Vice President of Axis Bank, to name a few. Unstop recently released the Dream Companies 2025 list, which mirrors the dreams of students from the country's B-schools and E-schools. Key findings include — Google ranked as the top employer choice among students, while Microsoft was placed second with E-School students and third among their B-School counterparts; other favoured employers included HUL, followed by ITC and Nestlé; in the General Management category, Tata Administrative Services is the top recruiter, followed by Reliance Industries Limited and Aditya Birla Group, to name a few. A Mega Mock Test was organised by Motion Education to boost aspirants' confidence, before the NEET-UG 2025 exam on May 4. Over 8,000 aspirants attended the mock test. ITM Vocational University, Vadodara, conducted LITMUS 2025, its annual festival. IIT Guwahati's research team developed a multi-functional aerogel with potential to address some of today's most pressing environmental challenges including wastewater treatment, industrial pollution, and oil-water separation. The findings were published in the international journal Carbon ( and were co-authored by Prof. Giri along with his research scholars, Koushik Ghosh, Sanjoy Sur Roy, Sirsendu Ghosal, and Debabrata Sahu. IIT Roorkee has developed a personalised Heat Stress Risk Index Forecast system to strengthen urban climate resilience and public health preparedness. Kshitij Kacker, a Prime Minister's Research Fellow Scholar, Prof. Mahua Mukherjee, from the Department of Architecture and Planning, and Prof. Piyush Srivastava, from the Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management spearheaded this research. Professor Indrajit Shown from the Department of Chemistry, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, developed a photocatalytic system that transforms harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable renewable fuels using sunlight. He worked in collaboration with Li-Chyong Chen's team from National Taiwan University, to engineer a ZnS/ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) heterostructure photocatalyst, which utilises solar energy to efficiently convert CO2 into hydrocarbons. This research has been published in the journal Nano Energy. A Nagaland University-led multi-institute research team has developed a cost-effective method to create Supercapacitors. It is an advanced material for building next-generation energy storage devices. The study was conducted by Suraj Kumar, a DST-INSPIRE Fellow, Nagaland University, working under the joint supervision of Prof. Dipak Sinha, Chemistry Department, Nagaland University and Prof. Dinesh Rangappa from Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka. The team also included Priyakshi Bora from Nagaland University, Kunal Roy from Visvesvaraya Technological University and Navya Rani M. from Nagarjuna College of Engineering and Technology. The findings were published in iScience and can be accessed at IIM Bangalore held the valedictory ceremony of the seventh cohort of the N. S. Ramaswamy Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (NSR Pre-doc) programme. The batch comprised 13 scholars. The Isaac Centre for Public Policy at Ashoka University concluded its first Annual Growth Conference 2025. Discussions on employment, the rural economy, and the role of developed states in driving national progress, were held. Dignitaries included V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India; Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, Niti Aayog; Atul Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, among others. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India celebrated Accounting Standards Day themed Navigating the Financial Reporting Landscape. It aimed to raise awareness about the role of Accounting Standards in the preparation of financial statements. Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister, Delhi, was the chief guest. MAAC organised 100 Hours, a tech-led challenge to make 3D animated movies and digital-first films for its students across India. The theme was Technology and Human Co-existence for 3D Animation and Women's Safety, Artforms and Mental Health for Digital Filmmaking. A creative movie-making marathon as part of the event. Rochester Institute of Technology recently introduced the Tiger Stripes Programme through which students engage in real-world challenges through virtual internships, events, competitions, and skill-development courses. It also incorporates masterclasses, skill certifications, career coaching, mentorship, global contests and more. KIIT World School, in collaboration with Teach a Man to Fish hosted the School Enterprise Challenge, where students showcased a range of products and services at a specially curated marketplace on campus. A Shark Tank-inspired competition, where student entrepreneurs pitched their business concepts to a panel of industry experts, was also part of the event. NIIT University recorded a 100% placement for its students. Recruiters included Ernst and Young, Cisco, Morgan Stanley, PWC, Data Security Council of India, IBM, Genpact, and Western Union, to name a few. Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, hosted the TEDxYouth@MPSShalimarBagh event themed Passion to Purpose where speakers shared their transformative journeys with students. Dignitaries included Amit Sia, actor; Gaurav Malik, Squadron Leader and ADC (Military) to the Governor of Punjab; Ummul Kher, IRS officer, Huma Siddiqui, journalist, among others. BML Munjal University launched the Centre for Child and Youth Transitions (CCYT), an interdisciplinary hub dedicated to research, teaching, and policy and advocacy for young people. It is spearheaded by Anandini Dar, a scholar in childhood and youth studies, and Suchismita Chattopadhyay, CCYT, a scholar in Youth and Gender studies. The centre aims to foster youth-driven advocacy and policy engagement by actively collaborating with student groups and youth organisations to inform policy, shifting away from traditional top-down models, and more. Rewards and laurels Gowripriya Nair and Arathi Venu, PhD scholars from the Department of Hepatology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences won the first and third prize respectively, at the sixth National Conference on Critical Care and Infections in Liver Diseases, organised by the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. O.P. Jindal Global University was awarded Gold in the Times Higher Education Online Learning Rankings 2024; it ranked no.1 in India for Law, and received top global rankings in Arts and Humanities, Politics, Business, Economics, and Social Sciences. in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. QS Executive MBA World University Rankings 2025 IIM Bangalore's Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM), retained its standing as the only Indian B-school ranked among the top 50 globally. IIM Kozhikode's Executive Post Graduate Programme (EPGP) was ranked 22nd in the Asia Pacific region and #2 among IIMs. Anant National University was recognised as the Centre of Excellence by the Government of Gujarat. MoUs and partnerships Medhavi Group and Patanjali Japan Foundation signed an MoU to offer skill-based programmes aligned with the workforce needs of India and Japan. Under this collaboration, both institutions will co-develop NSQF-aligned vocational programmes with a focus on international job-readiness. Saras AI Institute signed an MoU with IIT BHU to launch an eight-week foundational course, Powers of AI, as an open elective for IIT BHU students. It is not limited to Computer Science or Circuit branches, but to all UG students across disciplines. It offers an entry point into AI with no prior coding or Maths experience required. As part of the collaboration, the two will also co-develop AI Evaluator, an AI-powered assessment tool. IIT Kanpur signed an MoU with the Wadhwani Foundation to launch the Wadhwani School of Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems for advanced AI, cybersecurity, robotics and AI policy. Admissions for the first batch of Department of Intelligent Systems students will begin in 2026. The National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chandigarh, launched the CopConnect Cyber Wellness Clinic, in collaboration with the Information Sharing and Analysis Center, and supported by Zscaler. The initiative aims to create cybersecurity awareness among students, educators, and law enforcement personnel. IIT Roorkee has signed an MoA with the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization, Dehradun, to promote sustainable development and innovation in rural and Himalayan regions. The collaboration focuses on developing low-cost, eco-friendly technologies tailored to the challenges of the Himalayan region. Joint research projects, PhD and internship opportunities for students, among others are also a part of this collaboration. Oracle and Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation have collaborated to provide skills development training to 4 lakh students across the state to enhance their employability. The programme will be delivered for free as a digital learning experience through Oracle MyLearn, from Oracle University. Broadridge has signed an MoU with Lovely Professional University for industry-academia collaboration. As part of the initiative, Broadridge has introduced a Train the Trainer programme where its SMEs will mentor LPU faculty to ensure effective knowledge transfer.
