Set for software sector

Q I am looking for a job in the software industry. I have heard that the IT sector is on a hiring spree to meet requirements that might come up in future from various outsourcing firms? Is it true? If yes, can you please update me on this? — Rohan Dikshit

A Yes, you’ve heard right. The major reason behind this hiring spree by IT firms is because of the growth in business, which in turn is ignited by the market boom across the world.

Many overseas projects force companies to recruit people at a short notice. Such brisk hiring at times results in employment of undeserving candidates who are not up to the mark. As a result companies have realised that it is better to be equipped with a buffer or a pipeline of suitable candidates to avoid any last minute rush.

Once hired, these new recruits are ‘benched’ for a certain period of time and are not given any project to work on. However, they are put on training or placed in various in-house projects. In many IT firms, the percentage of on-bench employees is nearly half of the total head count, if not more.

Companies like HCL call these people ‘under-deployed talent’ who are kept as back-up for projects. However there is no discrimination in terms of salaries and benefits for these people and they get equal pay and other benefits at par with their counterparts.